I would like to hear some opinions on which finish is easiest for the novice builder to use and obtain the best results. I do have a motorized fixture for rotating the rod while drying.

ThreadMaster offers the most advantages in terms of leveling, clarity, and ease of mixing...... with the fewest "quirks".

Of course I am biased since I brought the stuff to the market!


Andy Dear
Lamar Manf.
210-845-7456

Well I am a true novice, Just finished my first rod. I used Threadmaster and ended up with a truely professional looking finish. (I was shocked! - credit to threadmaster, not me) Another good thing about threadmaster is that when you have any questions, you can call or email Andy (Lamar on the sponsor list) for quick help.

And based on the reviews here, I believe the skilled, master rod builders also like it a lot.

mmmmmmmmmmm me sees an oppertunity
HEY andy csn i have a free sample of threadmaster to try please
about a gallon would do me LOLOL

Allen

Charlie,

I used some of Andy's Threadmaster on a rod yesterday and found it very easy to work with. The results were spectacular. Of course, I've had similar results with many of the popular epoxies on the market. I don't find any of them hard to work with.

The most common epoxy out there is Flex Coat regular or lite. It's used by more builders than any other. It's also very easy to use and while other epoxies seem to have passed in by in some areas, it's still the one that most all others are measured by.

In the long run, I think you'll do fine with any of them. But I'd tell you to try not to worry about getting the job done with just one application. Go ahead and get it in your head that you'll need two applications, applied about a day apart. I think beginners get better results if they go with lighter applications rather than trying to do it all in just heavy application. It's easier to add another application than it is to go back after the fact and have to sand or file any back off.

............

I'm also a novice and am using Flexcoat Hibuild. I've never used more than one coat. I can't imaging anything much better. I let it turn at 10 RPM overnight and it leaves a beautiful finish with no bubbles. What more can you ask for?

No finish will apply its self and they all are capable of fine finishes if put on properly using the directions provided and maintaining a level rod during the curing stage. Each however has slightly different characteristics that one needs to become familiar with when using. Having tried several I have settled on LS Supreme high build as one that meets my needs. Others may prefer other finishes but it is mainly a matter of becoming familiar with a finish and having confidence in it. Practice! Practice! Practice!

Stan Grace
Helena, MT
"Our best is none too good"

Stan 's right! Tehy will all do what they are supposed to do, although some do it better! Flexcoat is good and user friendly but will definately yellow on you. I found LS to be very good and I preferred it until I tried Threadmaster, which, IMO, is the cat's ---!! Great stuff and VERY user friendly

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

LS Supreme High Build is my favorite right now.

Jim,
You said "What more can you ask for"

Non-Yellowing under UV exposure
Greater Margin for mixing error
Less chance for blushing
No yellowing while stored in bottle
Better Leveling
Faster gel time w/no reduction in pot-life
Quicker re-coat time
No cracking in cold weather
Newer state of the art chemistry/technology


Andy Dear
Lamar Mfg.

Tom Kirkman and All!

Is it rue that Flexcoat yellows?
Where can you buy Threadmaster Finish?

If you put it over white, in time, you can see some yellowing. Over any darker thread, you can't hardly ever see it.

To me, it's a moot point. I don't wrap with white threads generally and I don't use Flex Coat much either.

Putter
Williston, ND

Thanks, Randy! Excuse the pun, but I'm glad you cleared that one up! LOL

I have to disagree with Randy...it is absolutely NOT a moot point He says "In time" it will yellow....yep....less than 48 hours of UV exposure to be exact. 4 days of 8 hour fishing it yellows....actually almost brown. And although you may think you don't notice it, you actually do. I have had at least 2 dozen builders tell me their diamond wraps look brighter and crisper wuth ThreadMAster. Bob Meiser tells me his feather inlays have never looked so clear. I think maybe we have all gotten used to our wraps looking a certain way with a slight tinge, and don't realize how clear they could be until we use a product that has a greater level of clarity.

And it's not just the advantage of non-yellowing and clarity....try being off 10% in your mix with other finishes and see what happens.....try turning off your drying motor after 1 hour and see what happens.


And so what if you never use white thread...wouldn't you like the option to be able to do so? How about Pink, light yellow, grey, light blue or any other light color thread? What about white feathers for inlays? I'd like to believe that everyone out there wants to use the best possible blanks, guides, reelseats etc....why wouldn't you want to use the best possible chemistry in thread finishes as well?
I bet if the finish on your car started to turn yellow after 4 days, you'd be really upset if the manf. told you, don't worry about it, your car is not white so what does it matter? It's about using the highest quality product on your rods


Andy Dear
Lamar Mfg.

And by the way...I am certainly not saying that everyone should switch to ThreadMAster. As I have said before, If you're currently happy with one of the other products on the market, good for you! BUT, if you feel that there are drawbacks to the finishes you've been using, and are not happy with your current results, I'd like to invite you to give us a shot...you won't regret it.


Andy Dear
Lamar Mfg.

"If you put it over white, in time, you can see some yellowing. Over any darker thread, you can't hardly ever see it"
The point is, you CAN see. It happens gradually and you may not notice it but put an old rod next to a new one and you will notice it! It's not just white but any color although it shows up more on light color threads. I have a rod that was done years ago with blue/gold Trimar thread and hasn't been out of the house in about 10 years all of the Flexcoat ranges from very yellow to almost brown.

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

yada, yada, yada

Putter
Williston, ND

Why doesn't some one do up a proper test stick and send it to me out here in Australia and I will send it back after a period of time. On a previous test done with Mick McComesky, FlexCoat did yellow but compared to the fade that occurred on the thread with the clearer finishes leads me to believe there is problems with both a finish that yellows and a finish that the thread fades on.

Myles,
What is a proper test stick? And why would a test conducted in Australia be anymore valid than one done in South Texas or Florida or New York or California or Alaska? It's important that tests be done under a variety of climates and conditions, and that's exactly what we have done with ThreadMaster. I'll be happy to send you a white test stick with ThreadMaster on it, but I don't know what that would prove, except that ThreadMaster holds it's clarity longer than any other finish...even in Australia. However Australia doesn't have long-term sub-zero temps (does it?) like certain sections of the United States and Canada do, so it is important to test finishes under those conditions as well for clarity AND cracking and hazing in cold temps.

And you're correct about thread fading being a problem, BUT Thread fading is a thread problem, not a finish problem. You'll need to take that one up with the folks at Gudebrod! It takes thread a lot longer to fade than it takes most finishes to turn brown (36 hours of UV exposure on my sticks). Personally I'd rather have a clear finish with threads that look vibrant for many hundreds of fishing trips, than a beautiful wrap that turns brown after less than 1 season in the sun.

Here is the other thing. Most finishes (hardeners mainly) will turn yellow or brown unmixed, in the dark out of UV exposure, because they are also adversely effected by heat as much or moreso as they are by UV. Thread on the other hand only fades under intense light exposure.

You're welcome to test ThreadMaster in your home country...if you don't like it that's fine too, as everyone is entitled to their own opinion. All I ask is that you conduct a fair test, and not allow your personal biases to influence the outcome.

Ross Van Eckenvort at the Rodworks just signed on as a stocking distributor. Give him a call if you're interested.


Regards,

Andy Dear
Lamar Mfg.

Doc,
Nobody is bashing FlexCoat...I used it for 10 years, and I consider Roger Seiders to be a good friend of mine. Roger has been a real force in this undustry for 30 years...not many folks can say that! But that doesn't mean that FlexCoat can't be improved upon. At some point I am sure someone will invent a chemistry that renders ThreadMaster or LS Supreme or whatever second rate as well.

And by the way, I'll bet you didn't know that it was YOU and your video that spurred me to switch to FlexCoat oh so many years ago. And I can guartantee you that when I switched to FlexCoat my finish work improved drastically over what I was using before.

You guys may think I am bashing FlexCoat, but the fact is that ThreadMaster was modeled after FlexCoat! All we did was formulate a finish that performed like Flex, without the yellowing, and with a better cure cycle. Now, how much more of a tribute to Flex an you get than that? I have sensed no disrespect here at all, just a factual discussion on the pros and cons of various finishes, why is that a bad thing?

I'll consider the fact that you feel some have renderd my finish to the realms of sainthood a compliment.

Andy