I just got done stripping the guides off of 3 rods for a buddy of mine,I looked at the epoxy job they did and the epoxy is really thin, like they thinned out the epoxy before applying it,one rod was really hard to get the epoxy off even with a razor, looks like some kind of glue to me, just a thought, thanks.

You may be looking at a UV cured coating. These are typically thinner but more brittle than epoxy. When attempt to shave and pick these off, they tend to crack and break into small splinters and pieces.

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That sounds like the stuff on the Cabelas Fish Eagle 2 spinning rod I replaced some guides on. The finish was super hard and difficult to remove even with heat from a hair drier. Whatever it is, it would make a good, tough coating, but it does pull away some of the finish from the rod when removed.

Drew

It could be the UV cured coating, cause like you said Tom it was brittle, and they cracked into small pieces and splinter , even when heated it, it just was hard and broke into small pieces when I tried to peel it off. by the way what is UV cured coating , how do they do that?

It's an adhesive, really, that cures upon illumination from a certain UV light wavelength. The trouble is, it tends to continue to cure harder and harder upon subsequent exposure until it eventually becomes brittle. For most commercially produced rods, however, this isn't seen as a problem as most such rods have a lifespan considered to be no more than about 3 years.

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That doesn't sound like a good coating for a rod if you want your rod to last more then 3 years, Thanks for the info.

Some of the OEM's are using a additive to speed the drying process which really alters the finish when cured. But they can bag and ship them in a few hours.

I was once told you buy a factory rod just to go fishing, but you make or buy a hand made (or custom) rod for when it (quality) matters.

Strong wraps, calm seas
Derek

UV coatings / UV cure materials (epoxy and acrylic / one part and two part) have come a long way in the past 5 years with the largest changes in the last 2 years or so. These finishes have moved from the printing industry to floor finishes, electronics encapsulating, fingernail finishes/hardeners, aerospace applications ( and many more applications) ........ anyone who is interested here's one link:
[www.fusionuv.com] .... simple GOOGLE search on UV cure will turn up lots more information

Ken will be presenting a seminar on up to date UV cured finishes at the Expo in a few weeks.

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For quick turn a round rods, UV coatings are a good way to go.
You can apply and dry the finish on a rod in 30 minutes and ship it or use it 30 minutes later.

Pay for the machinery and then you only have to pay for the cost of materials. A pretty good item for blanks needing a very quick build or for very high volume shops.

Take care
Roger

I would imagine, that if you were doing simple wraps and preformed handles, that you could get a total rod build to a 2 hour clock time - start to finish.

Take care
Roger

Just one product example (Technical Data Sheet) that I have tested. This one is an adhesive that remains flexible.

Physical Properties of uncured adhesive:
Composition methacrylate ester
Color Clear
Viscosity(25°C mPa.s) 100 cps
UV curing time 3-5 seconds
Specific Gravity(25°C gr/ml) 1.1
Joint thickness 0.03mm to 2mm
Flash point >100°C
Shelf Life 25°C 1 year

Physical Properties of cured adhesive:
Appearance Clear
Tensile strength(ASTM D-2095-69) 10-14N/mn^2
Temperature range -60°F to 350°F
Refractive index 1.49
Light transmittance >98%
Coefficient of thermal expansion 85 x 10^-6 mm/mm/°C
Dieletric strength 10-12 KV/mm