Hey I tried my very first attempt at applying a piece of the micro flex abalone. I also had my frist experience at removing a piece of micro flex abalone. Well lets just say it goes on way easier than it comes off. Jesus that stuff is sticky.

Anyways I used the masking tape method that I thought was fool proof. Well apparently its not as my piece was not anywhere near the size I needed. I had a pretty large gap which I thought was unacceptable.

Any hints to cutting the stuff to the correct size?

I'm with you Casey!! I have used abalone and I am sure the layout by setting it up with masking tape as shown by Mud Hole workss but I must be doing something wrong as I too come up short. I have been putting it on the blank and over wrapping it and tapping it in place and carefully cutting along the overwrap. It is working OK. I also use some snakeskin and don't like to waste that due to the cost. I too will be interested in this thread as I know most of my problem must be operator error.

Perhaps when you put the tape on you put it on tightly and stretched it

Bill - willierods.com

bill boettcher Wrote:
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> Perhaps when you put the tape on you put it on
> tightly and stretched it

I guess anything is possibly, however its normal masking tape. I dont think it would stretch all that much.

If you read Kevin's article in RodMaker, you'll note that he specifically states that to get the best results you want to cut the veneer 3/8th-inch longer than the tape measurement. He explains why you need to do this but in any event, this will take care of that "gap."

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

Tom Kirkman Wrote:
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> If you read Kevin's article in RodMaker, you'll
> note that he specifically states that to get the
> best results you want to cut the veneer 3/8th-inch
> longer than the tape measurement. He explains why
> you need to do this but in any event, this will
> take care of that "gap."
>
> ..............


Good to know.... Thanks a bunch

Following Kevin's instructions, I've applied the TACHY/MOP abalone using the 3/8" overlay and I'm gonna tell you that after a couple nice coats of epoxy, you can't feel it and unless you're looking for it you won't see it either. I think the masking tape measuring plan fails because the abalone doesn't wrap around the blank quite as cleanly as the tape does. While Mudhole's presentation is pretty good, it doesn't go too far in showing the finished product at the seam...I suspect there is a slight gap in theirs as well.

Clyde

I read Kevin's article in rod maker and had no trouble at all getting a nice result.

The Abalone is thicker than the tape, thus it's further from the center and therefore must be slightly longer than the tape to cover the same distance. Kevin mentioned this in the article. Internet tutorials are nice but will never match the articles in the mag.

So if the tape is wrapped over itself and made as thick as the decal or whatever it is used to measure -- it should be the same size - No ???

Bill - willierods.com

i'm glad tom mentioned the article,as for getting it off ,i got to see kevin actually do it in person.what he does is take a single edge razor and bend it to kinda match the rod arch,then he carefully cuts it off,working towards the seat.and thats all there is to it

www.southriverrodsllc.com

chris stevenson Wrote:
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> i'm glad tom mentioned the article,as for getting
> it off ,i got to see kevin actually do it in
> person.what he does is take a single edge razor
> and bend it to kinda match the rod arch,then he
> carefully cuts it off,working towards the seat.and
> thats all there is to it


Ohhh let me tell you thats not all there is to it.... I removed the stuff using the same method. What you are left with is a thick goofy substance that is extremly sticky. I ended up removing the remants with some adheasion remover.

Guys, this isn't as hard as its made out to be. I also second the whole video thing. I get calls and emails weekly with complaints that they "saw 1 method or another on youtube and they are left with a mess".

Back to geometry class here. With a circle (rod blank cross section), the further away from the center of a circle that you get, the larger the Outside diameter. Therefor, making the cut 3/8" longer will address that difference in outside diameter. Making the tape as thick as the veneer will NOT address this issue because the first wrap of tape is still at the smaller diameter which is the true outside diameter of the veneer. Many want the two edges to match perfectly and I see absolutely no reason for this. Ou veneer is .005mm thick and the overlap is not noticeable. Either way you do it, there will be a seam, so just overlap it and move on. If you try to seam it flush, inevitably you will cut too much off in one spot or another and have a gap.

If you in fact need to remove the veneer, simply bend a single edge razor and bend it to give you a curve to match or close to the curve of the blank. Shave it and remove it. If you are applying another piece of veneer to the same spot, you are not obligated to remove the adhesive remnants fully. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. If you want to remove it fully, don't use any DNA or cleaners as that makes a goopy mess. Simply rub your thumb over it and it will roll up and then pick it off.

There are differences in the mechanics and construction of our Tachy Mop veneer that I sell vs others. I have proprietary cuts and other things that are done for only me. Since I have done all of the research in getting this to be more user friendly and therefor, some trade secrets are kept to me and the veneer. if you want to apply this veneer, get the article that I did last October and your results will be perfect!

www.anglersenvy.com/veneer-gallery

Any questions, please email me at kknox@anglersenvy.com

Kevin

Kevin Knox
ANGLER'S ENVY CUSTOM RODS
QUEEN ANNE, MD 21657
#_#_#_#_#
www.anglersenvy.com

kevin knox Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Guys, this isn't as hard as its made out to be. I
> also second the whole video thing. I get calls
> and emails weekly with complaints that they "saw 1
> method or another on youtube and they are left
> with a mess".
>
> Back to geometry class here. With a circle (rod
> blank cross section), the further away from the
> center of a circle that you get, the larger the
> Outside diameter. Therefor, making the cut 3/8"
> longer will address that difference in outside
> diameter. Making the tape as thick as the veneer
> will NOT address this issue because the first wrap
> of tape is still at the smaller diameter which is
> the true outside diameter of the veneer. Many
> want the two edges to match perfectly and I see
> absolutely no reason for this. Ou veneer is
> .005mm thick and the overlap is not noticeable.
> Either way you do it, there will be a seam, so
> just overlap it and move on. If you try to seam
> it flush, inevitably you will cut too much off in
> one spot or another and have a gap.
>
> If you in fact need to remove the veneer, simply
> bend a single edge razor and bend it to give you a
> curve to match or close to the curve of the blank.
> Shave it and remove it. If you are applying
> another piece of veneer to the same spot, you are
> not obligated to remove the adhesive remnants
> fully. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. If you
> want to remove it fully, don't use any DNA or
> cleaners as that makes a goopy mess. Simply rub
> your thumb over it and it will roll up and then
> pick it off.
>
> There are differences in the mechanics and
> construction of our Tachy Mop veneer that I sell
> vs others. I have proprietary cuts and other
> things that are done for only me. Since I have
> done all of the research in getting this to be
> more user friendly and therefor, some trade
> secrets are kept to me and the veneer. if you
> want to apply this veneer, get the article that I
> did last October and your results will be perfect!
>
>
> www.anglersenvy.com/veneer-gallery
>
> Any questions, please email me at
> kknox@anglersenvy.com
>
> Kevin

I think you lost me on the whole 3/8" longer cut. If you use tape, or whatever like sized material to wrap around a rod blank then transfer that "size" to the abalone you should have a piece which is very close to the same size as the blank. The difference in thickness between the tape and abalone is insiginificant enough that there should be no need to cut 3/8" longer.

I dont think there is a way to make a truly seemless application as the ends will never but up perfectly. Im thinking maybe the reason mine didnt turn out was due to stretching the tape around the blank. Then when I pulled it off it it shrank, which caused the piece to be too small.

And yet if you always cut the Abalone 3/8" longer than the tape measurement, the problem goes away!

Yes im sure it would.. Im guessing its overlapped at that point though... Or at least mine would have been.

It overlaps,so what?? It's so thin that after applying a couple coats of finish, it's smooth and the seam is BARELY noticeable
. Looks a LOT better than a seam with gaps in it. If you've ever seen Kevin's work, you'd be a believer. He's been working with the stuff longer than anyone out there and is continuously working to improve the technique.

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

i second what mike said,if apllied correctly the seam is barely noticable and in som applications can enhance the installation,i did forget to mention that when i measure out my pieces i use a small cloth-like tape that a seamstress or tailor would use,just so happens it's a good match.found this item in the little emergency repair kits at walgreens

If laying the tape on the Face of the decal does not work because it is thinner -- what if it was taped on the inside and then cut on the inside ??

Just my 1 3/4 cents

Bill - willierods.com

chris stevenson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> i second what mike said,if apllied correctly the
> seam is barely noticable and in som applications
> can enhance the installation,i did forget to
> mention that when i measure out my pieces i use a
> small cloth-like tape that a seamstress or tailor
> would use,just so happens it's a good match.found
> this item in the little emergency repair kits at
> walgreens


I will have to try overlapping and see how that works out. The stuff I worked with just seemed like it was too thick and I envisioned the edges pulling up slightly when epoxy was applied.

I also thought about using one of those little tape measures.. I just gotta find one.