Gents, I’m looking for some advice….what is the best way to get a nice straight epoxy line on the blank below the guide ring, when coating the wrap on the ring-side of a single foot guide. I’ve tried to do it by hand and when the blank is rotating and have not quite been successful on either. Obviously its less challenging to get a straight line of epoxy on the butt side of the wrap with the blank rotating, but even with my hand on a rest, I just can’t master that nice straight epoxy line below the ring. As usual, many thanks for the feedback.

If you think single foot guides are a challenge, wait until you finish snake guides - two heels per guide!

Seriously, it is one of those things for which you must learn the "feel" that works for you, your thread, and your finish.

Some advocate for a rapidly rotating rod, and that works. However, nothing works with a dry brush. You need to be pushing (not painting) a bead, or a bow wave, of finish while the rod rotates. If you apply too much finish, or the finish extends too far onto the blank, a piece of coffee filter or fly line backing will clean things up.

Take a look at the video in the Library for perfect finish. Flex Coat also has a great video on this point at its site.

If you are using magnification when applying finish know what looks horrible is sometimes next to nothing.

If you are using the nylon disposable brushes, try trimming off about a 3rd of the bristle length to made the brush a little stiffer. Or try a different type of brush.

There is a brush, finish, rod rotating speed that will work for you. And you can find it.

Larry, I find a Steady Rest to be helpful, It can be anything, Block of wood or upside down coffee cup, anything you can nest you hand on, Just find the right height your comfortable with. Just make sure it's clean and blow or wipe off any dust before you use it.

Hello Larry.

You can always tape it off, epoxy it then pull off the tape.


Tight Wraps & Tighter Lines.

Bob,

New Bern, NC.

Do you use a power wrapper of some kind that you can adjust the speed?
I tend to get the best straight edge by letting the the wrapper do the work at a higher speed. Just leaving the brush tip on the bottom edge of the wrap and slowly walking it onto the blank as the rod speeds at a higher speed.

I apply finish using my power wrapper at speed up to about 200 rpm.

I adjust the speed as necessary with my foot and for the edges, I let the rod spin at a pretty good rate for nice straight edges.

By the way, I have a reversing switch on my wrapper. When I wrap, I have the top of the rod coming toward me since I have the thread supply behind the rod. But, when applying finish, I reverse the direction and have the top of the rod rotating away from me. I just find that using the rods rotating in these directions for wrapping and coating - is the best setup for myself.


Good luck

As stated in a post above...pushing a bead of epoxy ahead of the actual brush (or whatever you use) will result in a straighter line than trying to "draw" or "paint" that line with said brush bristles.