What is happening when a rod gets wet, rain for example, and the guide and butt wrap finish turns milky white?

Doesn't sound like any epoxy finish I have ever used, you sure it didn't have just CP on the threads and no finish?

Cracks in the finish somewhere and water underneath. Will go away when dry, but many times the thread is stained or milldewed.

This problem is on store bought rods, with some age on them.

The finish is allowing moisture under it. May be cracked by the guide foot or in the tunnel.

Freddwhy (Rapt-Ryte)

Fred Yarmolowicz Wrote:
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> The finish is allowing moisture under it. May be
> cracked by the guide foot or in the tunnel.

No doubt about it!

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

I have some All Stars that almost the entire rod will turn white in as little as a heavy dew, doesn't have to be raining-doesn't have to be used that day-just laying on the deck. Blank finish, guide finish, long finish runs over decals.....white.

Moisture will often effect the wrap epoxy causing a white blush appearance. Will normally go away when dried completely. This happens when rods are put away (in tubes, etc) when still wet.

I have had it happen on my custom built rods as well as on factory Winston rods as well. I have been quite successful making it disappear by using a hair dryer.

None of these rods have CP on them and none to my knowledge or examination have cracked guide feet.

The easy solution, is to strip the rod from its guides.
Clean up the blank areas, rewrap the guides, and or replace any that are needed, and recoat.
You will be good to go.

Moisture is causing the white.

Take care
Roger

"I have some All Stars that almost the entire rod will turn white in as little as a heavy dew, doesn't have to be raining-doesn't have to be used that day-just laying on the deck. Blank finish, guide finish, long finish runs over decals.....white."

Most of mine are All Stars as well.

If the finish isn't fully applied beyond the edge of the wrap and onto the blank moisture can penetrate and cause the problem.

Stan Grace
Helena, MT
"Our best is none too good"

Mark Marshall Wrote:
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> "I have some All Stars that almost the entire rod
> will turn white in as little as a heavy dew,
> doesn't have to be raining-doesn't have to be used
> that day-just laying on the deck. Blank finish,
> guide finish, long finish runs over
> decals.....white."
>
> Most of mine are All Stars as well.

Mark- I'm pretty sure what you and I are describing (entire rods turning white) isn't caused by a finish crack here or there. When after a few minutes of high humidity finish runs 6-8" long are white and that we both mentioned All Star rods. I'm wrong often though.

When the blanks are stripped off of the mandrel they are often put into a water bath. they are also wet when they are sanded. If they don't dry completely the finish on the blank will fog. Even putting them back in the oven doesn't seem to get rid of it. I don't know that, that is the problem but it does sound as though the problem is under the blank finish unless you applied finish to the whole rod.