I have just finished wrapping all the guides and the hook keeper and it it time to epoxy the thread wraps with rod finish. So far I have done a nice neat job and don't want to screw it up now. Do many of you use masking tape to tape off the guides and prevent getting unwanted epoxy on the rod? If so how are you doing it?

Any last minute advice on how to apply the rod fisnish on the treads and how much to put on?

How many guides do you do at a time - mine are single foot guides?

Any one have any good ideas for a make-shift drying motor? I was going to try and use a variable speed drill and try to get it to turn at 10 rpm.

Thanks again for all your help on previous posts!
Jeff

Jeff: I found that applying FC Lite and just trying to get all of the threads thoroughly covered without tying to build up the finish works well. I do two or three coats that way letting each coat dry for a day. On the edges I just steady one had with the other and let the finish do its thing. It's not as difficult as you might think. I would turn by hand instead of trying to rig up a makeshift drying motor. Hand turning works well. Keep your leftover finish handy to determine when it has cured enough to stop sagging. That way you won't be tempted to touch the rod.

Leon

Burnish the threads well with burnishing tool or the side of a round pen. Apply a flame to any strands of thread rising up from the threads. Use two well 50:50 measured and mixed coats of FC lite, the 1st coat don't go onto the blank just hit the threads, you don't need alot just smooth and even. Apply minor heat to bring up bubbles, 1st will thin when doing this, keep rod level no drips so don't put on alot of epoxy. Try to do the rod in two med size batches of expoy. LET DRY 24+ hours...Knock down any burrs you can feel with an exacto knife. Apply the 2nd THIN coat of FC lite, this time go onto the blank an even distance off the threads on both sides of the wrap, try to level with brush....Heat and level, spin for 3 hrs let dry
Get a large cardboad box, cut two "V's" in opposing ends that you can set the rod (Level) on for drying (also for 2nd coat even applicationof expoy onto the blank, hold your hand stationary and turn the blank. To dry even turn 1/2 revvolution every 6-8 mins to start 1/3 the 2nd hour turning every 10 mins after 3rd hour your in the clear.

Jeff - Yeah, like Leon said, do not mask off the edge of your thread finish with tape. It is NOT necessary. Use a steady hand and a careful eye to brush on a nice even edge.

If you did mask off with tape, chances are that when you lift the tape off the rod blank, you will marvelously succeed in demonstrating that epoxy does not adhere to the rod blank very strongly and is resilient and quite flexible. In otther words, your overlapping thread finish will lift up from the rod blank along with the tape, and you will peel your thread finish off the rod and the threads in one continuous sheet. ... That is probably what will happen. That is one experiment I do not plan on conducting. I've seen this happen with enough similar materials to know that is a highly likely outcome.

Using a masking tape to create the edge of your thread finish would at least NEVER create a perfectly tapered transition. It will always have a tiny sharp 90-degree face (like a tiny cliff) or scalloped-like edge that will snag something. If that face gets smashed by a sliding block motion, it could uplift the finish and let water in under it, and then all manner of corruption can ensue. Sanding it is no solution either, because the finish would be totally marred. ...

Have fun, -Cliff Hall+++

I would suggest you DONOT use masking tape. will leave a raised edge when you remove it. Won't look good and will catch you fishing line if you are using braid.
When you apply heat don't hold it in one spot just kind of sweep it back and forth over the area you are heating. Hold flame above the rod, not under . If you do it under the soot from flame can discolor you finish or threads.
I epoxy all guide at one time. If you heat your epoxy in the microwave for 10 seconds it will mix better. Have less bubbles , and be a little thinner, make it easier the work with

Lightly flame the thread to burn off fuzzies, then do all the thread with finish all at once with a very thin first coat. No need to rotate since application is so thin. Let cure for 24 hrs in a guides down position. Apply a second heavier coat, flame finish to kill bubbles, then place on drying machine until cured.

Do not use masking tape.

If you cannot get a straight edge with a brush do a search of this system for using a piece of thread as an applicator - it works.

Warmed finish is good, but beware of too warm or it'll shorten pot life.

Lou

All good advice above. I would also add that the library and FAQ sections here have articles you should read as well. Also, if you do a search "all dates" "all forums" any author you will get more than you can read in a weeks time.

Raymond Adams
Eventually, all things merge, and a river runs through it..

Jeff,
The edges of my guide finishes improved when I built three very short supports to lay the rod on for epoxy application. The supports are made from 1x4 wood and have V's cut out similar to my simple wrapping stand. Like the wrapping stand, the V's are lined with felt. The benefit to using these short supports is that both of my hands are allowed to rest on my table, steadying them considerably.

Jeff Shafer

I tried the tape once and when I removed the tape after the epoxy dried, I had a sharp edge, as described above...I had to go back and free-hand with a brush and add more epoxy at the edges to round off the sharp edge. On a later rod I tried the tape again but this time as soon as I had epoxy on all the guides, I carefully removed the tape, pulling slightly toward the guide wraps...while the epoxy was still good and wet. Then I placed the rod in my dryer (18 rpm) and turned it on. I then took a drinking straw and gently blew my hot breath on each wrap as the rod turned to eliminate bubbles. Next I went to bed and got up in the morning to really nice straight but smooth edges. Turned off the dryer and have been doing them that way ever since. Never had another problem to date...(Knock on my wooden head)...LOL

Steve Buchanan
Steve's Custom Rods

Last night I applied the first coat of epoxy and was a little suprised at how it went. I think I followed all the precautions: mixing equal parts thouroughly for 2-3 minutes, lightly heating the epoxy to get the bubblles out, etc. I used the little brush that came with the epoxy to apply. Since I have single foot guides I epoxied all of the guides in one sitting. I wrapped my guides with a gold metallic thread since I thought the epoxy would darken the regular colored thread. To my suprise the epoxy was as clear as gin and had no effect on the color. I found it challenging to know just how much epoxy to apply since I couldn't tell how much was going on due to the metalic thread and the epoxy's clarity. I never got a sag on any of the guides even though I wiped epoxy all around each wrap with the little brush. I figured it was better to put too little than to put too much. I will need to go back tonight and apply a good bit more epoxy. I was thinking of using a nail or knitting needle to be able to apply a good sized drop of epoxy to each guide so it would run/sag and completely cover the thread. I also used my variable speed drill as a dryer and it worked great (put it in the vice). The one thing I haven't been able to avoid are the little burrs (stubs) from tying off the guides. I took a flame to all stubs but they didn't completely go away. Maybe because it is a metalic type gold thread? Is there a way to get the epoxy to cover the little stub so I have a completely smooth finish over the thread?

I am also curious if the epoxy bonds the guide to the rod or if it soley keeps the thread from unraveling?
Thanks for your help ---- again.
Jeff

EPOXY THREAD FINISH is a CASTING RESIN.
It has pretty weak ADHESIVE properties.

The Thread finish does not really act to "bond" the guide to the rod. Your THREAD TENSION lashes / whips the guide to the rod - not really anything else. And NOT the thread's TENSILE Strength, either - it's the thread TENSION that holds the guide down. If your Thread Tension is too low, your Tensile strength won't matter !!

The THREAD FINISH "EMBEDS" the thread in itself, which is what a casting resin does, as part of the definition of what it is. The thread finish protects the thread from abrasion and liquids. The thread finish does not significantly add to the strength of the wrap - about a 10% increase above the unfinished wrap is the generally accepted figure for added strength from the thread finish.

What keeps the thread from unraveling is the final under-winding (or tag-end or whatever you call it) that is brought under by your pull-thru loop. The casting resin embeds it permanently, but it is mostly the friction of those overwinds pressing down on your under-wind that holds keeps the wrap from unraveling. This locking property of the thread finish helps more with the tag-end than in the middle of the wrap. .... -Cliff Hall+++

Those little nubbies are more common with metallic thread. Just trim them with a razor and apply
another coat of finish.

Raymond Adams
Eventually, all things merge, and a river runs through it..