Hi everyone have a question guide feet tunnels. I normally use Cp so it wouldn't matter. I tried No Cp and because it becomes translucent you can see the tunnels aren't completely full. It looks awful, I tried heat but it's still not 100%. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/07/2015 05:38PM by gabriele schieda.

Heat after the fact isn't going to do anything for you. If you have encapsulated the guide wrap, and there is air in the tunnels, you're pretty much going to have to live with it unless you want to strip and rewrap.

I will typically use a toothpick to place a drop of epoxy at the entrance to each tunnel. It tends to wick in and fill the tunnel.

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Put a coat on the threads -- NO HEAT -- after maybe 10 - 15 mins stop the turner - turn the guides Left put a good coat over the tunnel let it soak in Then Right good coat on the tunnel Wate maybe 15mins turn and another coat over all

When you heat the CP it drys and will not let more soak in keep it wet

Bill - willierods.com

I'm not sure when the heat was added.

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I said no heat because heat sets up CP quickly When dry you will not get another coat to seep in the threads They are sealed That is why I try to keep the CP wet One coat while turning - then one can usually tell as the thread Dulls out Stopping the turner Then a wet coat with the channels up and letting it soak in Then turn them 180 and wet coat the other channel Then another WET coat over all while turning Seems to do it

Bill - willierods.com

I have always applied the finish about 1/32" to 1/16" beyond d the edge of the guide wraps. I have never had a problem with the tunnel of the guide foot having air or blank spots in them. But that is just me opinions will differ I am sure.

I heat during application but it dosn't work well for me. I always get parts with empty tunnels. Bill I am not using Cp, I usally use it but I wanted to try the look without Cp.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/07/2015 08:42PM by gabriele schieda.

If heat does not work well -- Don't heat it The finish will take 3 - 4 hours to set And will flow better LET IT ALONE
If you put too much on After coating the wraps Stop the turner - Let excess drip off

Bill - willierods.com

What are some nice colors no Cp on a Cts matte grey blank?

Test on a scrap blank

Bill - willierods.com

I set my finish application rotation so the top turns away from me. I use a spatula to transfer epoxy to each guide. As the guide passes by bottom dead center and and begins to rotate upwards, I apply a glob of finish to the thread where the "upper" tunnel is only, then move on to the next guide. I make no attempt to distribute the finish at this point. I apply finish at a rate of about 2-3 guides per minute. In 3-5 minutes I have applied finish to every guide.

Then I go back to finesse the finish and add more as necessary. What I find is that by applying finish to one side of the guide foot only, the air along the tunnels is displaced by the finish more easily because it doesn't have to work it's way through a layer of epoxy. The wicking action pulls the finish into the tunnel nicely.

On the other side of the foot, I work from the toe area towards the heel area on each guide with the thought being that the open area near the heel allows trapped air to be displaced more easily than an area covered with epoxy. That means the open tunnel is the last area I spread epoxy to.

I break the process into a couple steps and work each step on each guide in sequence, I do not do one guide at a time and move on. That takes far too long allowing the epoxy to thicken on the guides worked later on. Working a step on one guide then moving on gives time for the epoxy to displace the air before coming back to the next step.

I do 5 steps, think of rod rotating - 1) top side of foot, 2) toe, 3) frone half near toe of bottom side as rotating, 4) rear half near heel of bottom side as rotating, 5) back side of heal to close tunnel.

After this I work the edges and adjust the total amount of finish, then hit it with heat to burst any remaining bubbles.

John I do exactly the opposite of you I guess. I have for over 40 years used the finest quality Sable brushes for my finish applications and have always done one guide at a time. I know there a lot of rod builders who do exactly as you describe and I am glad it works for you. More than one way to skin a cat. :>) One question I have for the spatula users is this, when you apply a thin finish such as Perma Gloss, what do you use to apply it?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/08/2015 01:41PM by Randolph Ruwe.

Randolph Ruwe Wrote:
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> John I do exactly the opposite of you I guess. I
> have for over 40 years used the finest quality
> Sable brushes for my finish applications and have
> always done one guide at a time. I know there a
> lot of rod builders who do exactly as you describe
> and I am glad it works for you. More than one
> way to skin a cat. :>) One question I have for
> the spatula users is this, when you apply a thin
> finish such as Perma Gloss, what do you use to
> apply it?

For twenty plus years I did the one guide at a time. I found that half way through the process I often had to mix up a new batch of finish because the original was beginning to thicken and not soak in like i wanted it to. When I thought about what I was doing I realized that my OCD was contributing to the problem, I was lingering and futzing with the finish trying to move it around instead of letting it do it's thing. I decided I needed a new approach that would prevent me from lingering and futzing. I thought about the problems I faced, like bubbles, leveling, avoiding footballs, straight edges, microbubbles, and late appearing bubbles.

I thought about the capillary action necessary for finish to displace air along the guide feet and considered what factors might improve this that were in my control. The technique I described above is what I evolved into. It's the technique that best matches my skillset and physical (dis)abilities.

I can't write from experience as to Perma Gloss / Lumiseal or the UV curing finishes. I just don't have more than a casual experience with any of them.

You guys are all amazing thank u I will give it a try.