Hello I'm 17 and Im in the middle of my first rod build. I've been using this forum for information and it has helped me tremendously, however I have a few questions that I couldn't find answers too so I figured I'd just ask myself. First of all I have read that when using a thread finish with a longer pot life(I'm using prokote) it will want to run downhill. I made epoxy ramps instead of winding checks and I'm planning on young a 4 inch tiger wrap from the foregrip, down into am area where I wove my initials and a small fish. How to I keep the finish from running down the epoxy ramp and building up on my tiger wrap and my weave? Also when I wrapped my base layer tiger wrap down the ramp and burnished a few of my threads over wrapped each other and there is a few small gaps where the black rod blank and masking tape on my ramp can be seen. I'm using black and metallic silver base, with a metallic blue over wrap. Will these imperfections be noticeable or can I get away with them? Ive made all of my tools from my thread tensioner, to my angked weave boards from combs, however im still working on mounting my drying motor so it will still be a bit before i get to finish. Thanks for all of the help!

I'm not sure how much my answer is going to help you but here's a shot.

When it comes to epoxy running downhill, I have personally never had that issue. I use thin coats of epoxy and make sure that it is warm while I coat. From the time I start coating, the epoxy has a life of about 20 minutes before it starts becoming too thick to work with, in my opinion anyway. The purpose of your dryer is just to make sure everything dries leveled. As long as you heat up your epoxy with a heat gun or torch, while it's rotating on the drying rack, it will thin out and even out. Careful not to overheat it though.

As far as imperfections, I have noticed that imperfections such as gaps and marks become MORE apparent with a coat of epoxy. Just make sure your work is as clean as it gets. There are always ways to try to fix blemishes but it's always easier just getting it clean the first time around.

Hello and welcome!

Regarding epoxy ramps, an over-wrap of black thread should give your finish some "tooth" helping it stay in place.

A "high build" finish will be more resistant to creeping and allow for thicker coat.

Of course the ramp will have to be slightly lower than the grip/reel seat, such that the top coat of finish allows it to meet flush.

Lately I have been making ramps using just thread and rod finish (high build).

The thread is wrapped in stepped fashion going up from the blank to the grip/reel seat.

Then I apply several medium thin coats of finish until the desired height is reached.

If the ramp is short and steep, I will slightly angle the rod in the dryer so that the finish builds more towards one end.

On shallow ramps you can get away with having the rod closer to level.

I don't like having the rod at too great an angle, as it seems to place unnecessary wear on the bearing in my dryer motor (axial play).

Hope this helps.

-chad



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/19/2016 06:00PM by Chad Barlongo.

The epoxy is a liquid and as such it will run. You really picked a complex build for a first one, it would been much better to get some experience before tackling this one. With that said, with patience and care you should be able salvage the build.

As mentioned by Austin above, the epoxy coating tends to magnify imperfections, if the imperfections are not at this stage correctable, you have two choices, 1. live with them, 2. start over. My recommendation is #1.

As for applying epoxy to the wraps on the ramp, I suggest you do the ramp by itself applying very thin coats of epoxy ( not enough to run) with the rod vertical and any area where the epoxy might run protected with masking tape.

If the blank is held vertical, how are you supposed to stop successive coats of epoxy finish from running down to the grips, and thinning out at the top of the ramp?

-chad



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/19/2016 05:32PM by Chad Barlongo.

By applying it so thin there is not enough to run, and having every thin below covered to protect it. It also helps to wait long enough that it has thickened some. It may not help this situation.
Also, I wasn't very clear in my original post, I would only do the ramp this way, not the rest of the wrap.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/19/2016 06:02PM by Phil Erickson.

Thanks for the quick replys. I agree I probably started off a bit complex, but I'm already done with %90 of the rod. My 28 strand weave took me 4 tries before I got it how I wanted it, and I enjoy working on it, so if I need too redo my tiger wrap it's no big deal, I just didn't know how much of the underwrap the over wrap hid. As for the ramp, it's not extremely steep, but it's still a significant change. From what I've read many people have said prokote stays runny for nearly an hour, and is a medium buid. I may try to make a ramp on some half inch pvc and coat it, just to see how it performs. I finished up my drive motor setup so I'm ready to finish once I do something inside my split grip area. Debating another tiger wrap, or a cross wrap of some kind, we will just see what I come up with. If anyone has any experience with prokote at all and has any tips I'd appreciate them. Thanks

Thanks for the quick replys. I agree I probably started off a bit complex, but I'm already done with %90 of the rod. My 28 strand weave took me 4 tries before I got it how I wanted it, and I enjoy working on it, so if I need too redo my tiger wrap it's no big deal, I just didn't know how much of the underwrap the over wrap hid. As for the ramp, it's not extremely steep, but it's still a significant change. From what I've read many people have said prokote stays runny for nearly an hour, and is a medium buid. I may try to make a ramp on some half inch pvc and coat it, just to see how it performs. I finished up my drive motor setup so I'm ready to finish once I do something inside my split grip area. Debating another tiger wrap, or a cross wrap of some kind, we will just see what I come up with. If anyone has any experience with prokote at all and has any tips I'd appreciate them. Thanks

Also I'm using prowrap metallic blue and silver. I just read on here that the prowrap blue fades really bad. Is this true, and if so can I stop it? I didn't buy any cp because I bought all ncp thread and metallics. I was under the impression these threads didn't need cp.

All blue metallic fades and CP won't help.

Brennen,
Another way to work with the epoxy ramp, is to simply place the rod at an angle such that the ramp is level. Then put on a coat or two of finish epoxy to the ramp only and let it set up. Then, go ahead, level the rod and apply finish to the rest of the rod and you will be good to go.

Be safe

roger wilson Wrote:
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> Brennen,
> Another way to work with the epoxy ramp, is to
> simply place the rod at an angle such that the
> ramp is level. Then put on a coat or two of
> finish epoxy to the ramp only and let it set up.
> Then, go ahead, level the rod and apply finish to
> the rest of the rod and you will be good to go.
>
> Be safe

Thanks I'll try this method! Do I need to be concerned about overlapping the two different applications and getting a spot with twice as much epoxy, or is this amount negligible?

As for the blue metallic prowrap, all of my guide underwraps are done in this, as well as my woven letters, and I was planning on doing my tiger wrap overwrap in it. (basically it's my main color)
Are you just saying I'm pretty much screwed short of redoing the whole rod?!? Right now it's bright and shimmery, what exactly does "fades" entail?

The fade is primarily the loss of color. The blue will fade lighter and lighter, depending upon the amount of sun light exposure.

Phil Erickson Wrote:
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> The fade is primarily the loss of color. The blue
> will fade lighter and lighter, depending upon the
> amount of sun light exposure.

Does intense fading kill the look of a rod or can it still look good, just with different(lighter) shades of blue? There is not way to combat this?

How it looks if it fades is dependent upon the entire makeup of the wraps. The only way I am aware of to "combat" the fading is to minimize exposure to sunlight.

Phil Erickson Wrote:
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> How it looks if it fades is dependent upon the
> entire makeup of the wraps. The only way I am
> aware of to "combat" the fading is to minimize
> exposure

Has anyone tried applying uv protectant used for fabric car upholstery to thread, prior to applying epoxy as an added uv protectant. Do yall think this might work?