I've had a hard time getting a smooth finish on my rods. I have a 6 rpm dryer but it seems that before I get halfway through the rod my finish starts to get a little lumpy. I've had the Flexcote for quite a while is that the problem, or maybe I'm to slow.?

If it's setting before you finish a rod, I would guess that you are slow. Flexcoat should give close to an hour pot life. What size rod and what is your complete procedure. That will help us give you some help

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!!

Genraly a 7' rod I've had the finish for a while. Could that be a prob, and some times I put a hair dryer to it to get the bubbles out?

Heat speeds up the set and cure time. RodMaker Volume 9 #1 on getting a smooth finish would most likely have your answer.

You should not be spending more than a single minute per guide (only seconds, really). Get it on there and move on to the next one. Don't dally or worry about getting everything perfect. You can come back after you have them all coated and fix any imperfections. The main thing, is to get the majority of the coverage done while the finish is still very manageable.

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This seems to happen when i'm coating the whole rod.

From what you describe you have areas on the rod with too much finish. Stop the rotation for a few minutes and you will probably see some sags form on the bottom of the rod. Remove them from the bottom and then start turning again. The Rodmaker article shows how excess finish turns into a lump as the finish drys.

Age wouldn't make any difference. What is you procedure starting with the mixing of the finish. As for the hair dryer, how hot and how long are you using it? It's really unnecessary. The pretty much standard procedure is to measure EXACT portions and stir/fold together in a mixing cup for several minutes and then pour the finish on to a piece of aluminum foil. This will let it spread, release bubble on it's own and extend working pot life.

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 will try this next time. So if I stop I should'nt get the sags your talking about?

Mike I've been using 3cc serringe of each but I leave it in the mixing cup. I stir until it gets clear again. I have'nt heard of putting it on aluminim foil before.

Michael, you said "This seems to happen when i'm coating the whole rod" Are you saying that you are coating the WHOLE rod!!!!!!

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!!

yes on a couple of rods. I dont do with rods that have a smooth finish. Like a gator glass rod it still has the uneven surface.

Michael
I know exactly what you mean. The best way to get an even coat is to apply epoxy while the rod is spinning as you normally would. Then use the brush along the blank while turning slowly this will even out the coat. With air bubbles i just blow through the end of a straw and this does get rid of alot of them.

Michael,
Do you mean that you are covering the rod blank itself in addition to the wraps with epoxy? I wasn't sure based on your comments. You do not need to cover the rod blank itself. If you are refurbishing an old rod with a blank that has scratches, you might want to recoat the rod blank, but epoxy finishes are not the method I would choose.

If you use the search on this forum, you will find a lrge amount of material on recoating a rod blank.

Mike Blomme

I have tried applying the finish while the rod is spinning in the dryer and the results have been very similar to what you say you are getting. I found that I get a better finish if I apply the finish to the rod and hand turn in for the 1st hour or so. That seems to let the finish spread and flatten much better. I turn 180 degrees about every 5 minutes or so at first and extend the time as a I go. You want to wick off the excess that is sagging with the brush or whatever you are using for applying finish. Also gives me a chance to watch for bubbles and get rid of them before things really setup.

Like Tom said, speed things up. Do not take more than a minute or minute and a half per guide. Work quickly.

Do not use a hair dryer - if moves too much air (and lint) movement, instead learn to use a propane torch - very little, in any, air movement, and pin point application of heat.

If your finish is beginning to gel up and get lumpy DO NOT stop the rotation of the blank to watch the finish sag - the lumpiness will accumulate on that side of the rod blank and cure like that since it is already gelling. It would be best to continue to rotate the rod and warm the finish up with your hair dryer, or with the propane torch as I suggested, and cause the finish to liquefy (thin) momentarily and cause it to flow into a smooth layer.. Use of a propane torch is safe and use of this techniques has been outlined here on numerous occasions.

Personally I like to apply finish wile I rotate the rod by hand as needed. I apply an even coat the best I can and go on to the next guide, quickly. Once I have all the thread work coated I place the rod on a drying motor and look over the rod touching up as necessary.

Lou

Gentle heat will remove bubbles, but be careful. Any intense application of heat changes the structural make up of an epoxy and is one of the prime causes of cracking down the road. In general, heat should not be used with any epoxy finish or adhesive.

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Michael it sounds to me that you're trying to build a Lincoln Cont. out of Escort parts. If you want a better finish on a rod purchase a better blank. You have bushel basket full of problems in what you're trying to do.

1. Flex Coat Rod Wrapping Finish is not made to be used as a blank finish. Yes it can be done but there are a lot of other products the will give you a much better finish.
2. You have to remember that you have to have a proper starting point to get proper finish. What I mean is if you have high points and low points on your blank before you apply your finish coat you're going to have high points and low points after you apply your finish coat. Flex Coat is not made to level high and low spots on a blank.
3. You did not say what type of rods you are building. If you are building lite rods you're reducing the performance of the rod by adding extra (and unnecessary) weight to the rod by appling Flex Coat to the whole rod.
4. You should not apply finish from the container that you mix it in. You should pour freshly mixed finish onto a piece of amun foil. Pouring the epoxy on alum foil and letting it set will help reduce air bubbles and reduces the chance of getting unmixed (or poorly mixed) epoxy from the sides of the mixing cup.
5. Exopy is cheep to use. Don't try to apply epoxy after it starts to setup. You maybe trying to do to much rod per batch of epoxy. It usually take me 2 batches (3cc) of epoxy to do a 7ft rod. When the epoxy starts to come off the brush hard I stop and mix another batch of epoxy.

I hope this will help you.

Hank
On The Rocks Fishing
Wells, ME.

Go to the library or buy Vol 9 #1 "Better Apoxy Finish" back issue it is the best apoxy guideline you will ever get. Read it ,follow it, and forget all the rest. Tom Kirkman has written the Holy Grail of how to apply the goop right the first time. His work speaks for itsself and this tells you how he does it. He takes the pain out of it all and turns it into a joy. Why even bother with anything else? Good things arent always easy? Well he has written the acception to the rule.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/30/2006 10:28PM by Tom Danielson.