Having trouble when using light colored threads . I always seem to get a blotchy finish . Pack and burnish threads well.Put one coat of color preserve on which I think is my mistake. Will another covering of CP do the trick? Besides painting the rod and guide under the thread. Any suggestions? thanks

Didn't see Randy's question disregard if you feel it's the same.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/09/2015 11:13AM by Bill Cohen.

Try on a scrap blank 2 or even 3 coats of CP I use flex-coat thinned a tad Put a wet coat on and as it soaks in you can see the color change put another wet coat I don't let it dry Reason I fell when dry the thread is sealed and another coat will not soak in
I also use NCP thread on light colors and CP

Bill - willierods.com

thanks for the advice Bill I'll give it a try

Light colored threads on dark colored blanks are difficult to absolutely prevent blotching of. Sort of like trying to put white paint over a wall already painted black.

It is important in these situations to really get the threads packed closely together. Blotchiness is often caused by minute spaces between the threads, allowing the darker blank to show through.

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Tom do you think the size of the thread has any bearing on the micro size gaps ?

Not on gaps, but on bleed through for sure. D will generally cover the underlying color better than A simply because it's thicker.

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Will using a NCP thread help? I know that gaps will show no matter what, but if you want to stay true to the color, would it make a difference to use a NCP thread? My experience with it is non existent because I usually use regular nylon and CP because I like the brightness of regular nylon.

NCP is opaque so yes, it helps a great deal. Gaps will show through, but not as blotchy patches. They'll just look like what they are - gaps.

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Thanks, Tom. I've had bleed through a couple times on a neon green thread on a matte black blank and recently on a "old gold" non metallic on a black blank. I thought the CP would lock the color in, but was mistaken and had some bleed through. Does it have to do with the solids that are in the CP maybe not uniformly covering the threads? Like the darker spots being where the thread wicks the water in and then the solids of the CP encapsulate the "water wet" portions of the thread?

You certainly want to stir the CP a bit before you use it. If you do that, then it's not likely that any particular area would be starved of the solids in the CP. A second coat won't hurt, but that should be all you need. But CP can't perform miracles. For example, light yellow thread over a black blank is asking a bit much.

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Thanks, I definitely stir the CP... might just have to paint the blank under the wraps or do full under wraps if it comes up again (or just talk the customer into a darker color).

I like to use a spade drill bit chucked into a cordless drill for stirring my CP(Flexcoat) for a minute or two. The tip has been ground off and polished so I can make sure to get all of the solids mixed in from the bottom. Just make sure to rinse and dry the bit after using. I hate risking rust contamination.
I personally use as many coats of CP as necessary to get the sparkly sheen I am after. Sometimes it takes 3 or more. Your mileage may vary.

I got away with using a white underwrap on a gloss black blank because a customer insisted on it, but I had to pack the thread unbelievably tight to get it done. It was "4 or 5 revolutions and pack the thread", then burnish well. Not a scenario I would choose on a routine basis.

If you're going to use white thread on a black blank, you might as well use NCP white as it will give you the truest white.

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