If you can help me out here it would be greatly appreciative, I've been using paper towels to wipe after I sand the wrap, but it leaves these little fibers which are a hassle to get off, even with it wetted down with alcohol, any suggestions. and what would be the best way to apply epoxy on long, say 200mm deco. wraps, I've tried letting it come off the brush, and applying long ways, but they still come out with noticable waves that I have ti sand down, then apply a thin coat, but that does'nt always work, any suggestions, I would gladly like to hear!

Hi Lorenzo,
Try a small paint brush to clean the wraps or a lint free cloth. On longer wraps I apply the finish length ways which does leave a few small waves but gravity takes care of them. Some heat from a gas torch will make the viscosity less for a while and allows the finsh to easily level out. Just make sure you don't overheat the finish. Keep the torch moving and hold it 4-6 inches away. Turn the flame down as low as you can.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

practice. It took me years to get it right, and they still come out with waves in some spots. I don't bother sanding becauae nobody looks that close at teh waves, and when you take pics the epoxy looks straight.

I guess I'm jsut looking at it all to close, Col, when you apply length ways, don't you have to like brush it on or do you just move the brush along length ways? n Maybre i should'nt be too skeptical, as longn as it looks good and decorative, Ha Ha ! Hav a good one!

Hi Lorenzo,
I put it on normally, then brush length ways to get rid of the bigger bulges and gravity usually levels it out. If it doesn't then I use the torch and it gets rid of them and most of any bubbles you might have. If you haven't used a torch before try it on some finish on a scrap piece and you will learn what to do and how much heat you can apply before it starts to smoke and burn.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

Biggest error is people using the cheap throw away plastic brushes for finish. It's hte worst choice, just like the measuring cups with teh makings on teh inside. But that's what 95% of people use. Use a flat wide brush. Like 1/2" wide.

Hi Lorenzo and Billy,
Couldn't agree more with Billy's comments. Get yourself a few good brushes of various sizes and widths and definitely stay away from those plastic cups especially if your using a mixer. A shot glass with some masking tape around will usually make them fit. I use acetone to clean the brushes and cups and that's the only thing I use it for.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

Lorenzo, the secret is multiple thin coats. No need to sand down the bumps. Keep the coats thin and you will see a huge improvements in leveling and bubbles.
Hope this helps,
AP

I find putting on a LOT more per coat works much better than multiple thin coats. But each person will have something else that works for them, and it doesn'tmatter becasue its what works best for you that counts. With thin coats, if the frst coat is uneven each subsequent coat will only make the uneveness worse.

This is an open wrap on a 16mm blank, and it's left open. Open wraps are difficult to finish because of the high/low spots . There are 3 heavy coats on this, and you can see the epoxy is just about perfectly flat with no waves or bumps. IT's not easy to get open wraps to look like this, [northeastrodbuilders.com]

This is an open wrap on a 16mm blank, and it's left open. Open wraps are difficult to finish because of the high/low spots . There are 3 heavy coats on this, and you can see the epoxy is just about perfectly flat with no waves or bumps. IT's not easy to get open wraps to look like this


With an open wrap I will apply three coats of epoxy, I then take a sanding block starting with 80 grit and the rod in the wrapper , I then sand it until the worst of the high spots are knocked off. I then progress to finer and finer grit until smooth, Wipe it clean and a coat of TM lite will produce a perfectly smooth finish,

Thank you Mark Crouse for this information.

Alex D. of Kigan Guides has a good you tube tutorial out also.

Bill

Ohio Rod Builders

Canton, Ohio

Trying to get an open wrap to level out without having all the high low spots has become a pain recently for this guy

Bill, I used to do that too, and sanding does work great. You can just sand with 220 and you don't have to worry too much about hitting the threads, with 80 grit you run the risk of hitting threads if oyu don't know what oyu are doing....so anyone reading that and they are going to try it...be careful and err on the side of finer grit to start until you get familiar with the process. I've fortunately figured it out where I no longer need to sand unless I have a screw up.

I wonder how many people are applying finish to the rod as it spins in their drying motor with those thin purple or yellow throw away brushes?

coffee filters leave little or no lint.

I have had sucess using an old credit card to level out the bumps in the freshly applied epoxy finish. Everyone has to find what works for them.

I've used the plastic mixing cups for 10 years-what's the problem with them? I haven't experienced any.

Read the other post where the finish didn't fully set up. That would not happen if the mixing cup was smooth on the inside. That doesn't happen if mixed properly, but it happens enough that a lot of people post problems with thier finish and that is one of hte causes. Its' so much easier for someone starting out to get a perfect mix using a smooth surface cup.

As far as using paper towels--don't use the standard kitchen type, they're the ones that leave lint. But the blue Shop Towels have dramatically less lint. More expensive, yes, but worth it.

I found that out to Billy, that if the first coat ain't level then you will have trouble on leveling out the rest, and coffee filters leaves the most lint for me especially when after you wet it with alcohol then while the alcohol is drying through your wiping, the lint startsd to come off,same with paper towels, anyone tried those terry towels, or whatever they call them, just wondering about them, and thanks for all the input everyone, I guess its time to give it another try at the coating Lol!!

Just use an old tee shirt and see if that works.

Whenever i've had to sand down epoxy, i just wipe over it with a paper towel or piece of cloth moistened with distilled water, find it safer than using alcohol or other solvents, i don't get fish eyes or other contamination that might come from the solvents. I don't worry about any lint, it's easily removed with a silicone free tack cloth or the sticky side of strips of masking tape.

Jersey, Channel Islands. (U.K.)