Which is the best Epoxy for a beginner to use and try??? This is for coating the thread wrappings.

Try Threadmaster. I used Aftcote at first and it worked ok, but the threadmaster is less tempermental. But hold on you will get 100 other opinions and reasons.

Giorgio is right everyone has their own favorite and there are quite a few on the market. I have used Flex Coat in regular strength for many years and as the old axiom "If it aint broke don't fix it". Years ago one of my rods fell in the ocean in 200 feet of water when the fisherman's hands froze in January. Six months later the rod was retreived by another fisherman and returned and I have the rod now and I can tell you the thread wraps are all in perfect condition. The guides disintergrated and the reel too but all the thread work is still perfect. Thats why I use the Flex Coat and always will. Find one that suits you and work with it.

Joseph Karolly Wrote:
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> Which is the best Epoxy for a beginner to use and
> try??? This is for coating the thread wrappings.

Pay $3 for postage to my Paypal account and I will send you a free sample of Diamond Two and you can see if you like it.
Paypal account is under: patfatdaddy@gmail.com
Pat Helton

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There you go, thats the best to start with, one that will not cost you much. If you don't like it, or find it hard to work with atleast you are not out much coin. Cool deal.

Bernie,

You should send that testimonial to Roger - it would make great copy for an advertisement or product label.

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I would take Pat up on his offer. I'd also recommend buying small quatities of other epoxys you want to try. No need to get stuck with 4 ozs of epoxy you don't like, though I have yet to find one I didn't like. It's not an epoxy, but I'd give Perma Gloss a try.

The easiest to use thread finish that I have found is not epoxy at all, but Diamondite. You have so much time to work with it that it makes a beginners life much easier, it is hard to go fast enough when you are just starting out for most epoxies. Mix ratios are not as critical so you can mix up smaller batches, and it seems to be much more forgiving overall. I always warm the base component a little, that makes it flow and level beautifully. I wish I had started out with Diamondite and not had to go through the epoxy learning curve.

Most of the rod finishes out today are really good stuff. I tried almost every finish out there, and found that technique is far more important than the finish alone. I would recomend Flex Coat or Threadmaster, both in the high build, to start. Pick one, and then do some searches on mixing finish, applying finish, spatulas, and finishing speed.

Work on your technique, and you'll be able to get good finishes with any epoxy out there.

Have fun!

Marc

Marc is right about technique. It is the most important part of a good finish. It is a shame to put in all the work on a nice wrap and then not take the time to properly finish it. I like Diamond Two but I also like flexcoat. There are things about each that I like more than the other. Overall I like the Diamond Two a little better because there is less bubbles. I have 25 or 30 samples left if anyone would like to try it. Just please pay the postage.
Pat

Find one that works for you. What one guys swears by, might not get along with you. Each one has its own personality that you have to get to know for best results. I've used Flex Coat so long that it is near impossible for me to get a decent finish with anything else simply because out of habit I try to use and time them all like FC. It doesn't work very well:)

Regardless of the brand you choose to try first read the article
in the LIBRARY section here. The provided info should save you
much aggravation.

BTW, there are many 2part epoxy resin systems on the market that
were created for other purposes unrelated to rod building. I understand
that a few are quite ok for our uses BUT you should familiarize yourself
with the real deal before trying to use a system not created for rod building.

Raymond Adams
Eventually, all things merge, and a river runs through it..

Threadmaster dude!!

ThreadMaster, both the regular and the lite formulas.

Uncle Russ
Calico Creek Rods

Joseph, I have a special going on on my site right now for Threadmaster. Which ever size you buy you get a set of syringes, pair of adapt a caps and 10 mixing cups so check it out. It is scotts rod supply on the left. Scott

JOSEPH,
In 37 years of rod building I have only ever found 1 bad epoxy.

They are no longer on the market and did not last long.

Sometimes it is just about what works for us in our own way.

Take up some of the ideas you have been offered from your post.

Learn what works best for you. This may take some experimentation, but so what . The end result will be you have a good job every time.

Paul

I fish therefore I am.
www.hookeduprods.com