I've read a lot on hear about epoxy ramps and I've put them on my last three rods. Here is what I do, and being the novice I am, would like any feed back any of you care to give.

I use 5 minute expoxy and shape it as it firms up with alcohol on my finger. Where I lift my finger it leaves a little bump. I don't try to mess with it. I just let the exopy firm up for 30 minutes then i cut and high spots, bumps or impertections off with a razor blade before it hardens. Once hard, I paint it with testors model paint to get what ever color I want, usually black. The put a medium coat of thread master over it, elevate the drier some and set it to spining. The fishish "mostly" smooths everying and then just run my tread wrap up however far I want on the ramp and and another coat of thread master, this time a little thicker. It looks good but would like my ramps to be more perfectly round to start with instead of having to even them up with finish.

Thank you.

You tried turning the rod at about 20 or 30 rpm while you are working it with your finger?

No need to touch the 5min epoxy at all with your fingers.

Start the dryer and apply the 5min with the dryer running! Let the dryer smooth out each coat of 5min as you work with it until you get the desired size of ramp.

This is the result: [www.rodbuilding.org]

DR

Are you guys using the gel or regular?

One nice gob of 5 min TM. Carefully turn by hand, tilting it to the desired angle you want. You only have about 3 mins of doing this. Tilt it, let it run a little to the top side/bottom side, what ever you prefer. IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT! Just get it fairly close to the angle ramp you want. Let it set for 24 hrs. Then carefully shave off the high spots with a # 11 scalpel. Then mask the outside edges of the ramp and carefully sand it to a smooth look. At this point you should have a very symetrical, easy to wrap ramp.

NO gel.

DR

I've been using gel. Would it help to not use the gel?

I suggest you first build a slightly undersized ramp with thread of the desired color. Try to wind a symmetrical ramp. Saturate your thread ramp with lite (thin) epoxy and allow it to harden. Then you can apply a thin coat of heavy build epoxy on the ramp at the same time you coat your guide wraps, and your ramp will turn, even out, and harden right along with your guide wraps.

Keep in mind I don't know what I'm doing.

Last couple I have done I used a graphite arbor and shaped it with a file. Then I smoothed it out with little 5 minute epoxy. If need be you can roughly ream arbor to size, split it in half with a razor blade, and epoxy it on.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Neither do I but that might be one way to try at some point. Just by using just epoxy I don't have to keep arbors around but I might order an arbor some time and try it. I think it would be very light and I can turn it perfectly round on my lathe.

Yup, I found them much easier to shape than epoxy. I was paranoid about sanding into the blank or grip. And yes, the weight thing did factor into the choice.

Only advice I can give is wait for the epoxy to truly set before you start shaping. Five minutes isn't long enough on five minute epoxy:)

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

You can mix black (or any other color) pigment into the epoxy while mixing it up - you won't need to paint it afterwards.

You can pick up basic color pigments at your local hardware store.

I also like to shape the arbor slightly undersized and wrap with thread prior to finish - I just think it adds a bit of protection to the foam arbor.

Ed,
Rather than building large ramps, I just use about three coats of finish to generate the small ramp that I generally want at the end of the reel seat.
I am building more and more rods with no fore grip. Generally speaking there is little or no need to have a fore grip and it saves both time and money on the rod.
I also don't find a need for a large ramp at the end of the reel seat. I just use a 1/4 inch piece of cork to fit inside the reel seat and end up being flush with the end of the reel seat. I then insure that all of the cork has been coated with a couple of coats of finish- that is nicely tapered into the rest of the finish and find it looks very nice, next to no weight gain and very little time and expense involved in its generation.

Why add something that is not necessary, or even necessarily of very much help in making the rod more attractive?

As time goes by, I am tending to leave off anything that adds unnecessary weight and serves no functional purpose on a rod.

Take care
Roger

Here you go guys:

Here's my process, short and sweet:

1. Wipe all parts down with alcohol to remove any factory release agents that may be on the reel seat.

2. Sand rod ramp area and edge of reel seat with 400grit paper the entire length where the ramp will be located, wipe clean

3. Mix 5 minute liquid flex-coat rod building epoxy, about 2cc's of each part mixed well

4. Place rod in dryer and begin rotating

5. Dab mixed epoxy onto blank with popsicle stick and work it up to the reel seat edge in a ramp looking fashion, add as much epoxy and you can to that area and still keep it there as you "work" the epoxy to keep it in place (keep it from dripping off) as the rod is turning trying to keep an even amount of epoxy around the reel seat as best as you can.

6. As the epoxy starts to thicken slightly, get the ramp as even as possible, as it thickens leave it alone and let the rod turner even out the ramp: when ramp starts to stay in place on it's own leave it alone.

7. While the rod is spinning and the epoxy ramp has set up to the touch mix another 2cc's and repeat process. In this application the ramp will really start to take a very nice shape, when it does and starts to thicken again, LET IT BE, the dryer (rod turner) will "even out" the ramp FOR YOU (warming the epoxy a touch with a cigarette lighter at this stage can help thin it and smooth out a ramp IF it needs it-very RARE to need to do this!).

8. While the ramp is evening itself out as the rod turns, mix your last batch of 2cc's and repeat. This 3rd epoxy step is NOT always needed!!! Depends upon how well you did with your first 2 coats.

Keep in mind that you WANT to leave a little room for thread or paint that will go on the ramp AS WELL AS two coats of finish epoxy!! So your ramp should be a tad SHY of coming to the edge of the reel seats LOWEST POINT.....meaning: that cut straight line that the hood rides inside, you don't want epoxy in that gully at all, it will impede the hoods movement-not good!

9. Once ramp is built and still warm, wrap it with thread or paint it right then, the softer epoxy in the next hour + holds the thread nicely or allows the paint to soak into the epoxy for a great bond: both are GOOD

10. Now lay two coats of finish over your ramp-you're done!

Tips:

If your ramp isn't taking the nice perfect shape you want on the 2nd coat and you have a lop sided ramp, don't panic! As the epoxy is curing and while it's still soft you can take a sharp razor blade and trim away the high side of the ramp evening it out. Your next coat will fill in the trimmed up area look and even out the ramp perfectly.

If you wait too long and the epoxy hardens on you and you still have a lop sided ramp, dont worry! The fix is so easy. Take a dremel and a grinding stone on low speed and shape the epoxy to any shape you like! Preferable even looking and round (big grin). Then just add another coat of epoxy over the ground down ramp and you'll have the perfect ramp. Remember to keep the dremel grinding stone off the rod blank, not doing so could ruin your rod, there's no reason to be that close to the rod blank.

You can do these fixes as many times as you like until you get what you are wanting, even if you screw it all up, the above fixes will get you right back where you need to be, so you'll never have a bad looking ramp!

Happy Ramp Building!


Duane Richards (DR)

Thanks to everyone for all the suggestions. I know this has been in many other threads but helps to see it specific to my question.

I do pretty much the same procedure as Duane with 5 minute epoxy. I have found by tilting the blank(tip down) while turning, the ramp flows out easier and can be done in 2 coats. I use a wedge shape block under my turning motor and adjust the rod supports accordingly.
Ed

If you want a much easier, lighter, and probably stronger method, turn the ramp out of polyurethane reel seat shims as a integral part of the seat shim. Do the front one (on a pipe type seat) on 1/2 the shim, going in from the front, and the back matching one (for appearance and a little nice smooth contact with your hand) integral with the rear 1/2 of the reel seat shim. They may be overwrapped, painted any color, or painted ivory or some other light color as a great background for feather inlays. MUCH easier than forming them out of epoxy-I've done it both ways.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

[www.rodbuilding.org]