Here are pics of the guide finish on the two rods I am currently working on. I am getting better at the close up photo thing but still not perfect. One of these is a 4wt Winston blank and the other is a 9wt unsanded Dancraft blank.

Anyway, These are the first two rods I have used the forhan wraps on and I have a question about the finish for this type of wrap. I am getting a little epoxy bridging at the bend of the guide when I finish the front part of the forhan wrap. Is this normal and acceptable for this type of wrap?

The 9wt Dancraft Blank is for me to salmon fish with in Oct. and I have chosen to incorporate some jungle cock inlays as alignment marks and to keep them from being all alone I have diminishing jungle cock feathers on the back of the first few guides. They get so small as they go down the rod they disappear and the last few guides do not have any on them. Thats what the white specks ar ein the photos. My flash has kinda camouflaged some of them into the highlights from the flash.

I am open to any constructive critique or input any of you have.

[www.rodbuilding.org]
[www.rodbuilding.org]
[www.rodbuilding.org]

Ray Cover
My Projects Blog
[raycover.blogspot.com]

I think that weather it's acceptable or not is more a matter of preference. I generally use a pin or needle to apply under the guide foot. You can also wait until it starts to thicken and use a pin/needle to clear that "creep" out of the gap

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

I like to run a piece of thread thru the crook to remove the epoxy bridge, as I was told at one time that it could crack or separate from the blank when initially flexed causing cracking sounds during initial use, and possibly open a path for possible moisture intrusion. Not sure if that really happens or not, but it seemed to be possible, was an easy enough procedure to prevent, and I liked it cosmetically anyway.

Ray - it is normal - but it is not acceptable. The epoxy bridge serves no purpose. I remove it with a narrow metal spatula - by wiping every 10 minutes as the rod turns - usually for the first hour only.

I use a 6-inch length of titatium leader wire to sweep that build-up off. It may take a couple of sweeps to get it cleared. I like the look better, and I've noticed that little epoxy buildup does crack sometimes.

Have fun with the salmon!

Les

Well looks like I am cutting off and re-wrapping. Thanks for the info guys.

Ray

Yup. Not much else to add.

You can try different methods and it helps to wait until the finish thickens a bit but check it every 15 minutes or so for the first hour as Rich says. I use the same thin spatula as I use to apply. You can be really careful on applying finish to minimize this but I've found to make it look right you have to go back and clean out the bridge.

Terry

Terry,

Do you have a pic of that spatula? I have always used a brush. Never even gave it a thought that there might be a better way.

Ray

Ray,
I don't have any pictures, but you can buy a set of small metal spatulas at Michael's or any other crafts store. They sell for around $10, or less.
George

Are you talking about the things that look like dental tools that dentist use to mix filling matrix with?

If so, how do you apply finish with control using one of those? It seems to me that it would be very hard to control.

Ray

Ray,
This is what you want [www.mudhole.com] I'm not very good at explining the use but here's thread that explains better than I could [www.rodbuilding.org] .

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

Ray
The answer was :-
normal but not desirable
The epoxy will give before the blank does.
Get some use out of it before you go again
In all other respects nice job.
DenisB

I already cut them off and re wrapped. I read the article on Joe's web site and i have grond myself a couple spatulas. I am going to try that method and see if I can avoid that bridging this time.

I would rather keep at this rod until I get it right. Better to screw up one rod over and over than to screw up two or three before the job is right.

Thanks for the info guys,

Ray

Ray Cover
My Projects Blog
[raycover.blogspot.com]