Well they say experience is everything when it comes to crafts like ours. And it is TRUE!!! I am still pretty new at this and trial and error does make you gain the valuable experience needed. In my case a complete error led to a new discovery, at least for me.

As a beginner I buy or acquire old rods for basically next to nothing or free. I tear them down, paint them and then re-build. It saves on cost, yet I learn something new on each rod. They are for myself, family and friends so not worried about absolute perfection as I learn. I am getting better with each one though.

Ok I’m going on…so to the point. I use fine grit sandpaper to remove the finish and paint to get to the original graphite blank. It takes a lot of time and patience and is not viewed as the best way. Well, trying to “pretty up” a rod I did, I learned a new way to tear the finish and paint off a rod with no ill effects to the graphite of the blank itself. Just use a dry buffing wheel from your dremel tool and run it against a finished blank. It tears the finish and paint off down to the raw blank real quick like. Yet it does not seem to really effect the graphite at all (if done carefully). I messed up a rod I am putting the finishing touches on by doing this. It was my paint job so I could have expected that. I grabbed a scrap piece of another factory made rod to try it again. Man…it ripped the finish and paint off to the raw graphite very cleanly (and again real fast like). I played with it some and in a matter of minutes I had the scrap piece to the raw graphite in a very short period of time. Again, no visible effects to the graphite itself (at all).

This may be known to others, and I know a lot of builders do not go through the trouble of a complete finish and paint removal as I do. But, if you are in a situation were you want to remove the finish and paint of a blank try a dry buffer wheel on your dremel…it works!!!

Harold-Do you think that would work with a 6" buffing wheel on a bench grinder? I've got an armload of rods that need overhauls-if it works as well I might actually start on them instead of just thinking about it. Maybe. I can see me taking them outside the shop to do it. I've reached my quota of dust in there. Did you run the wheel lengthwise with the blank or at 90 degrees or did it not seem to matter?

Chris, please…try it!! Just learned myself tonight. I have played around with it more and man it works!! I have only the one scrap of factory rod I’m trying it with. It has a bright red paint so it is easy to see when I’m to the graphite. Yet when I’m done, the blank looks as good as pre-factory paint and finish. And again it did not take long at all. I would love for others to try it and give any feedback (good or bad). I did use the high rpm setting. 90 degrees or lengthwise, your right it does not matter.

Sorry for the stupid question, but what is the animal - a "dry buffing wheell"? Is it like round wire brush or like a drum with sandpaper? I have the dremel and would like to try on my old rods.
And are you moving that tool along the rod or around in spiral movement?
Thanks,
Ilya



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/14/2008 03:47AM by Ilya Gorin.

Hi llya,

I beleive the dry buffing wheel is the white cloth wheel. Do not use the wire or sandpaper wheel or you may find you will have a lot of graph dust and no rod.

Hank
On The Rocks Fishing
Wells, ME.

IIya, Hank is right. I have had my Dremel for only a couple of weeks now (birthday present from the Father-in-law). So I am totally new to this tool. However, I must admit it is the most handy tool when it comes to this hobby! I don't see how I did things without it. But again, Hank is right. DO NOT use the ones that have a wire, grinding or sanding type heads. The one I used was the white, cloth type one. It is about 1/8 inch thick and about the size of a quarter.
Also I was just playing around with it. I just got to the graghite and worked around the edge as the area increased in size. Working around the blank from butt to tip. I guess the main thing is don't leave it on one area too long, the heat generated and extra abrasion could effect the graphite.

Being new to this craft myself, I have been learning on "trash can blanks". Some of these have severe scratches and inconsistant finishes so I removed all the color from 1 blank, down to the graphite by hand, with mild sand paper. When all the color was removed, I made an arbor for it, spun it in a drill and finished the blank with fine sandpaper and scotchbrite. The fine sandpaper trued the blank up again. Your method with the buffing wheel is using friciton and heat to remove the finish, I think? I wonder if you notice the blank being hot when you are done? My next question for everybody is, do we need to put a finish on the blank? If so, please recommend some options.
Thanks again,
Steve Chontos

Hi Guys,

There are several problems that can occur when removing finish from a blank and 2 of them are using sandpaper and using something that creates heat. Don't get me wrong about using sandpaper. If you choose to use it purchase a good quality paper. Cheep paper can leave grit behind on the blank and when you go over it again you can drive it deeper causing problems. Using a buffing wheel as Harold has stated can cause heat that can damage the blank. Heat can cause a blank to go bad reel quick and it's not a lot of heal. I think Tom told me about 200 degree is all that is needed to cause problems. If Tom reads this maybe he can chime in and confirm or correct the temp. So here again I'm not saying not to use the buffing wheel but use it with caution and keep it moving and keep the heat down. When I get into the shop today I'm going to give it a try. I recently got in on some of these discounted blanks and I have a whole bunch of them that needs to be repainted.

Hank
On The Rocks Fishing
Wells, ME.

Hank, Please try and let us know how it goes. I must admit when I was doing mine, I did not notice much heat. The rod was warm to the touch but that was about it. Like already stated just keep it moving as you are working.

Thank you, guys.
Harold, according yours description it is a disk about quarter that consist several leers of cloth. I do not have it in my dremel kit but I have something like that of bigger diameter, about 5" for drill. I'll try it.
Regards,
Ilya