All,

Is there a link or article on how to make an epoxy bridge. I keep seeing finished rods with them but I'm not sure how they are done.

Thanks

Matt

Do you mean a ramp?

Do you mean a ramp?

Yes, My mistake the epoxy ramp

Thanks for pointing that out

Probably several different solid ways to do it. I have evolved to this. ( I highly suggest you practice on a spare handle / blank a couple times before doing the real thing) Mix a big gob of 5min TM Epoxy.... plop all of it on the handle/blank edge.....(I use a toothpic/bodkin for this) begin turning it by hand at the angle of slope you desire (runs quickly for the first min or so then begings to get real workable.... don't panic in the beginning, keep playing with the basic angle you desire. You'll get a feel for it!)..... DON"T try for or EXPECT symetrical perfection!! You only need to get kind of close to what you want. When it finally sets, AND make sure it truly has finally set, I let it rest vertical with the handle down. Give it 24 hours to dry. NOW...... don't have a Corona or be angry or in a hurry!!! Put on some Sinatra, get a new # 11 scalpel blade and very slowly and carefully shave the dry ramp to the shape you like.(There may be bubbles in the ramp a little that leave pits when you shave it.... don't worry about them unles they are huge) Once you have the ramp shaved to your liking, mask the blank and handle and do a little careful sanding of ramp.. Clean ramp with denatured and then calmly wrap from the blank end UP in a thread stye you like. If you are an experienced 'Hand Wrapper' this is fun and can be very creative. If you wrap by machine, I am not experienced with that and therefore would recommend that you learn to do ramp wraps by hand. A tip I use on these ramp wraps is to angle the rod upward during the wrapping so the thread is tamed in such a way as to stay on/against the previous thread. Another hint....if one wrap just keeps wanting to 'jump track' and fall down, carefully get it back to that point and put a tiny, weeny spec of Cason's CP on it here and give it a couple of mins to dry. Then go back and continue wrapping from that point. I put Casons CP on all my ramp wraps when I'm done anyway. Really highlights and holds the color. I usually put a coat of epoxy on the wrap and let it set for a couple days. Then the fun begins..... feather inlays, snake fangs, thin gold chain, whatever. Finish it with enough epoxy to cover whatever you inlay. Give it shot and remember " Everybody is a rookie at some time" Good luck and post a few pics later.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/01/2010 01:19PM by Steve Cox.

If youdo a search for epoxy ramps "all dates", you'll get plenty of reading

I have done only a few and am by no means great at it but I read awhile back and have used it. When shaping the epoxy as it gels use a "wet finger" much like you would with chalking around a window. I found it very easy to shape it that way and in the end required very little working after the fact. Good luck.

Eric

Rod Bond work even better than an epoxy that will run. I us e the quick set version and wet my finger with DNA to shape, works great and needs very little sanding to finish. Sanding also gives it a little "tooth" so that the thread wraps do not slide down the ramp as easily. As for the use of CP, that"s your choice, I prefer the more transparent look personally.

If you tint the epoxy with pigment, you don't have to fool with wrapping thread up the ramp.

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AD

Guys,

Thank you for all the advice and hints. I have a couple of old handles in my shop to try it on.

Tight lines

I also saw a guy demostrate at an old Rodcrafters back in the 80s seminar at Lamiglas at Woodland, Wa build ramps and winding checks and put a color in them to suit his color scheme. He used IA to keep his fingers damp to keep the old Rod Bond from sticking to them. It is a lot like using your finger to put that strip of caulk arround the bath tub.
Kerry

First use heavy thread to make a ramp. This creates the desired profile and eliminates the sagging and running problems associated with thick layers of epoxy. Saturate the thread ramp with epoxy and allow to harden. Apply a thin coat of epoxy and turn while it hardens. If you wish you can overwind this smooth epoxy coat with fine thread and finish with another layer of epoxy. I have done this with metallic thread and have been happy with the result.

For those that are OCD about weight you can use reel seat arbors. Just whittle and file to shape. If the rod is already built you can cut them in half and glue together. I like using them but that is probably because my fat hands like a large spinning reel seats and grips.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

I don't do epoxy ramps since I tried using foam reel seat arbors. They turn easily on a drill press, come in all sizes you might want. Russell mentions using them with big reel seats, but I just finished a rod with a 15 seat that has the ramp the same diameter as the reel seat hood at one end, and the blank diameter at the other. With the larger size pipe seats you can set it up so the ramp is turned with a diameter that fits the seat for 1/2 the length of the reel seat, and do the same for the rear of the seat. That way you have a really solid fit up with the "seam" inside the seat.

Some tips:
Use care when turning, they turn really fast, and if you are making the ramp taper right to the blank, the smallest diameter of the ramp will be fragile until finished.
Paint the ramps before assembling to make sure they are color fast and that both front and rear ramps are of the same color. I really like ivory because it shows feather inlays off well, but you can paint any color.
The transition to the blank, if you do a good job on turning, will simply be rod finish. I use one coat of rod finish before doing any other work on the rod, especially feather inlays.
If you shape the ramp with a "blunt" front, you can finish it with a "rubber" winding check for a nice transition to the blank. Finish right over the check and it becomes a black ring with a nice filet to the blank.

I'll post a pic and reference in another post.

Here is the photo mentioned above. This seat is an 18, but as stated before, they can be any size.

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