I'm just getting started with rod building, and I'm wondering if marine epoxy, like that used to do fiberglass work on boats, would suffice in lieu of official rod building epoxy.

Has anyone tried this, or does anyone know of disadvantages/problems/reasons why it won't work? I'm on a budget, and buying the epoxy in such large quantities would be quite convenient. TIA for the help!

Joe,The epoxy used for the boats most likely would not be flexable enough and also yellow rather quickly.
that is a resin to be used with cloth to add strength.By itself it is not very strong and will crack under stress.

Freddwhy (Rapt-Ryte)

Exactly. It's not made to be very flexible and would most likely be a poor thread coating. Standard marine spar varnish would be better than marine epoxy for that sort of thing.

But if it were me, I'd get a kit of epoxy thread wrap finish.

..........

Marine epoxy is what we used on rods way back almost 30 years ago before the excellent new finishes were around. It yellows very fast and is not nearly as flexible as rod finishes of today. I still have the first rod I made, it's fiberglass and is finished with marine epoxy. I just keep it around as a conversation piece.

As an aside, when discussing "EPOXY" in rod-building, it may be necessary to distinguish between the Epoxy-ADHESIVES and Epoxy- THREAD- FINISHES. These are by no means interchangeable.

The epoxy ADHESIVES have poor optical & flexibility properties.
And the epoxy THREAD-FINISHES have poor adhesive properties.

An EPOXY is a two-part formula that cures by a chemical reaction.
An EPOXIDE "RESIN" is mixed with an AMINE "HARDENER" .

By varying the exact type of the epoxide and the amine molecule, the manufacturer / formulator can get the type of epoxy desired. Some have broader applications than others, but rod-building epoxy thread finishes really have no competition from other epoxy applications. The other types are not formulated to retain a clear & non-yellowing color and to be as flexible as a fishing rod. ...

If you find one, let us know - I am sure you would generate a lot of interest. ... This is one of those times when the absence of a satisfactory answer to your question implies that others have not investigated this very thoroughly, or that they have tried it and the results were not worthwhile. ... That's when "reading between the lines" and the absence of supporting evidence implies an invalid premise. (Q: Is 'this' as good as 'that' - A: Not really) ... No problem in asking the question - but unless one is willing to be the pioneer, it may be time to move on and use what is already available.

I myself have not used it in 20 years, but Sally Hansen's "Hard-As-Nails" clear Nail Polish used to get some use on the threads of fishing rods. I don't have that rod anymore, so I can't comment on the 20 year plan. But during the 5 years after I re-built it, the threads looked great - flat green over a WHITE underwrap, and the Nail Polish did not yellow. (But the solid fiberglass rod did CRACK from being in a hot car in a curved state. When I took it out of the car to hit the surf again, it cracked very 4-8 inches when flexed strongly. Weirdest rod failure I have ever had.)

Some rod-builders get good results using hardware store brands of (marine) varnish or (for wood) polyurethanes for their rod-building thread finish. Search RBO for more details on that

If your choice of colors is a dark thread over a dark rod blank, yellowing will never really be noticed, no matter how bad it gets. But for lighter colors, "Caveat Emptor" - Buyer Beware, ... Good luck, ... -Cliff Hall+++

Thanks for all of the help, everyone. Cliff, your writeup was particularly helpful. I suppose I'll do a few more searches for results with the hardware store solutions you mentioned. I also didn't realize how little thread wrap epoxy is necessary to do one rod.

As far as epoxy adhesive versus thread wrap finish, should different epoxies be used? If I purchase an authentic thread wrap epoxy for that application, what epoxy should I use to attach the cork handle to the blank?

Joe,
Don't be "penny wise/pound foolish. Hardware epoxies are adhesives while rod finishes are more of a casting resin and not an adhesive. A good finis would probably cost about $10 for enough to do several rods. You will not get the same results.

For the handle, reel seat, etc., I would use Rod Bond, but the standard epoxies shoild work also.

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!!

Joe Mathews wrote: "As far as epoxy adhesive versus thread wrap finish, should different epoxies be used? If I purchase an authentic thread wrap epoxy for that application, what epoxy should I use to attach the cork handle to the blank?"

First off, NEVER use a THREAD FINISH as an ADHESIVE for rod-building. It is too weak to hold up to any significant force or pressure. Use one epoxy for your adhesives and a different one for your thread finishes. Use the right epoxy for the job, or disappoint is almost guaranteed. ...

Also, remember to scuff the mating surfaces of any glue joint before mounting to improve adhesion.

For mounting the cork handle to the rod blank, many people would recommend ROD-BOND. For glueing the rings to each other, many like TITEBOND III. I don't know if they like TB-3 for mounting the grip to the rod blank, too. Lots of variations here, Joe. A relatively small amount of epoxy adhesive evenly spread over the ring is enough to hold the cork rings to each other.

Try a SEARCH = "CORK MOUNT" or "CORK GLU" etc [Mssg Body + Subject] LAST YEAR for an avalanche of info on this Subject. Some brands of glue give better "glue lines" so that is a consideration as well.

Just keep the fact that epoxy adhesives and epoxy thread finishes are two very different animals that are NOT interchangeable, and you will have half the battle won. Then you can concentrate on the handling & performance properties of your brand of choice, and perfecting your application technique. ... -Cliff Hall+++

Great, that clarifies a lot of things for me. Thanks very much for taking the time to help. I will certainly post updates as things progress!