As I see more and more carbon skinned grips, I am convinced more than ever that epoxy is not the best product for top coating them. Not only is epoxy not really meant to be used in that manner, the grips I'm seeing that have been done with epoxy as a top coat appear a bit on the lumpy, thick and a little less than clear side to my eyes. This afternoon a builder who is having good success with his cores and skins came by to show me some of his recent grips. All are nicely done except for the top coat which according to him, "Is about all you can expect with these, really." Not at all true as he found out while I top coated a grip that I was preparing for someone else. He was fairly surprised at the level of smoothness and class you can achieve with the right product and technique.

The key is to use enough epoxy, 2 applications if necessary, to fill in the carbon weave leaving no holes or pits. But then, it must all be sanded off, right down to the carbon skin itself, leaving a dull but smooth surface. For top coating, a urethane finish is the ticket. It leaves a slicker, smoother, classier appearance than any epoxy is going to. More and more, I'm convinced that urethane is the key to getting the best appearance in these carbon skinned grips. Epoxy for wetting out the skins, but urethane for top coating.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

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I used clear acrylic. It looks smooth and professional. I was wondering how it would hold up with use. After a weekend of kayak fishing in M exico, in and out of rod holders, they still look new. I am very pleased. Also, I dispelled the myth that these would be slippery. Even soaking wet an with fish slime they were not slippery. I will try urethane on the next one.

Bill - was that a spray acrylic or other?

I've got a foam core that I'm working on and once its finished I'll post results, but its not a carbon skinned grip. took a slightly different route

Tom,
What Urethane are you using, and how are you applying it. I have been getting good results by doing to wetout with the laminating epoxy and then using the heat shrink tubing. This gives it a smooth dull finish, and then spraying Helmsman Urethane on it. My only issue is the spraying doesnt leave as smooth of a finish.

Scott Sheets
www.smsrods.com

Joshua. Yes that was spray rattle can acrylic. I used it because I did not want to add any amber color. I'll try to post it, but my camera doesnt do a great job.

Ok, temperatures have finally warmed up here that I can get back after this endeavor.

My question at this point is....

Tom, you mention the urethane (spar) as a final topical coat. Is the recommended process of wetting out after the core is poured / shaped to apply the skins using the west systems 105 Resin & 207 Hardener?

Thanks folks.

Terry

I use West System epoxy, #207 for wetting out the skin and applying the sealer coat, if necessary. Helmsman Spar marine urethane for top coating. That's what the grip in the photo has on it - 3 wet coats of Helmsman Spar Urethane.

Here's the thing - there is a bit of an art to painting, or spray painting something. With the proper technique, a spray can will give perfect. smooth, glossy results. Poor painting technique, however, will result in either a very dry look or orange peel. You need to keep the spray at the same distance from the surface being painted/coated all along its length. Short, wrist invoked painting techniques don't provide a smooth, glossy surface. It's not something you can talk somebody through - if they don't have the knack for it, it must be shown in person or through photos. The next issue of RodMaker will have those photos.

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Since posting this and the related photo this afternoon, my email inbox has been inundated with questions about the "slickness" of these grips.

If you want to improve your custom rod building knowledge, read the RodMaker Volume 10 #3 issue article on handle and grip ergonmics - it is the single most important work that has ever appeared in RodMaker. Both commercially made and custom made rods all suffer terribly from very, very, very poor grip styles, shapes, types, sizes, etc. This is the one area where custom builders could easily leapfrog all the commercial makers.

How hard it is to hang onto something, such as a rod grip, has far more to do with the shape and size of the grip or handle, than how slick it might be. Slickness is not what makes something hard to hang onto. Size and shape are 99% of the equation.

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