Ok, so i understand the rod has to be as level as possible for thread epoxy (or any leveling product for that matter) and i understand its the rod.. Not the platform... That should be level.. Basically counter for the taper...

The rod im currently spinning has like an 1/8" tip and 1/2" butt.. How would you go about leveling the rod? Shim each support individually? Im assuming my issue ks a leveling problem.. The wraps come out ok, but are thicker at both ends... I brushed the high spots to the low spots tried a lighter to help it flow.. They look fine, but i was just wondering how you guys go about leveling.. Ive been using magazines, as my dryer is precariously placed on a 2x4 (yes its straight) across my room on an angle.. Crappy setup, but hey its worked so far...

I level the center of the blank. Yes that means a slight tilt from butt to tip, but that is not an issue.

Are you rotating by hand for 30 minutes or so? If not give it a try by rotating 180 degrees every 60 seconds for 20 minutes, then every 120 seconds for 10 minutes, then put the rod in the electric dryer or continue to rotate by hand increasing the time between rotations as the epoxy starts to cure more rapidly.

Its the first time ive had this issue.. I just let her spin on the 9rpm dryer... I dont have the time to rotate by hand today.. Or last night.. My problem is i always do the epoxy process verry late at night or before work (2nd shift)

It's acually kinda odd.. It did it at the stripper guide, and the 3rd from the tip.. And crept up onto the tube for the tiptop.. I do epoxy 1/4 inch up the tube, but again, never had this issue before..



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/12/2018 03:20PM by Anthony Unger.

The epoxy is self leveling - it flows out and down. Sounds from your description as if the rod was not level with the tilt towards the tip top, and perhaps a bit too much epoxy. Rotating by hand is not a cure for a rod that is not really close to level.

Is your problem on a one piece rod?

Anthony

If you keep the rod and the supports in line with the center of the chuck you will be fine. Although there is a slight taper it is not a problem. The horizontal force on the film (finish) due to the taper is so small it is easily over come by the surface tension and the viscosity of the film.
The important thing is to keep the rod rotating to keep the film from sagging.

Have fun

John

if the rod is 8 ft or less or a real stiff rod use 1 support at about 1/3 up from the butt should be supported enough to keep it level if the rod is a softer limber tip then use 2 set the tip one first then the center one till the sag is out of the blank apply the finish and a 9 rpm dryer is just fine the epoxy is self leveling and if you apply to much you will have problems with footballing of the excess finish. if you have to mix smaller amounts 2 batches so the pot life /ability for it to flow isn't decreased because it is cureing

The best day to be alive is always tomorrow !!
Think out side the box when all else fails !!!
Wi.

Not rocket science, put a book under one or the other support. One can argue that it is not important, but it's so easy to fix, why not fix it. Put the book under the low support at the end that measures fewer inches than the other. Select the book thickness appropriately.

I do level the best i can.. And its barly out of center...

I use prokote.. It was about 17 hrs. Not over 24.. This is the second coat.. I put as little on as possible, the first coat was not tacky anymore.. And the extra didnt show my finger print.. Think this could be the issue? Nkt waiting the full 24hrs?

The medium viscosity flavor of ProKote does no cure quickly. It's the price to be paid for a generous open time. Whether or not you can re apply in less than 24 hours depends on the room temperature where if very warm then maybe and if cool (less than 70) probably not. ProKote recommends a 24 hour cured provided temperature is within the recommended range, and I suspect the ProKote folks have a good idea how their product works.

I doubt a re coat applied too soon is the cause of the issue you experienced.

Use a ""'FOOT LONG LEVEL " an do the best you can , line every thing up to the center of the chick, {{ THE CENTER LINE OF CHUCK. ALSO HAS TO BE LEVEL "" , an it will be fine ,
if the center line of chuck an the center line of the BLANK are not the same the blank will walk out of the chuck , in the drying mode , [ rotating for a long time ] good luck on your project .
I use a ball of masking tape on the part in the chuck , so I have a little flex at that point ,

William Sidney
AK

I simply make the center of my wrapper or dryer chuck a set distance by design.
Then, I adjust all of my rod supports to be the same distance off the wrapper or dryer base as the chuck turning the rod.

As long as you do not get too much finish on the rod you will be set.

If you have too much finish, you will get creep of finish up and down the rod and you will have foot balling or thickening of the finish in the middle of where the finish is located.

Anthony, it really sounds like you had on just a touch too much finish.

To avoid this problem, I use gentle heat and with the rod turning very slowly to have the finish get quite thin due to the gentle heat. If any sags or drips appear, I use a brush to dab off the sags or drips and do not put the finish back on the rod, since this is extra finish.

By using this method, I normally never have any issue with foot balling or finish creep up the rod, even if I dry the rod with the rod turning quite quickly - i.e. up to 20 rpm.

Be safe

If the rods rotating stop the rod for about 30 seconds and see if finish gathers and sags at the bottom because thats a dead giveaway you got too much finish on , use a credit card or lightly use a brush and scoop up all that finish that collects at the bottom of the rod due to gravity . Trying to spot that you have too much finish on is difficult with the rod spinning so stop it for 20 or so seconds and watch how much sagging occurs.

I have made the same mistakes multiple times , i listened to the suggestions and removed the extra finish and things were much better , i used to not remove excess finish hoping it would blend in , it didn't , lesson learned.

Dup



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/12/2018 11:46PM by herb canter.

Alright.. So, got home from work.. The guides looks good.. The tip top has a bit to much finish for sure.. The butt section is wavy.. Not horrible, but not glass.. Ill shave the excess off the tip top.. Add a third coat? As thin as physically possible...

Tom had a short article in the magazine that showed how to make a simple leveling device out of a piece of aluminum stock. Very easy to make and to use. Check the library for the article.

Ray Zarychta
Glastonbury, CT

Hello All.

The article Ray is talking about is not in the Library but in RodMaker Magazine in Volume-8, Issue-2, Page- 22.



Hope that helps.


Tight Wraps & Tighter Lines.

Bob,

New Bern, NC.

Thank you.. I was searching for it.. Lol

After a third coat, and shaving high spots, the tip top looks better, the top half is ok.. The furrule wrap, stripper and butt wrap are very lumpy.. I told my buddy im done with it.. All sections of the rod are leveled, my wrapper says its a 9rpm but i timed the revolutions.. It 5.2 sec./turn so its really a 11.2rpm motor.. Lol.. Applying time was 9 minutes after fully mixed.. Did 30 sec. 90° rotations 6 times.. No sag, drips, nothing.. Did a 180 rotation for 1min 30 sec. Nothing.. Let spin from 4am til 245pm.. I used heat as well after inital application.. Moving the flame 1inch away from the rod, moving away from myself and towards for 3 sec. On each wrap.. (As opposed to up and down the blank) before doing the 180° sag checking... I dont get it.. Only rod thats done it to me..

Too much heat can cause problems. If you use a torch, just very quickly flash torch it to remove bubbles, less than a second. To much heat can cause the lumpy bumpy look you mentioned. All finish epoxies are self leveling and don’t need heat for leveling. A 9 or 11 rpm drying motor is just fine. One of my motors is about 4.5 RPMs I have others around 9 and another around 20, and they work just fine. Footballs are most common on the tip top wraps and the small diameter wraps near the tip. Because of the small diameter it very easy to apply to much epoxy, giving footballs. Larger diameter wraps have more surface area allowing the epoxy to spread out better, so footballs are less noticeable. Secret is to use the right amount of epoxy and remove any excess. Experience is a great teacher.
Norm

Oh it most Definatly is..

Does anyone have a suggestion on how to smooth out the work? Will applying a 4th coat even be worth it? Id hate to strip it all off.. But im giving my buddy the option.. And if hes not happy with it, ill strip it...

Just an update...

For the record... Sanding without a power wrapper isnt fun... I used my dryer... Took 2 hrs.. For the 2 worst wraps... Sooo.. 3 inchs of thread.. Granted my lowest in stock in 600 grit..

I reapplied epoxy to those 2 spots.. And im glad i did.. I think my issue was too much heat, and i did use as little epoxy as possible.. Rods level.. See what it looks like when i get up.. But if what it looks like now is any inclination, its 10x better.. Off to bed i go..

Thanks to whomever suggested the ruler to assist with leveling the rod.. That helped alot, id scroll up and look, but im tired.. Night all, and thanks everyone