I was reading a thread below and everyone was recommending a Lite epoxy rather than a High Build. I've been building rods for over 25 years and have amost always used a high build finish. A tried Flex coat Lite years ago when it first came out and I guess I just didn"t see any advantage to using it. I usually put 2 coats of finish on a guide wrap. Both coats are light. After the first coat dries I can still see and feel the bumps of thread strands. I put the second coat on light enough to make it smooth when it is dry. I have seen some rods with big globs of finish on them. To me it seems that if a person doesn't know better than to put a lot of finish on a guide, it doesn't matter if they use Lite or High Build finish. I was just curious. Am I missing something here? Should I give the newer Lite finishes another try?

Tim

Tim-if it has worked for you all these yrs I sure wouldn't change now.

I don't mean to jump upon someones thread, But I too wonder what are the advantages of Lite vs High build? Building only fly rods, with many being quite light, I often am able to use one coat of high build.

For me, a thinner finish gives you more working time, and that longer working time allows the finish to LAY DOWN super flat and nice, plus the thread penetration and bubble release are much better/easier. That's about it really......I like the high build faster finish's for repairs, just because the work time is faster. Both have a place I think and it's not really about thickness or thinness.

DR

Here in Florida about this time of year hi-build changes to lite epoxy in my non-air conditioned work area. When I lived in the Finger Lakes region lite epoxy turned into hi-build around December.

I agree with DR 100 %. I think also, a whole lot of it is how you develop your application technique. I think we all have our own way of handling and applying the finish and we each end up with a good finish job. Some are slower than others, some apply while turning by hand where others apply motorized at 200 rpm. In a nut shell I think most of it the technique we each have developed. And if it aint broke, don't fix it.

J.B.Hunt
Bowling Green, KY

When I use Flex Coat high build and want it thiner I add about 4 eye drops of Acetone to a 1/2 oz mix. It generally takes 2 thine coats. First coat I apply heavy, then after it has been on the wrap long enough to penetrate, I remove the excess. I wait 45 minutes then apply another thine coat. (fresh batch). I use no Acetone this time. I have had great success. No bubbles, no haze or blushing. I was given this info a few years ago by a person who works at Flex Coat

Good Wraps Bob

High Build epoxy can be applied thinly or thickly, but Lite versions can only be applied thinly. High Build can do anything the Lite version can but Lite cannot do what High Build can, at least not in just 1 or 2 applications.

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Let me tell you a little story about a rod I built for someone that dropped it in the Ocean in 200' of water when his hands froze in a near zero degree day in the winter. Six months later the rod was retreived by some local fisherman and because of the grip design they knew who it belonged to. To make a long story short the rods guides disolved along with the reel.

The butt wrap a closed design of 14 inches as well as the guide wraps remained in perfect condition almost as the day I made it. This particular rod was used almost every single day for a few years as the fisherman was a puller on a party boat. A puller is one that fishes for the boat to catch fish so the boat can sell the fish whith the money going to the mates .

The finish used was high build Flex Coat and because of that test under those conditions I have never felt the need to even try Lite build. When I use the high build on the guides wraps I try to use a lighter touch and try to remove most of the finish on to the blank and then wife off the excess and only two thin coats as well. Dale Clemens told me that little trick years ago and I think it works just great so I pass it on to you .

Now don't get me wrong I am not saying that the other finishes on the market are not as good or may even be better but as the old saying goes IF IT AINT BROKE DONT FIX IT.

Tom,

I don't agree. Let the low build set for a while and thicken up some in the cup and you can do what any high build can. Also I've never seen a high build that is as slow curing with as much working time as most low builds.

I'm NOT trying to argue at all, (big grin here) I just think most high build's are faster setting with slightly different characteristic's DUE to the faster setting.

DR

If you let it set in the cup "for a while" and thicken up, you've just tossed out most of the working time of the Lite stuff. Nor will it level as well at that point. I'm not trying to get anybody to switch if what they have now is working for them, but you can do it all with just one finish.

Try LS Supreme High Build if you want a high build finish with a longer working time. The high build types do vary in working time depending on brand.

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Thanks for your replies guys. I think I'll stick with the way I do it now. I've always had good results. I don't have a need for a longer cure time. I get a rod coated with out any problems with the finish getting to thick. I don't use a rod dryer, I turn the rod by hand everey 5 to 10 minutes. So a quicker cure time is helpful there.

We are pretty new at the rod building game. We have tried a few different things. The LS supreme Hi-Build is what we keep finding to work the best for us. It seems to do in 1 coat what the others do in 2. We tried a couple other brands, but the Hi Build seemed to work the best for our wrapper and aplication,
Kyle Robinson

Does anything other than viscosity distinguish "lite" from "high build" epoxy?

Phil-
The lite versions usually have a longer pot life-hence working time. They also cure to "dry to touch" and "hard enough to fish with" more slowly. I hope that is the answer to the question you asked. All too often in conversation and here one question is asked and some other answered. Often a good answer-just not to the Q asked. LOL My rod room is above my garage and temps get into low 80s there on hot days-I find with the slower curing lite finish (lower visc.) I get better leveling and better bubble release. The properties of each type can be taken advantage of to suit application conditions.

I buy high build. If I want a light build for maybe better penetration or hot temps, I thin it. One finish

Bill - willierods.com