Is it normal practice to apply finish over the winding check? I normally cover the winding check with finish as I've seen them deteriorate over time and hope to protect them with the finish. I've been doing this for many years but have yet to get a transition that I feel like looks good. When I say transition, I mean the way the finish goes from the check to the cork. Cork has a tendency to suck up finish in some places and not in others. Sometimes, it'll soak it up and away from the winding check leaving dry spots here and there on the check and force me to add another coat. Trying to keep it only on the winding check is nearly impossible as some always runs onto the cork. What's the best way to do this and end up with a smooth, crisp transition? I've learned the trick to keeping the finish on my guide wraps straight by turning the rod at a high speed and holding a spatula flat on the edge of the wrap. It makes a dang near perfectly straight line. I'm sure you guys must have a similar trick for the winding check to cork area.

I get the epoxy right to the edge of the winding check, then leave it until it starts setting up and thickening. Then I use a pointed tool, like a toothpick or a pointed spatula, to pull the finish up onto the check as it rotates. The thicker finish is less inclined to run and wick up onto the grip.

I thought the idea of a winding check is to prevent finish from slopping up on grips, not as a ramp for epoxy to slop up on cork?

Billy - I may be wrong but I believe the original idea for winding checks was to cover the joint or seam where the wraps met the foregrip.

The technique of building up the finish over the WC has been used in many designs. Look at the feather layout that's on the rod when you first come into this site. Some customers like that. Some don't. We do whatever they want.

Uncle Russ
Calico Creek Rods

My technique when using metal winding checks (which usually taper away from the cork) is to use a check that is one to two thread thickness's larger than the blank diameter. The first wrap is against the cork and is wound out toward the butt wrap. The second layer wrap is only the length of the winding check. This technique creates a gap at the edge of the winding check. I don't use color preserver so my epoxy wicks back under the winding check and soaks into the two wraps under the check. The result, after two or more coats of epoxy, is a finish that is level with the edge of the winding check without running up over it.

The photo page doesn't seem to be allowing uploads right now, but I'll upload an image when able.

Jeff



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/24/2008 11:28PM by Jeff Shafer.

I use the flexible plastic winding checks and carefully run the finish right up over the check, about two coats. If you use plenty of finish it will form a nice curve of finish up onto the check, and the check will essentially disappear. I've never had a problem with any abnormalities of finish appearance where the check meets the cork. I use exotic burl cork-maybe that is so uniform that it helps prevent the problems mentioned.