I ordered 5 of the close out blanks from Mudhole and i am very pleased with them. I got 3 graphite blanks and 2 glass ones. They are perfect for the saltwater boat rods I build for family and friends. I need a little help with the graphite ones though, they are unfinished dull gray. I have never finished one before.....I could use a little help with how to prep , paint and finish them.

I have painted some fiberglass rods with Duplicolor Auot paint and then applied Lumiseal to them in the past....does the unfinished graphite require different handling?

Thanks,
Joe

I have the MHX ones, they are unfinished graphite, they look pretty good to me just the way they, are after teh wraps and all that is done, they even look better, but you can wipe them down with Perma Gloss or Lumiseal, they are both 1 part urethane, they set really quick after you apply it, use a foam brush or cheese cloth and just use one wipe not brush it on, cause it sets really quick, and then do another swipe, usually 2 wipes will do, the second I wipe to make sure i get the spots that I might off missed. Tom Kirkman and others on this forum they will also help you out on what to do to finish or you can look it up on the search tab above, tight lines!

It won't hurt them a bit to fish them as they are. In fact, the idea behind the bare graphite is that you don't have the performance robbing weight which any top coat adds.

There are numerous ways to finish them, if you wish, but nearly all will result in some loss of overall performance and efficiency. If you're simply worried about protecting the graphite, don't be. They're fine as is.

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

Joe, do you mean unsanded or unfinished?
If you do mean unsanded (those $5 blanks) i place a wooden dowel (may have to wrap this with painter tape for snug fit) into their butt, chuck it and lightly sand it with 220 to 500 grit well wetted paper.
A few seconds with scotchbrite as the last step is good too.

Lou Auret Wrote:
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> Joe, do you mean unsanded or unfinished?
> If you do mean unsanded (those $5 blanks) i place
> a wooden dowel (may have to wrap this with painter
> tape for snug fit) into their butt, chuck it and
> lightly sand it with 220 to 500 grit well wetted
> paper.
> A few seconds with scotchbrite as the last step is
> good too.

They are sanded but not finished.....I think I want to paint them. Going to make a NY Jets rod from my bro-in-law.....a Met's rod for my nephew...etc.

Those $5 blanks are a great deal, but be careful and inspect every one very closely, I would even do a pretty severe load test before I used one. I bought several from them at the show and used one to build a giveaway rod for a charity tournament my club holds every year. As luck would have it the rod was won by a club member and friend of mine. He immediately sells it to another club member thinking he is doing him a favor by selling him a really nice rod for a good price, and the rod did perform exceptionally well. 3rd trip out the rod snaps in half and now I have a person who I am friends with who has spent money on a broken rod I have my name on and I have no blank warranty to fall back on. I am in no way badmouthing Mudhole I knew what I was buying and took the risk, I am just urging caution and close inspection, all those blanks got into the $5 pile for some reason.

IMO it's never a good idea to use bargain blanks, close outs, blems or whatever for sales to customers or give aways at charity events. Your reputation is on the line and you only do yourself harm when you supply a customer or @#$%& or door prize built on a blank that you know very little about. Just my .02 worth.

For that price you may be better off using them for practice and extensions.

Or your own rods this way they break it is not a customers rod

Bill - willierods.com

bill boettcher Wrote:
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> For that price you may be better off using them
> for practice and extensions.
>
> Or your own rods this way they break it is not a
> customers rod

Bill....I am going to use them for kids in my family. i got a bunch of neices and nephews and they all want a rod from Uncle Joe.

You turned me on to Duplicolor and Lumiseal a while back. Is that what you would use on them?

I like the DupliColor and the LumiSeal over that After a nice light sanding of 400 grit paper and lots of water
I tried Plasticote but thought it was too thick

Also MudHole has that sale going on $ 5.00 blanks

Bill - willierods.com