My son son wanted a purple handle for his purple rod.
The handle is a piece of of the American Tackle green woven handle kit. We sanded down with 600 wet and dry and then painted it with some spray model paint (testors) I think.
I then used the same brand clearcoat over the paint.
We then wrapped a Fuji plate seat on and the next day the thread had sunk into the finish.
So we sanded again and repainted waited 24 hours and wrapped the seat on again with no clear cote and once again the thread sunk into the paint.
So any suggestions on paint or protective clear coat ?
Would a spar varnish hold up to the thread ?
The handle really looks good till the thread sinks and my son is determined to have a dark metalic purple handle.
Thanks

Do you have the means necessary to make a custom insert out of wood or acrylic??
Something along the lines of this Batson GS17-SKC-TC skeleton hardware works great for this purpose.
Here are a couple of links to photo's I posted in the gallery. The insert material in these pictures is stabilized Cocobolo, but several other materials could easily be adapted: anodized aluminum, dyed wood, acrylic, etc.
[Skeleton Hardware w/ Insert #1]
[Skeleton Hardware w/ Insert #2]
[Skeleton Hardware w/ Insert #3]

If you don't have the equipment to do something like this feel free to shoot me an email. I'd be more than happy to help you out.

Good luck!
Brian

You will have to wait longer than one day to let the paint harden to a level where the thread won't sink in. Alternatively, you can do what Brian recommended and get a custom reel seat made from a purple acrylic or even purpleheart wood and then you won't have the thread problems.

Jeff,

David is spot on - the enamel finishes (model paint) will typically need about a week, depending on humidity and temperature, to harden completely. As an alternative, automotive touchup paint , if you can find the color you want, is usually a much harder acrylic base which sets up well in 2-3 days and may resist the "sinking in" more. Also, you may be able to reduce the thread tension some and help the situation.

Pete Appel

When that sort of thing happened to me I found that a quick underwrap epoxyed then wrap over that
Then I found a "hot finish" used for model aircraft engine bays (fuel resistant etc) hard as nails but flexible too appied with a foam brush