I posted a message a while back regarding wavey finish on my label/butt area. I had just done a GLoomis IMX MB843 rod. I've used the rod once since then and today I got it out and was going to sand down the area like Tom illustrated in one of the Rodmaker magazines. When I looked at the label(peel and stick not decal) I see that the print is wearing off. It appears to me that the finish did not stick to the label at all. Now I see why my finish migrated to the other side of the blank where the waves formed and also why the finish seemed so smooth where the decal was. That brings up a few questions. 1) Should I have "fixed" the label?. I mean coated with something that would have protected the print and allowed the finish to adhere. 2) What would you suggest to fix it? ( I think Loomis would send me a new label I'm just not sure how to remove the old one without damaging the blank.
Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Ron Greenbank
rkg@cot.net

The best thing to do with the peel & stick labels is just to add a coat of CP before you apply the finish. It seals the edges so they wont lift & also seals the face of the label enabling the finish to adhere to it. Others will chime in I'm sure.

Regards
Dave

Fishing is Life the rest is just Details

I agree with Dave about covering with CP first. I have built half a dozen rods from GLoomis blanks and all of the blank manufactures, they provide the worst decal/label of all. You would think that a premier blank company could come up with a better label than the cheap flake falling off ones they currently issue. They don't lend to any rubbing to smooth out any wrinkles or air bubles very well.

Couldn't agree with you more.

Ron Greenbank

You might be hard pressed to get Loomus to repalce a lable that was not applied and sealed properly.

They will replace the labels no problem just talk to customer service....My wife through out 3 loomis labels and they replaced...Im not a big fan of their labels they rub off in your hands so you need to be careful...I think debs waterslides are much easier to work with....

I normally take a pic of the manufacturer's decal and make my own waterslide from it, sizing to suit the rod blank's size.

Some of these are "one size fits all" and just don't work on the smaller diameter blanks. The color of the manufacturer's decal seldom fits into the color scheme of the rod that I'm building, also.

Putter
Williston, ND

RON...

I know may here have put CP on the label before the layer of thread finish, but my experience with doing so made the finish "hazy" and a little milky. The Threadmaster finish dries like water so any little imperfection would be show up greatly. My experience with Loomis decals is nill, but the Decal Connection waterslide decals and Batson decals is where my experience is at. I know others here have also expressed the same cloudy issue with CP as well, but most guys do it with no problem.

As far as the waves go, IMHO was the result of too much thread finish applied. I make one "THIN" coat and let dry about 4 hours, then apply the second coat. The waves will go away...At least this is the way I've doen it with TM finish on about 20 rods now-and trust me I'm not gonna change a thing.LOL

Good Luck.

Paul

One of the other problems with a GLoomis label is the dirty edges around the label as well. I wonder if you cleaned the edges first and then put CP over the decal first before applying it to the blank? It may give it some durability that would allow you to rub it smooth against the blank before putting on another coat of CP. I've got some spares, I'll see how it works.