I'm aware of 2 techniques to get rid of bubbles (the straw method while the epoxy is still liquid) and heating. However, is it better to wait a few hours while it's drying/spinning in the dryer and then use heat? I had none and just rechecked 30 mins later and I have a few small ones popping up and I figure if I heat now I may just see more later. Opinions?
Thanks,
Roger

Heat it once the epoxy has been applied to all teh guides/wraps. Just dont overheat.

thanks.

Heating too late in the cure cycle guarantees that you'll have a real mess. You have to do this while the epoxy is still liquid.

Best bet is to cut down on bubbles at the outset. Stir slowly and don't brush the epoxy onto the wraps - load your brush and lower it to the wrap while you turn the rod underneath it. Brushing causes bubbles.

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Tom,
This time I took everyones advice and did NO brushing. And I did the fold stir as was recommended to me, not the coffee stir. I had very few bubbles to begin with and seemed to have almost none at first. But while it was on the drying motor/stands I noticed I started getting bubbles. I slightly heated and they went away, then I rechecked after 1/2 hour and there were new ones. This check, warm and remove bubbles process went on for the first 2hrs. After that I left it alone (had to go on the road to do some work so I had no choice anyways) and it's been about 6hrs now and there are again a couple here and there. Most are not on the threads themselves but rather on the transition from guide foot to the blank; where the security wraps were made basically in that area. It would appear that I'm stuck with these bubbles. Besides esthetics, what will having a few here or there cause? Thanks for your patience and help. This second attempt at finishing went much better then the first...with the exception of these few bubbles I couldn't seem to eliminate.

Probably air escaping from tha tunnel, or your cutting tool or tie off loop have some sort of contaminant in them.

If you don't use CP you're apt to get more bubbles.

In your case, you certainly want to stay on top of the rod until the finish has set to the point that new bubbles can't form and rise. But this may mean some late bloomers that you'll have to deal with either with heat, or by popping them manually. Sometimes the later is necessary late in the game as the finish has begun to get really thick and heat won't expand the bubble to the point that it will pop on its own. Once you pop it with a needle or bodkin, you can add just a slight application of heat right there to reflow that area.

............

Roger,
The last rod I did I needed to use cp and after the cp dried I used perma gloss to further seal the wraps, I had no bubbles and no dry spots and a light coat of epoxy for a change. The perma gloss also helped on another rod also.

Mike

Mikes Custom Fly Rods

What is the temp. in your room? I would do as the reast suggest. If you plan on using heat. put the flame close to your hand (if you are using a torch. When you feel the heat with out burning your hand. This is the distance you want the flame from the finish. Keepthe flame moving up and down. do not let is set on the finish more than a second.. As soon as you see a glob form at the bottom of the wrap. STOP your heat.
Good Wraps Bob

I heat all my epoxy finish even if it doesn't have any bubbles because it will give you a more even finish, but like above, don't over heat and always do it while the epoxy is still wet. As for preventitive mehods, I recently made a moterized epoxy stirrer like he ones you see on the market. I thought it was just a gimmick tool until I tried it out.. It mixes the epoxy in just a minute or two and NEVER has any bubbles. I use it every time I mix finish now. Don't know how I lived without it before?..................Kyle

Try pushing the finish into the tunnel at the side of the guide foot next time. If you are using a spatula of some kind, it's easy to do. By squeezing the finish against the thread at the edges of the guide you'll force the finish in and the air out. If you look at the guide foot through the dried finish (assuming you used no CP) and can see light spots, chances are it's trapped air. Bubbles at the base of the guide in front of the security wrap...arghhhhhhh.