Hi all, I would like to hear from those who have found the most general speed or revolutions necessary to dry your finish's. For example is a 6rpm that is slower better or worse, or a higher rpm better or worse? Thanks for the input

Paul, You'll get a ton of opinions on this one! I have motor's varying from 2 to 40 rpm, but either turn by hand or 3 or 4 rpms. My favorite way is to rotate by hand, turning 180 degrees when sag appear on the bottom and I wick them off, then turn again After an hour or two I turn on the dryer (3 or 4rpm) Not saying this is the right or best way, but works good for me and gives me my best finishes.

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!!

I do pretty much like Mike, except my drying motor is 18 rpm. Ralph

If at first you don't succeed, go fishing, then try, try again.

I do the same as mike for the first hour and then put it on a 6rpm. I think sometimes if I'm finishing over a butt wrap that leaves areas of the rod exposed within the wrap, by placing the rod on a dryer too quick, it "funnels" the finish around the diagnal wraps and tends to leave visible bare spots on the blank here and there. By simply turning it 180 degrees and wicking off the excess until its a little tacky, I avoid this and get a more even finish when using a 1 coat high build. I usually wait to do the guide wraps until its on the dryer so the finish stays in the base of a single foot guide on my spinning rods.

...Same as Mike, hand turn , wick the sags for a 1/2 hour or so , then turn the dryer on ......... 4 RPM on my lathe , or 30 on my home made units . John

Got Fish ?

Paul,

As Mike said, you'll get alot of opinions on this subject. (I have alot of respect for Mike's opinion) First off, I don't care what the rpm is but you must keep it rotating. I like 200 rpm to start with. I feel I get better leveling. After an hour or two I don't think rpm's make much difference, but again you must keep the rod rotating. Beware that some finishes have lower viscosity than others. (Low viscosity -light build, Swifty, and permagloss) I would not use more than 40 rpm for these. Normal epoxy and Thread Master I use 200 rpm for and hour or two. I know Mike gets excellant results, but when I get done applying the finish and leveling using a "Mike Barkley Doctor Knife" aka a cut credit card, I like to walk away and not sit there and watch it start to drip before I rotate it. I think many of us develop our owe method that we are satisfied with that gives them the best results is why you get so many opinions. There is no wrong way as long as you get level results!

Ed Smith

Old Fisherman never die. They just keep pluging away!