How much time should elapse before the rod can be used after the final coat of finish?

In normal temps you'll want to wait about 3 days, if you can stand it.

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does that include test casting?

i have a rod that i put the final layer of epoxy on yesterday morning
and i was hoping to cast it tonight in a field and fish it saturday morning.

sorry Mark for borrowing your thread hopefully more anwers can be brought to the surface

Andrew
Port Orchard, WA
The Pacific Northwest

You can start using it just as soon as you're comfortable doing so. But it's going to take a few days before the epoxy is hard enough to withstand fingerprints, water blemishes, etc.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/29/2010 04:32PM by Tom Kirkman.

Thank you Tom,

I would have hated myself if iscrewed it up now hah

Andrew
Port Orchard, WA
The Pacific Northwest

I would shoot for 48 hours at least. I try to save the foil I have poured the epoxy on to, or cup I mixed it in so I can do finger tests. I try not to move it or handle it at all until the epoxy on the foil feels real hard and leaves no finger print. If you have multiple ones going that might be dificult. But I try.