What kind of epoxy and do you add dye to it?

I use 5 min epoxy for ramps. With the rod turning. I gob the epoxy where the blank and reel seat meet . Raise the tip a little to get the ramp angle that you want. The turning of the rod will give you a nice smooth ramp right to the edge of the seat. You can color the epoxy but I Just wrap right up the ramp and when you get to the top, just put a small dab of Super glue to hold the tag in pace and tape the end out of the way. Put finish on and when it's dry, trim off the loose end flush. Makes a nice looking transition.




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!!

Fred,

I do the same as Mike-he taught me. BUT you dont have to wrap the ramps, you can use testors and paint them while the epoxy is still warm-works GREAT and soaks in for a permament bond-or you can marble them as well or BOTH. I usually do both and they really look NICE.

DR

Rod Bond works well too, just takes longer to set up. Nice thing about it is that if you don't like the shape redo it.
Color can be added using paint pigments such as those used in marbling. Adding pigments will slow the curing of all epoxies. And will decrease the viscosity.
It sure is fun to do concave, convex or straight ramp.
Joe

His Rod Shop
Joe Kassuba

Once cured, do you sand/shape the ramp before wrapping it up?

Most of the shaping is done w/ a finger wetted w/ alcohol while the blank is turning. I do sand where it transitions into the foregrip and blank.

Why go to all that trouble.......I just make mine out of thread....apply epoxy.....done! No shaping, coloring, sanding, and alot less trouble.

Bruce,

Sounds good, can you explain how you get a smooth, gradual ramp that tapers from the blank all the way up to the edge of the reel seat or foregrip with just thread? It would be easier.

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 use 5min epoxy and never touch it to shape it with anything other than the brush I'm applying it with.. Do it WITH the rod turning! and let the epoxy flow evenly and it wil take on a nice perfectly round shape....take me about 3 minutes to do one if that.

DR

Bruce,

I'd also like to know how you get the "thread" ramp stable? Do you epoxy over it? and how do you get it "solid"?

DR

I do mine exactly like Duane. I just take a toothpic and dip it in some testors black pigment and use the same toothpic to mix and apply the epoxy while the rod is turning. You can then take the edge of a alcohol moistened coffee filter and use it to get a nice smooth edge on the blank if needed. One word of cation. The only problem I have ever had, is it is possible to get a big air bubble trapped in the corner where the blank meets the seat that always seems to surface right at the end of the curing cycle when it is almost too late to do anything about it. When this has happend to me (twice), I let it cure, fill it in later and wrap the ramp in thread to hide it. Too prevent it, I just let the end of the toothpic drag in the corner where the seat and the blank meet early on while applying the epoxy and my problems went away.

TJ

Here's one I just finished Fred

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Duane, thats awesome fella! Got to tell ya, I'm nervous as ---- about doing this. Especially w/5 min epoxy.. Tilt the rod up, in a dryer and just let it flow and fill up cavity? Oh man, I see potential disaster. It is times like this that I wish I could learn, hands on from a Grand Master of this craft. In person.

Don't sweat it. I was nervous as all get out too the first time I tried it, but after you do it you'll wonder what all the worrying was about. Just make sure you have all your ducks in a row ready to go, mix, and apply. Just don't spend too much time mixing. I usually mix for a min. or less with no problems.

TJ

Fred it's quick and easy, If you're nervous, glue a cork rong on a piece of scrap or dowel and give it a try. I fill the end of the reel seat with Rod Bond when I install it so the 5 min epoxy is doesn't flow into any cavity. I just SLIGHTLY raise the tip of the blank up, depending on the angle of slope that I want

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!!

Fred,

Listen to Mike!!

He's got it. I dont use Rod Bond however...., I use the same 5min epoxy, stand the rod on end and fill the space in the seat LEVEL full to the EDGE of the cavity. Once set, then I'll proceed on to making the ramp itself while the epoxy in the reel seat I just poured in is still warm. I build the ramp in about 3 mixes of 5 min epoxy. Mix about 2CC, get the ramp going, when it sets mix 2 more CC, build the ramp up and get it shaped close to what you want, then mix whats needed to finish the ramp. Sometimes I can do a ramp in 2 mixes. but most of the time I use 3 as it alows me more time to make a nice ROUND perfect ramp. I started using 30min epoxy to "learn" with. It is more forgiving becasue it gives you more time, but once you do aq couple with 30min, that makes the 5 min EASY because you're not wasting 25 minutes playing with it!

Like Mike said, try it on scrap a couple times and you'll get a good hang of it.

One more thing, I sand that reel seat edge for good adheasion of the epoxy, I do the same with the blank as well.

Shoot me an email and when you're ready to try one I'll call ya and we can walk through it on the horn of you like.

DR

Duane that is interesting that you use more than one application. I only use one, but I think I too am gonna practice your method on a dowel and scrap cork to see how it turns out. When you guys talk about filling the space in the seat, are yall talking about on an exposed blank seat? I have been using a foam arbor on those and reaming to fit. Are yall just leaving the arbor out and filling it with epoxy?

TJ

Just re ferring to any space left at the front of the reel seat if your arbors don't totally fill the area.

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!!

TJ,

Like Mike said, we're only filling the LEFTOVER space that the arbor didn't fill completely....usualy it's VERY LITTLE space. Doing the ramp in 2-3 parts (all while the epoxy is hot/warm to the touch) not only creates a nice ROUND ramp, but it creates a stronger ramp as well. Kinda like 3 laminated parts.

DR

Ok, that is what I figured. I just wanted to make sure I understood correctly. I usually glue my arbor in before I cut off the excess threads, so I usually don't have any leftover space.

TJ