Getting ready build on one of these cobalt blue blanks for the first time and have a couple of questions. I am a bass guy and only build for myself and prefer a minimalist approach.

- What color thread wraps are you using? I generally build on black or natural graphite blanks and prefer the wrap to blend with the blank. I also prefer to use color fast thread.

- How is the paint finish holding up after a full season of use?

- Has anyone tried removing the paint back to the natural graphite? What did you find was the best method?

Thank you,

Ray

What colours are Batson showing in their catalogue pictures?
Some designer got paid plenty to make the best colour choices for that photo shoot.
If you E-mail Batson, they might be able to tell you what thread matches their paint.
When in doubt, why not just use black? What's more elegant than that?

Ray,
A royal blue is a virtual perfect match for that blank using standard nylon thread with no cp and no ncp thread. The thread color virtually melts into the blank.

With the blue, I prefer using a silver trim band for the butt trim, since silver is such a pretty color to contrast with the blue.

Just to a test wrap on the blank , and then saturate the thread with dna - alcohol. The saturated thread is essentially the final color of the thread when finish has been applied to the thread.

I have built several on these blanks and they are really wonderful blanks. Wonderfully light, very crisp and precise actions.

I have built them with the tich blank pac bay minima guides and they work wonderfully well.

Be safe

Ray,
A royal blue is a virtual perfect match for that blank using standard nylon thread with no cp and no ncp thread. The thread color virtually melts into the blank.

With the blue, I prefer using a silver trim band for the butt trim, since silver is such a pretty color to contrast with the blue.

Just to a test wrap on the blank , and then saturate the thread with dna - alcohol. The saturated thread is essentially the final color of the thread when finish has been applied to the thread.

I have built several on these blanks and they are really wonderful blanks. Wonderfully light, very crisp and precise actions.

I have built them with the tich blank pac bay minima guides and they work wonderfully well.

Be safe

Actually a couple of months ago Karry Batson sent me a section of the Eternity blank to evaluate the same thing. I found that Cobalt blue with either metallic blue, silver, or gold trim wraps came out exceptional on it.

Ron Weber

Thanks for the input guys.

Roger, I was actually thinking about using the TiGrey Minimas.

Ray

I stripped mine (not hard to do but take some time).

And wrapped it with Dark Blue (little on the dark side).

Some pictures [www.rodhouse.fr]

Ray, I also wanted a blended color for this build. I ended up using Madeira sapphire blue with a silver trim. Fuji titanium stripper and recoil single foots. I do believe that you'll enjoy casting that rod, like Roger said, they're light in the hand, responsive and very accurate. If I had the rod to do over again, I would've built it with snake brand universals.
[www.rodbuilding.org]

Ray
I too am a "Bass guy"
Roger is spot on in his color choice and annalists of the blanks!!
I prefer the Batson Micro's
You can also use a white silk thread which will turn transparent allowing the color of the blank to show through.

They are awesome blanks! The ETEC76MH model actually saved my behind in the TBF state championship.
[batsonenterprises.com]