I'm going to be doing an abalone inlay on a 9 wt fly rod in between the feet of the stripper and snake guides. Should I put a coat of finish on the abalone inlay than wrap the guides? Or just stick the inlay on (it has an adhesive backing) wrap the guides and finish it all together at the end? Looking for remmendations. Thanks in advance

I would NOT put finish on the abalone before applying it to the rod.
The latest issue of RodMaker has complete instructions for doing abalone. Or you can go to Mudhole and look at their online video instructions (they are different than the instructions in RodMaker).

I dint mean put finish on it than put it on the rod.I meant should I put the abalone on the rod,put finish over it than wrap the guides. Or stick the abalone on, wrap the guides than finish the guide wraps and the abalone together.I felt it might be hard to get a good finish over the abalone if it's inbetween the foot of the snake guides.

Grant,
If you applythe abalone, do so and put the thread over top of it after application. Just leave it on there and wrap the rest of the rod. After all is wrapped, remove the thread and apply your finish all at once. If you need abalone, let me know, I would love to help you out. My sheets are 5 1/4" x 9". Also, get the latest issue of Rodmaker, it has the entire process all laid out for you.

Kevin

You won't need the additional coat. The adhesive is the same stuff that they use to put windshield mirrors on cars. Once its on, its on!!

Kevin

You won't need the additional coat. The adhesive is the same stuff that they use to put windshield mirrors on cars. Once its on, its on!!

Kevin

if you are using a Heat Gun be VERY Careful, Too much heat can and will Damage the Blank Especially with a relatively thin Fly Rod blank



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/02/2010 11:04PM by Barry Thomas Sr.

How small of a blank is it practical to use abalone on? Will it conform say to an ultralite class freshwater blank with butt diameter @0.300" or so?

My rule of thumb here is that I can go as small as needed, but I will see cracks on anything smaller than a pencil. If I am going to pencil diameter or smaller, I just boil and soak it a bit longer.

Don't forget guys, I have the veneer in stock and available to all!!

www.anglersenvy.com/veneer-gallery

Kevin

Grant,

I have to give credit to Mike Barkley for this idea. If you have an inlay already it is possible to scan it into your computer then print it on decal paper. It will be much thinner and easier to wrap around the small diameter of a fly blank.

Vic

vic,

thats a great idea. unforuntaly i dont have a scanner to it that. plus i assume it would lose alot of its luster. not sure. any ideas of how i can get finish inbetween the feet of snake guides were the balnk is really thin? super small brush maybe?

thanks,

grant

The printed versions look very good, but they don't have the sparkle of the real thing. You can print on the holoshine decal paper, but then you almost have too much sparkle and color in places where there shouldn't be any.

I small round tip brush will allow you to get finish in-between the legs of a snake guide. Start at the tip so the finish will be as thin as possible and aid you on those smallest guides.

..............

Grant Gisondo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> vic,
>
> thats a great idea. unforuntaly i dont have a
> scanner to it that. plus i assume it would lose
> alot of its luster. not sure. any ideas of how i
> can get finish inbetween the feet of snake guides
> were the balnk is really thin? super small brush
> maybe?
>
> thanks,
>
> grant


Grant,
A small brush and take your time. If it were me, I would put the abalone as a trim ring at the bottom of each wrap.

Grant, I had the same question (for first guide only) on a large spinning rod. Your question didn't really get answered - how did it end up and do you have any advice? I figured I would try to align the step up exactly with the bend in each guide foot. Did you do the same?

Stu