So I am slowly preparing my supplies shopping list and have gotten down to the critical (??) parts. I think I have searched and settled on pro kote for thread epoxy just not sure if (as a beginner) I should go with regular or high build. Also for quantity how much should I realistically buy (difficult to calculate waste and gluing my hands together)?

For grips/seats/etc I have searched and determined that paste epoxies are more beginner friendly but again should I go with regular curing or quicker curing or have both on hand for different purposes? I believe I read somewhere paste may not be the best option if using graphite arbors or reel seats that do not require an arbor. I also have not settled on a brand here, rod bond vs pro bond (kote?) paste. I'm not sure if this information is relevant but I will more than likely be using fuji or other exposed blank or acs reel seats maybe skeleton or split seats. I'm not sure if that choice impacts the resin selection (Glue vs paste) or not but it seems like it would.

Is colorfast thread good enough? Pretty much all black with the exception of a pink or a purple one...and I don;t want to introduce color preserver into the equation just yet.

Finally, for brushes, mixing sticks, spatulas, cups and dishes....disposable or resuable option? It's difficult to envision how quickly I may or may not be able to work and how many disposable supplies I may go through in an entire winter of rod building. Even though I only plan a handful of rods, I typically go extreme in everything so how many can one man crank out in 3 months. I apologize for all the newbie questions but I do appreciate the input and feedback.

JR

Michael's will sell you 144 plastic brushes for about $8.00. Use a fresh one every time.

Mix thread epoxy on the bottom of a soda or beer can, the depression is perfect and you can use a fresh one every time.

Buy both types of epoxy in as large a size as you can afford. Small amounts are very expensive, per-unit.
Buy big, it doesn't go bad.

I have used liquid epoxy and paste. I prefer the paste. I have used both Rod Bond and Pro Bond and like Rod Bond, I use a metal dollar store melon ball scoop to measure equal amounts. It cleans up, between scoops, with alcohol and a paper towel.
Personally, I don't like quick set epoxy!

The plastic cups used to dispense cough syrup or condiments are handy for mixing. With paste you can also use the glossy pages of an old catalogue or a piece of tin foil on a plate etc. as a mixing pallet. In any case you throw away the used item so there is no clean-up involved.

You didn't ask, but in my opinion, handles and reel seats need to be clamped. All the epoxies I have ever used wanted to push the parts apart as they dried. A simple clamp keeps everything in place. I am not much of a woodworker, but managed to built a clamp out of a scrap piece of 1 x 2, a length of all-thread and some wing nuts. Gluing split grips in one-shot might require a clamp with several levels, but this isn't rocket science and I'm sure you will figure everything out as you go.

You don't need Color-Fast black thread...Regular black won't become transparent, darken or change color when you put on the finish...grin.
Color-Fast pink and purple would be good if you are dead set against CP.
I found CP useful for holding single thread trim bands in place, but since I primarily work with dark colors and metallic thread, the small bottle I got in a beginner's kit, went lumpy before I used it up...Now I generally just thin-out some white Elmer's wood glue when I need a little to hold a trim band or for a rod using light colored thread.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/29/2013 03:12AM by Garry Thornton.

the high build epoxy finishes are good, most people use them. lite versions are good for slim finishes. 4 oz will give you more than enough to get started and know what you like.

for the epoxy glue, I do not recommend to go under 15mn curing time.
the main advice for a rodbuilder, regardless his experience, is to take your time. you don't want to use a glue that makes you rush your assembly.

any black wrapping thread in size A will serve you well. you may want to use metallic thread for accents, a little trickier to use but nothing difficult either.

good brushes are a must, all the rest is completely optional, you can do everything just as well with a plastic toothpick and foil.

_______________________________________________
If I'm not going to catch anything, then I'd rather not catch anything on flies.

Prostaff Rodhouse
[www.rodhouse.fr]

I would approach it with the mindset that there are no bad products. Instead view it as each has certain pros and cons.

On thread coatings the most UV resistance may be most important to me. For you maybe the hardest finish is best. For that other guy maybe the longest working time is important. They each have their quirks. What is important is to find one that works for you and then stick to applying it the same way.

A paste type epoxy like rod bond is my go-to product. I think there is a place for both the slow set and the 15 minute stuff.

Some like throw away brushes and some spend money on a good sable brush and keep it for decades. Like many things in this hobby it is personal preference. You are simply going to have to try a few different things.

Nothing beats actual hands on experience and personal testing of products. Don't short change yourself by deciding ahead of time that "I am going to use this product". List your requirements and try a few of the more common suggestions. Post about the problems you encounter and help will come. But above all take the time to do test wraps and see for yourself.

Don't be afraid of CP. You will need it sooner or later. Black thread and metallic threads don't need it so stick with them for now. Most of us think NCP thread doesn't look near as good.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Hi Garry,

You mention you use Elmer's glue in place of CP now? Really? Does it work the same as CP?

Roger Hoops Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ...and I don;t want to introduce color
> preserver into the equation just yet...

Why not? It's just a tool to control and manipulate the appearance of your thread.

If you want your thread to look like a band of paint, use colorfast or NCP. if you want your thread to have a threadlike appearance use regular thread.

>>> if you want your regular thread to look like it does on the spool, use color preserver <<<

>>> if you don't want your regular thread to look like it does on the spool, don't use color preserver <<<

It's really no more mysterious than that until you start to mix thread types (and the above concepts still apply)

Thread holds the guides on the rod

Anything you put on the thread helps to protect the thread from the eliments
Plus Regular Nylon with CP has a nicer look then NCP thread

If you think you will make rods and make Real Good Money Well
That is why most call this a Hobby

Bill - willierods.com

I make money at my job, I will not sell a single rod, ever. I guess for the quantities what I was trying to ask was they claim 24ml is enough for 3 or 4 rods so would I ever use more than an 8oz kit? is 16oz a good supply amount? Does it go bad? I'll just do as told, buy what I can afford and go from there, maybe just get a beginner kit and see

You are just going to have to get small amounts of your supplies
You will find out what you need as you build
The only thing I find that may go bad is Permagloss I stick that in the Fridge -- NOT THE FREEZER

Bill - willierods.com

It won't go bad, but it will amber or yellow over time, both in the bottle and on the rod. An 8 ounce kit is more than enough for the home hobby builder to do several rods per year.

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

Hello,

When I first started out I picked up the small 2-4 oz containers of epoxy etc from various manufacturers. Good for a couple rods and let me really get a feel for using the various products. Only when I was able to narrow it down to a few that I liked, did I begin purchasing in greater quantities.

A regular (slow) cure paste type epoxy is really all you need. Also, it wouldn't be a bad idea to stockpile items you will use often such as mixing cups, aluminum foil, paper towels, and 91% rubbing alcohol for cleaning. Trust me, those items are worth their weight in gold when you need them.

-chad

As I said, I don't use a lot of CP and when I need some I just I thin out my Elmer's until it looks like skim milk.
This works for me, but you might want to try a few test wraps and a couple of dilutions to see if you're happy with the result.