What's everyones favored type of brush for finishes. I used the flex coat disposables for awhile, then tried some camel hair brushes I picked up at a Micheal's craft store. I was a bit horrified when the hairs from the brush fell out and stuck to the rod blank, I mangaed to pick most of the hairs out of the finish, but some just wanted to slide all over. Cleaned up the mess and will start over, but would like to know if there is a preferred type of brush for working with finishes.

I am currently using the threadmaster finishes, and like them very much.

Thanks,

Mark

I use Robert Simmons sapphire brushes and Loew-Cornell brushes. Both come from Michael’s. Been using same brushes 8 or 9 months now with no problems or loose hairs.

I have not had to do it to thesebrushes, but something you can do is to hold brush vertical with hairs up run small bead of supper glue along base were hairs go into metal frame. It will lock hairs into brush and should cure your problem.

Steve,

thanks for the reply. Are you using natural hair brushes or synthetics?

What about clean up? I'm using the flex coat epoxy brush cleaner, thought maybe that was causing loose hairs, but the brush I used last night was brand new- straight from the package. Guess I'll have to inspect all brushes very closely before dipping them in finish from now on.

BTW- I'll have to check but believe the brush I used was one from Loew-Cornell.

Straight, not round. Ox hair. $2 each from Duro-Art in Chicago. 1/4 to 1/2 inch depending on the length of the wraps I'm finishing. Many hobby shops carry these, along with some older hardware stores.

A softer brush is better, in my opinion. But, I do not use the brush to "brush" the finish on. I only use it by loading it with finish, lowering it to the wrap, and making one or perhaps two revolutions of the rod below it. "Brushing" tends to create bubbles and isn't really necessary.

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Yes, 1/4 inch flat brushes w/ natural bristles. I just briefly clean my brush with denatured alcohol and then it soaks in a bottle of denatured alcohol. I use a empty gudebrod color preserver bottle with a portion of the tip cut so that the stem of the brush will fit into it. Then the cap along with the brush goes into the bottle filled with denatured alcohol. Change out the alcohol once in a while ( after 20 or so uses) to keep it fresh. Been using the same brush for years.

Thanks all. I appreciate the replies. Tom I will give the Ox hair brushes a try. While I don't normally "brush" the finish on - this was a case of laying down a base coat of epoxy for a marbelizing job along a 12" section of the blank- and was basically using the brush to spread (level) the finish out with lengthwise strokes,and because I had added black paint pigments to the epoxy, I didn't realize the hairs were coming off the brush at first.

Live and learn.

do you all use the same kind of brush to apply your CP as you do your finish?

I use both and clean up with denatured alcohol then wash them with dawn dish soap just to make sure there is no oily residue wipe dry with papper towl and make sure not fibers from towel left behind.

I use the Wallyworld nylon craft brushes for both finish and CP( you can get about 20 of them for a couple of bucks). Two different brushes of course. Clean up the finish brush with alcohol and the CP brush with water. Store them for the next use. If they get to looking bad, cut the brush off and use the handle for mixing. No problems.

I generally use either a spatula (actually the "spoon" end of a crab fork) or cheapo nylon brushes I get at a local hobby shop at $4 for 144.

Really though, it just doesn't matter. What you use to apply finish is irrelevant. How you apply the finish is what counts. [www.rodbuilding.org]

Mark,

Scott Throop, of Tiger Wrap Fame, only uses inexpensive brushes which he modifies. I have personally seen his rods and the finish is absolutely perfection. Check out his brush modification at this link:

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Rena ( Do they sell pink Brushes)