Only have to put the finish on the wraps and my first rod is finished. When I ordered the blanks etc. from the US I did not order color preserver and are wondering whether I should order it or not. I have used Gudebrod A with navy #521 A066 color on the wraps. It is dark blue, will this be almost black without preserver?? Also how much is the strength of the wraps influenced by the preserver.

What is acually the reason for using color preserver. Is it to keep the original color when aplying the epoxy or is it to protect the color later when exposed to sun, UV, heat etc.

Again thanks for all the useful tips I have received on this forum and the answers to questions I have asked when building my first rod!

Svein

I personally don't use color pre. I would rather have the additional strength in bonding that is lost when it is used. With out color pre. your threads will change color when you apply it unless use you thread is NPC or metallic. Anything left in the sun will fad or change color if left out long enough. Unless you are absolutely committed to the "blue" in your threads I would finish the rod and going fishing.

The wrap strength will not be affect to any degree that you would ever notice = the thread, not the finish, bonds the guides to the blank. But the threads will darken and become somewhat transparent. You'll have a very deep navy blue. CP has only one purpose really, to keep your colors the same shade and brightness as they were on the spool. It's a choice of cosmetics.


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The wrap strength will not be affected to any degree that you would ever notice - the thread, not the finish, bonds the guides to the blank. But the threads will darken and become somewhat transparent. You'll have a very deep navy blue. CP has only one purpose really, to keep your colors the same shade and brightness as they were on the spool. It's a choice of cosmetics.


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Tom:
My comment was not to the strength of the wrap. but that the epoxy bonds to the thread better. Because the CP coats the thread and inhibits the epoxy from penetrating. I have seen guides with color preserver come lose more easily then when it is not used. That may not have been your experience, But is an observation I have seen over the years.

Thread finish just basically lays on top of what ever you put it on. It doesn't really stick to anything very well. If you try an pluck up a drop from you work area you will see just how easily it realeases.

Scott try dopping it on cloth then pluck it up after it dries.
Which is basicly what is created when you wind thread around a blank

I've not personally had any epoxy come off threads coated with CP. I suppose it could happen, but I haven't seen it, yet. But I also don't handle my wraps or leave rods sitting around for weeks on end before finishing. These type things can affect how well the epoxy adheres. In general, there are few if any downsides to using CP, although you do have to pack your threads a bit more carefully in order to keep from having a thread wrap with blotched areas.

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Dark colors are manly. Go ahead and just coat the thing with epoxy.

I really like what happens when I don't apply CP. The thread become semi-transparent, darkens, and tends to have a "wet" look to it. I also like the fact that the guide feet can be seen (at least somewhat) through the thread. I used that same thread recently with no CP, over a dk. gray blank. It had a couple turns of gold metallic on either end of the wrap, and it was really nice.