I have all of the guides and thread removed from an old fiber glass rod I'm going to refinish. Some of the old finish remains on the rod. I think I read a post that suggested soaking a graphite rod in hot water would soften old finish allowing for easy removal. Can I do this with a fiber glass rod blank? I've already broke most of my fingernails trying to scratch old finish off and that's getting old. I just can't move some of it.

Citristrip works great, and it's fairly non-toxic.

George Forster
Fort Collins, CO

Many use a hair dryer to gently heat the leftover finish, then scrape with a plastic butter knife. Beware though, it's easy to overheat this way and permanently damage the rod. I opt for pouring boiling water over the area, until the finish softens, then try scraping. This way, it is impossible for the blank temperature to go too high.

Can you tell me what temperature would be approx. over heating the blank?

Bruce

I use a heat gun set on low. I'm careful not to heat too much. I then use an old butter knife or a plastic picnic knife to scrape the old finish off. Works just fine for me.

Rog

With a hair dryer your not gonna over heat the blank..A heat gun yes,but Im pretty sure not many Hair dryers go beyond 140 degrees.
Boiling water is around 200+

I use both a hair dryer and heat gun (on low),with a plastic picnic knife or thumbnail...Havent tried boiling water.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/21/2011 11:48AM by Walker_Nelson.

Corky,
It is a good idea to learn for yourself some of these questions about heat.
The best way to find this out, is to pick up some old rods at the good will store for $1 and do some tests for your self.

You can use boiling water and scrape finish.
You can use a heat gun and scrape finish.
You can use a hair dryer to scrape finish.
You can use an alcohol burner and scrape finish.
You can use a propane torch and scrape finish.
You can use a gas stove to heat and scrap finish.
You can use citrus stripper and scrap finish.
You can use the toxic style stripper and scrap finish.

Do all of these tests on several inexpensive or scrap blanks that you have picked up at good will, out of a garbage can, or out of the rod drop off box at your favorite shop.

There is no teacher like experience.
The key is to educate your self by doing all of these various tests, trying the different methods to both remove finish as well as to destroy rods. In particular, do a lot of work near the tip of the rods, where the blanks are much more fragile and much more susceptible to heat damage.

After doing these tests and destroying a dozen or so blanks, you will have a much better appreciation for how much heat various blanks, and various parts of various blanks can tolerate.

Also, pick up a box of straight edged razor blades to assist you in finish removal. Just scrape the finish off of the heated finish - holding the razor blade at 90 degrees to the blank. Never hold the razor blade at a low angle to the blank, or you will almost certainly slice off parts of the blank and ruin the blank.
But, these few dollars that you spend for the scrap blanks and the hours you spend testing will go a very long way to better educate you on the various methods used when working with rod finish and rod blanks.

It is always a good idea to test and learn on items that don't affect final finished goods that may be used personally or shipped to a client.

Be safe and well educated.

Good luck
REW

p.s.
Also pick up an assortment of sandpaper, both dry as well as wet and dry in grits ranging from about 100 to 800 grit wet and dry.

After you have educated yourself on the use of heat and a razor blade to remove finish, then you can teach yourself about the use of sandpaper to leave the final matt finish on the rod blank that you would like to have, with the minimum amount of work required.

Generally speaking, to get the rod finished as quickly as possible you use the coarsest grit that you can still easily remove sanding marks using the next finest grit paper. This may mean that you start with 100 grit, or it may mean that you start with 600 grit. Only experience can tell you the best way to go for the best and quickest finish.

Generally you want to finish off a rod with wet and dry sanding paper used wet in the highest grit paper that you have the patience to use. Obviously the higher the grit, the smoother the finish but the less it cuts.

Good luck and may your finish be ever smooth.

In general, rod blanks need no finish to be built into rods. A clear, or colored finish on the graphite of a rod is there for one purpose and one purpose only - i.e. appearance.
If, however, you want the very lightest blank and finished rod, you may use a finely sanded blank with no finish applied and it will have exactly the same rod life as if there was a simple or complex cosmetic finish applied to the smoothly matt finish sanded blank.



Roger

Guys, this rod is a glossy fiber glass blank. I'm sure that makes a difference as to how I remove the finish, right? or wrong?

Bruce, I may have misunderstood your initial question. Is it just the leftover epoxy around the guides or the entire rod finish that you are trying to remove?

Bruce,
No, no difference on removing the entire finish from any rod.
The use of a Citrus stripper, the use of heat and a scraper are all that you need for ANY rod.
The thing that you will find when you are working on the glossy Fiberglass rod, is that it likely has a coat of paint over a primer on the blank. So, when removing the finish, you will first remove the finish coat, and then work on the primer as you get down to the blank material.

Take care
Roger

Nick Dangiris Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bruce, I may have misunderstood your initial
> question. Is it just the leftover epoxy around
> the guides or the entire rod finish that you are
> trying to remove?


Hi Nick. Yes, I'm referring to the leftover epoxy around the guides. Sorry, I should have been more clear.
Bruce

usually all you need is a little heat I use a hair dryer and a thumb nail Or heat and a flat area of say a Popsicle stick tapered.

Bill - willierods.com