I seem to have trouble with flex coat CP. What are the alternatives that will work under flex coat epoxy (which I like very much).
Thanks.

811

Paul@soonercustomrod.com

Jason, Can I ask what troubles have you had with Flex Coat cp? I've used the stuff for as long as I can remember and I've always found it to be really easy to use with great results. I lay it on generously and quickly with a soft bristle, flat nylon brush while rotating the blank. Any small bubbles that remain on the surface of the threads can be removed with an extra smooth brush stroke and since it dries clear and virtually invisible, a little too much on the surface is better than too little (enough to soak the threads and appear at the ends of the guide feet, but not enough to drip). Basically, if you are not putting on enough Flex Coat cp you'll 'brush up' bubbles. It is important to SOAK all the threads quickly in one go, otherwise you could end up with some threads that are partly cp'd since it dries quickly and they will turn a different color when epoxied because they will still be able to take up the epoxy. I let the cp dry overnight and it is ready to take any two part epoxy the next day. Being a water based product, the brush lasts forever after being washed in water. I also let my cp'd threads dry for ages on the theory that any dampness left around your guide feet and sealed with epoxy too soon will lead to corrosion (I've repaired a few cp'd factory rods with rusty feet that were totally sealed (well beyond the threads) with epoxy and never used in salt water, so the cp mustn't have dried completely to begin with). Jim

Jim Morris Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Jason, Can I ask what troubles have you had with
> Flex Coat cp? I've used the stuff for as long as I
> can remember and I've always found it to be really
> easy to use with great results. I lay it on
> generously and quickly with a soft bristle, flat
> nylon brush while rotating the blank. Any small
> bubbles that remain on the surface of the threads
> can be removed with an extra smooth brush stroke
> and since it dries clear and virtually invisible,
> a little too much on the surface is better than
> too little (enough to soak the threads and appear
> at the ends of the guide feet, but not enough to
> drip). Basically, if you are not putting on enough
> Flex Coat cp you'll 'brush up' bubbles. It is
> important to SOAK all the threads quickly in one
> go, otherwise you could end up with some threads
> that are partly cp'd since it dries quickly and
> they will turn a different color when epoxied
> because they will still be able to take up the
> epoxy. I let the cp dry overnight and it is ready
> to take any two part epoxy the next day. Being a
> water based product, the brush lasts forever after
> being washed in water. I also let my cp'd threads
> dry for ages on the theory that any dampness left
> around your guide feet and sealed with epoxy too
> soon will lead to corrosion (I've repaired a few
> cp'd factory rods with rusty feet that were
> totally sealed (well beyond the threads) with
> epoxy and never used in salt water, so the cp
> mustn't have dried completely to begin with). Jim

Jim, I used it on the first two rods I ever made, for some reason the threads turned milky white at the edges of the wraps after I used the rods. some say I probably had CP extending beyond the area covered with epoxy, thus exposing the CP to the elements. I'm not sure thats what happened though. Since then, I have never used CP and I like the way it looked on my fly-rods, but now I am getting into butt wraps and I have to use CP to prevent the beed through. Thanks.

Jason, what Jim said... what exactly is the problem you are having? If it is blotches, or "uneven" color, changing CP isn't going to help. That's a matter of how you do your threadwork.

You can not beat #811 or lacquer.

I had some MAJOR problems with flex coat CP! Turned out it was old stock from a shop that didn't sell much, or it had gotten frozen, or something like that.

Either way, I moved over to #811, (THANK YOU, TOM!) and I'll never go back. Just my personal experience.

-TH

Gudebrod 811 is good. U40 Color Lock is a close second. I've used both successfully.

Gudebrod has a clear (and flammable) CP as well. Not so happy with this.

Terry

I used some old U 40 on a rod once and my flexcoat yellowed on me. I belive that it was my old cp becouse ths is the only tome that this happened.

I've hunted and fished almost every day. The rest have just been wasted.

Jason, sorry not to reply - been away. From what you describe, it sounds like your epoxy got damp and didn't dry out. Cured epoxy goes milky when damp for too long, but goes clear again when it dries out. I've had that temporarily (one to two days) happen to rods left in the rain when camping. If it is just the edges of your threads, it sounds like the water bled under the epoxy and into the threads and it would then take ages for the epoxy to go clear again. The most likely cause would be the epoxy not extending beyond the threads and if the threads weren't properly soaked with cp to begin with, they could take up water - rather than being a fault with the cp, that would be problem with application. With double foot guides, I often extend the epoxy just beyond the threads at the outside of the guide feet and leave the epoxy level with the thread on the inside of the feet because it looks much neater.I do this with fresh water rods , not salt ones. Providing the cp was really laid on at the start, I've yet to see any evidence of water penetration where the epoxy ends at the threads, because the cp blocks it.
Of course the other reason for 'milky' edges to your epoxy is the epoxy itself is lifting for some reason and yes, it is possible that if your cp extended beyond the edge of your epoxy, in time the cp may begin to delaminate from the blank and take the epoxy with it - it would only go to the outside edge of the threads though and I would expect this would only happen after some time in an area where the rod flexes dramatically (rather than near the butt for example). Hope this helps. I have no connection with that brand of cp by the way, it is just that I've never had any problems with it. Jim.

Thanks Jim and everyone. I'm gonna try 811 this time for a change.