I have used the Cabelas high build on my first rod because it was in the rod kit. I din't like it cause when I was done putting it on, the finish was different size on each guide feet. So to keep that from happening again I bought FC lite build. I like it, but on but wraps its hard to get even. I have read one of the other peoples post and they were told to put it on and let sag, take off extra and turn 90 and repeat. I understand doing that part of it, but it doesn't seem to run very good. My steps are turn heat up in the room. Set the two syringes close to the baseboard heaters to get warm around 85 degrees. mix the two parts use my small torch to get bubbles out . then put it on thin.I put it on really thin to where I can't even tell I put it on. It still comes out wavy on long wraps. If I do the step where I let it sit and sag then flip, I don't think it would sag. It just does not seem to run very well even if I put heat on it. I would like to know if high build runs better. I would like to put finish on without putting 6 coats on. If anyone can help with would apreciate, as on last post. sorry if I posted twice, I hit the wrong button.

Regardless of whether you are using a high-build or a lite-build thread finish over your butt wraps, in order to achieve a very level finish over the uneven surface of a cross-wrap or open-wrap, you will need multiple coats of thread finish, and possibly also need to BLOCK-SAND the latter coats to yield a very flat surface.

... And if this butt wrap is an OPEN wrap, with NO under-wrap, and with much of the rod blank exposed, the adhesion of the Thread Finish to the rod blank itself may become an issue if you are not careful. ...

Bowing out to the real Masters of such methods, ... -Cliff Hall+++

I just do flyrods so the butt wraps are just open wraps I think. I having trouble getting level finish on level surfaces. does high build run better or do you know.

I think that if you're using Flex Lite and getting a wavy, uneven finish on a flat surface on your rod, you're probably using too much finish. A high build is much easier to use on a 'butt' wrap. You can put on a little thicker coat and it will still level.

With any finish, low or high build, if you put too much on, it won't self level. Experiment to see what works and how thick of a coating you can do and still get it to self level.

Putter
Williston, ND

Thanks for the advice I will probably try the high build. The lite looks nice but I hate having to put on so many coats. I would only like to put on 3 coats tops. With the lite build I have to put on at least five or more to make it look right to me.

High-build finishes will do everything and more that low-build finishes will. But lo-build finishes will not do what high-build finishes can.

The thickness or depth of finish on your wraps is up to you, not the finish.

Generally, you can apply more per application of a high-build type and it will resist drooping and sagging a bit more than lower build finishes will.

..........

Eric, It's not necessary to use all that heat! Heat speeds up the cure (torching a wrap will only make it flow fast dor a VERY short period but will cause it to set faster if you over do it. Anything over 70 degrees is fine, I wouldn't preheat your syringes like that.. I assume that when you say the finish on your guides is "different" sizes, you mean thickness. That would probably be because your finish is setting up to fast and is getting thicker as you work down the length of the rod.

After you mix your batch of finish, pour it out on to a piece of aluminum foil. This will allow bubbles to escape on their own and also extend the working time of the finish. The key to getting a level finish is that the rod HAS to be level or the finish cannot be. All finishes will level if used correctly. Simply put - Liquids level.There are as many ways of applying finish as there are builders. The last issue of Rodmaker magazine had an article of a pretty simple, fool proof method. What I do is apply the finish to the rod (basically use a spatuls and "gob" it on. When the finish runs to the bottom and sags, I let it drip off and remove sags with the spatula (toothpick, etc) and rotate the rod 180 degrees and do the same thing. Repeat until there is no more sagging and then turn on the dryer . Takes a little longer but I like the results. Your mileage may vary.

I prefer Threadmaster finish for it's clarity, setting characteristics but any of the available finishes can provide you with a level finish, Takes practice.

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!!

Eric,
The above advice is all good but I would add that what ever product you are using READ THE DIRECTIONS!
Follow the instructions to the letter the first few times you use it and if you do not achieve the results you are
looking for, then try a few tweeks recommended by other builders who use the same product.

Flex-Coat includes a "helpful hints" or "FAQ" section in their instruction sheet. Pay close attention to it.

With some practice you will quickly learn what works the best for you.


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

If I may add some personal experience from what I learned here, actually. Mix, mix, and mix extra well both parts of the finish. Even I was adviced to mix/shake one-part finishes.
Then let it rest for a while depending on the Tº so it gets its viscosity. Then use it as suggested above, with meassure and prudence. Any extra amount should be removed ASAP, so it will be easier to properly work on that particular wrap.
Hope this helps.

The photos in the latest issue of Rodmaker were classic. People talk about the leveling of finish and the conversation can get quite complex. Different thread wraps in local zones can cause a minor elevation change but most are concerned with the "wavy surface" problem cause by too much finish. All finishes are fluid when applied. All fluids will have level on top surfaces when at rest. When looking at the top edge of a rod at rest with fresh finish applied all of the finishs, both high build and low build, will be level on the top. Let the rod sit still for a minute and look at the bottom edge. The pattern of hanging droplets of excess finish tell you that there more finish on the surface of the rod than the viscosity will support. As the viscosity increases as the finish cures these globules are picked up, rotated and form an uneven surface. Get these drops off before the drying starts and you will have a "level finish". The photographs in the Rodmaker article clearly identified the source of finish irregularities.

I tried using low-build finishes for a long time (i.e. LS Supreme), before I finally tried the high-build version. I just had it in my mind that I wanted the lowest profile guide finish possible. Despite my best efforts, I never could get consistently perfect results. I could get pretty close, but I never could get it all just right, UNLESS I did like 4-5 coats of ultra-thin finish. But, that was insanely time consuming.

At the suggestion of a really good rodbuilder, I tried the LS Supreme high-build, and nearly all of my problems disappeared. I know it won't be a silver bullet in every case, but it was in my case. And, I also discovered that I can get a very low profile finish, even with the "high-build" product, just by continually removing all sagging epoxy.

For the longer wraps, I just assume that I'm gonna' have to give it more than one coat. I don't think I've ever gotten away with just one coat. I load on the epoxy pretty thick. Then, I take my brush (spatula would work fine too, probably better), and brush off the excess epoxy horizontally. I keep turning the rod and doing this until I have just a thin coating of epoxy on the inscription area. A couple of tricks will help this process along. The first trick is to use masking tape at the front of the inscription area. Tape a nice clean line where you want your epoxy to end, then also wrap tape onto the next 2" or so of the blank. As you brush lengthwise, the excess epoxy will end up on the tape. When you're finished, you just peel the tape off, leaving a nice clean edge. The second trick is to keep a fair bit of epoxy in the brush, as you're brushing it lengthwise. Since you'll be wiping the excess epoxy off the brush, it's tempting to simply wipe it all off, leaving a dry brush. The dry brush will introduce bubbles, especially with the long horizontal brush strokes. It's better to have the brush full of epoxy (but not dripping), then "move" the epoxy down the length of the inscription area. If you do have bubbles that don't seem to be popping on their own, you can flame some epoxies (but not LS Supreme). Since I use LS Supreme, I use a coffee straw to blow on the bubbles, which causes them to pop. Since my epoxy isn't terribly deep, I don't have any trouble with pits after the bubbles pop.