I put the first coating of epoxy on a rod about ten days ago and then went on vacation. I am going to put a second coat on it now. Do I need to lightly sand the first coat before I add the second since it's been a while since the first was applied? I'm using ProKote.

Scotchbrite pad to the rescue!

Do people really have problems in this scenario? I always coat underwraps, pu tthe rods on teh side and come back and do over wraps weeks later, I neve rscuff, and I never have had a problem.

Its recommended to scuff them up, but I have done the same thing thing as Billy V has done, no problems. Even have a rod that I put another coat of finish on after a year. Been fishing it lot this spring to see if I could cause a problem, nothing so far and this rod has been out in the sun and nasty weather.

It's claimed that ThreadMaster will fisheye if you wait a couple of days to apply another coat over it. I know first hand that this has never been the case and I've done it hundreds of times. I get to see quite a few of the rods I have built for others, and I havent' seen any issues over a couple of years of use.

@#$%&

In that case just coat it But then how long does it take to scoff and then recoat

It is nice to be sure BUT ???? If no one is having problems - Why

Bill - willierods.com

Thanks forthe replys. The reason I asked the question is that I read through Tom's Rod Building Guide while on vacation and it says to scuff it. It doesn't seem intuitive that you would have to do it.

If I recall correctly Ralph once said that by applying APPLICATIONS that is reapplying finish to a rod before the finish has cured, actually the finish blends in to become one coat, whereas applying a seperate coat ie reapplying the finish to a rod where the finish has cured is really applying a second coat which will not hold up as well as numerous applications
John

I should have added when Andy Dear first had Threadmaster developed a few testers reported problems with applying a second coat after the finish cured now that could be 2 out of a 100 people BUT as a seller of a product it is safer to make it as idiot proof as possible thus the proviso to scuff the finish before applying a second coat just enough to remove the high gloss aspect
John

I always lighly scuff the finish before next coats, it helps me see where i'm going and avoiding any misses when i gloss a dull surface.

Jersey, Channel Islands. (U.K.)

I never scuff and never have any issues. In a busy life with little kids running around, I sometimes don't get a chance to crecoat within 24-36 hours. Like Billy V, I've never had any iussues. I use Threadmaster and Bullards.

How do you scuff if the finish isn't covering the threads, don't you scuff the thread too? An dif the threads aren't exposed, why are you putting more coats?

All the threads are covered with a thin first coat. I'll be applying a couple of decals over the coated threads and I want to put the second coat over that. Scuffing didn't sem to make sense since it would affect the look of the decal. Aslo, it's been my understanding that two coats is the proper way to do it. Do you us just one coat over all your wraps?

Billy Vivona Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> How do you scuff if the finish isn't covering the
> threads, don't you scuff the thread too? An dif
> the threads aren't exposed, why are you putting
> more coats?


Hi, billy. think your reply was meant for me? i only very lightly abrade the surface, i make sure i don't scuff the thread, do this between coats - usually 2-3 thin coats on guide wraps, do this proedure on weaves too, just find it helps me see better when i'm covering a dulled surface to a glossy surface.

Jersey, Channel Islands. (U.K.)



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/29/2012 02:06PM by Steve Mcleod.

If the first coat is covering the threads, and there are no fisheyes and no bumps or defects of any kind, there is no reason for a second coat. I have applied second coats both scuffing and without scuffing and I haven't seen a difference.

Steve, it was a general statement. John answerred it. If the threads are covered you don't need any more finish, and if you can feel teh texture of the thread you have to be really careful scuffing. How many coats are needed = what each individual builder wants the finish to look like. A couple of my personal rods I have CP and nothing else on one, and barely a hint of PG on another. I prefer less finsih, but I cannot deliver a rod to a customer like that. So I apply as many coats of epoxy as I need to in order to coat the threads. Sometimes it's 2 coats, other times it's 5 coats - my answer is whenever I feel it's enough.

Steve,
To echo several other posts:
1. I never scuff between coats and have never had an issue.
2. Why do you want to add a 2nd coat? As other posters have stated, if the finish has covered all of the thread, and if the finish is clean, get on with the next build.
The vast majority of the rods that I build only have one coat of finish applied. About the only time that a 2nd coat will get applied is that there may have been an issue with one or more guides resulting in a less than perfect finish.

Be safe
REW

I have tried scuffing. Do not like it much. I would trim the nubs with a razor blade and recoat. If you ever fuzz the thread scuffing you will not like it.

I never scuff also, along with the reasoning stated by others here, scuffing, even with scotch-brite increases the risk of introducing grit, dust, etc....and creates very tiny lines on the surface that could facilitate the formation of tiny bubbles.
I think I remember reading somewhere that as long as your using the same epoxy, a second coat melds in seamlessly with the first....but I can't find that reference.

Okay, the simple facts.

If recoated soon enough the epoxy forms a chemical bond and is basically the same as if all coats were applied at the same time.

If not recoated soon enough you only have the adhesive qualities of the epoxy to form the bond. In that case the epoxy will adhere better to an abraded surface.

Given what we are doing one doesn't need the best possible bond like they might in other tasks. Still I think it is a good practice to develop as it takes little effort. I do think wet sanding is important as is precleaning the epoxy to be recoated.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.