Maybe it's me but I'm having a lot of trouble with my brushes. I use a cheap brush made in China that is not nylon. The brush leaves a lot of bubbles. Perhaps I'm brushing too fast. Thanks Bill

I use foam brushes. are you using epoxy?

Strong wraps, calm seas
Derek

I use the same cheap brushes, but I do not use heavy brush strokes. I always use a bubble blaster or heat to pop the bubble if they exist.

SK Custom Rods
American Tackle Pro Staff

Fish now, cause you'll be dead for a long time.

You shouldn't need to brush. Load the brush hold it close to the blank so epoxy flows from brush to blank and turn the blank. Brushing will induce bubbles and not because of the brush. I use cheap brushes and throw them away when finished. I don't have to clean them and I don't have problems with bubbes. I do let the finish set in the cup after mixing for a couple of minutes to let any bubbles rise from mixing, then sart turning and applying.

I use the cheap brushes as well, I get them in a tube that has a bunch of them in there from a place that has a "hobby and a lobby". I see bubbles when I first stick the brush in the epoxy because of air that is trapped in the bristles, but I'll just puff on them and they'll burst.

I buy the brushes by the hundred and pay about 3 cents each for the brushes.

As the others have said, don't use the brush to actually apply the finish, load the brush and let the finish apply itself without actually having the brush touch the rod.

Take care
Roger

I see a lot about mixing and bubbles. Purchased the mototrized epoxy mixer Monday afternoon from my local rod shop and it works great! The bubbles are so reduced it makes the application and de-bubbling a lesser chore. I agree with Bruce, let the epoxy flow to the rod, although not real heavy. It's not a crime to apply multiple coats and these results too can be rearding. IE, no more footballs!

If you have it read article in issue 9/1 titled 'better epoxy finish techniques'

Tight wraps everyone!!

Patrick Lloyd
Pearland, TX
Have been repairing and building rods off and on since 2001

I had a lot of bubble problems until I started pouring my mixed epoxy in a very shallow dish lined with aluminum foil for a few minutes before applying. You can see the bubbles coming out of the mix.

I have also found that the Pro-Kote epoxy from Mudhole allows me more working time to do this than the Flex Coat that I was using.

Prokote also has a much better bubble release than flexcoat does. I havnt had to heat or thin my prokote (left in the mixing cup) yet where I have to heat flexcoat everytime to get rid of all the bubbles (even when I poured it onto a foil)

Strong wraps, calm seas
Derek

Thanks guys . I'll try your suggestions. Bill

Bill,

I use ox hair brushes that I picked up at the hardware store. They treat me well. After I apply finish, I put them in brush cleaner for a bit. By the time I'm done touching up with a small brush and ready to leave the rod, all it takes a flush with water, and they are ready for the next round.

As mentioned above technique and repetition are more important. When you find a combination of brush, epoxy, mixing, and finishing technique that work well for you, stick with it. I'm sure we all have our own little nuances when it comes to finishing a rod.

Joe

I purposely mix as many bubbles int omy finish as I possibly can, and then I put more on when I apply with a brush, someitmes you can't even see through the epoxy it's so white with foam bubles. Add some Propane torch heat and they go away.

On a butt wrap I use the cheap 1`` bristle brush and use leghth wise strokes to cover the entire wrap easily and quickly, while using the small brushes on the guides.

I mix with a power mixer with very little bubbles. For all the more the cost, I give everything a small blast of Bubble Buster.

My finish is much nicer than it used to be and more than just satisfactory.

Epoxy of choice is Thread Master.

Bill

Ohio Rod Builders

Canton, Ohio

No brush here, I use a spatula . Eliminates the air is the bristles and is easier to fill the tunnels with the pointy end. Learned the technique from Ralph O`Quinn. The epoxy master.

Freddwhy (Rapt-Ryte)

Ditto what Fred said, Ralph showed me how to use a spatula and I haven't looked back.

I prefer Red Sable. But when I ruin my last one by forgetting to clean it, I apply with spatula. Micros just a pick.

I use cheap disposable lipstick applicator brushes that I get from @#$%&. 100pcs for about $15 including shipping from china. Never had an issue. In fact, the bristle look and feel the same as those bought from rod building suppliers.

They about 3.5" long with 1/4" bristles and are great for small jobs. I believe there is a US seller.

I still uses from from our rod building suppler for my slighly larger epoxy jobs.

Fred Trahan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I use the cheap brushes as well, I get them in a
> tube that has a bunch of them in there from a
> place that has a "hobby and a lobby". I see
> bubbles when I first stick the brush in the epoxy
> because of air that is trapped in the bristles,
> but I'll just puff on them and they'll burst.


I see the same thing Fred does.
I totally imerse my brush in finish and push down on it to expell the air before pouring the finish onto foil. I havent quite mastered letting the rod pull the finish and achieve the results i want off so I do have the slightest of brush contact, almost bouncing it. I purposely use pressure on guide wraps on my initial coat to force epoxy through the thread and into to the void between the thread and guide foot, then go back and add more finish.

I'm a spatula guy myself, but if you are going to use brushes, the stiffer ones will be easier to apply the epoxy where you want it. A wimpy brush will hold a lot of epoxy but they spread when you apply so the edges are less defined. The cheap brushes are mostly pretty stiff so they work okay. There isn't a lot of difference between a good stiff brush and a flexible spatula. The brush probably holds more epoxy, but the spatula allows better control for edges and filling tunnels. My opinion of course.

Terry

The cheap brushes But make sure the fibers don't come out in the finish

Bill - willierods.com