Hi all. I'm looking for some advice on how to best finish rods when the weather starts to get cold.

I live in Canada - southern Ontario to be more specific - and it's getting colder as fall comes one. We also keep the house fairly cool which doesn't help things.

I noticed that the epoxy starts to congeal after mixing and doesn't go on as smoothly. Also the drying time appears to increase.

So for those who live in colder climates do you do anything special to keep conditions right for the finishing steps?

I have seen some examples of "hot boxes" made of styrofoam and heated with light bulbs in which the rod is placed to rotate while drying.

I'm also wondering if having a space heater in the room during this part of the process to increase the ambient temperature may be the easiest thing to do in the short term.

Any suggestions are welcome.

thanks
Tom

I live in Minnesota and the temperature is starting to fluctuate now. I see mudhole has a tent type structure with little heaters that they sell and I think you can get a package deal with one included. Keeps the temp steady. I'm thinking about getting one myself. Hope this helps

The ideal temperature for applying most epoxies is going to be about 68F to 80F. Anything you can do to get the room you're working up up to that level is only going to be beneficial. And put the epoxy in the room while you're warming it up - it needs to be at the temp as well for best measuring and mixing results.

..............

Tom

My work area is in a basement where the temperature is rarely better than cool - even during the summer. The drying tent and heater sold by Mudhole works like a charm to avoid extended cure times even when the room temperature is mid to low 60s.

You can warm the epoxy resin using a microwave for a few seconds. Warmed - not hot - resin will warm the hardener and make application easier and leveling quicker. Just work as quickly as you can.

My shop is part of my boat house, and during the winter months I warm my work room using a small space heater. Works great!
Norm

I live in a basement and found out the hard way about what temperature a room should be before applying rod finish . These days i won't even bother unless the temp is 70 F or higher , i have a few temp gauges sitting around so i use space heaters to get the room temp up to at least 73 degrees and no issues but if it's 70 F or below i don't even bother because it never goes well .

I use regular Threadmaster and never have issues with it curing relatively quickly so i only turn on the space heaters for application not for the drying phase . You should be fine with a portable heater

The space heater thing works like a charm. We don't heat one end of our house and when I have a rod in progress, I have a space heater with a temp control at 75F. It heats the small room I work in perfectly. The rest of the house will be about 60F but the rod building room is very warm and helpful in getting things done with no drama.

Drew

Another way to warm the epoxy before mixing it to pop the epoxy bottles and the mixing ball into your shirt pocket for 20 or 30 minutes before mixing. This gently warms the epoxy without overheating it, which shortens the pot life of the epoxy. This method works well for me.

Rog

Thanks for all the suggestions. They have been extremely helpful and I am glad others have found solutions. I tend to build more rods in the winter when it's well below freezing but have always had trouble with the finishing stages. Now I have some great ideas to counter to work with.

I'll start with the space heater and see how it goes.

My workshop is in an small room/unfinished bathroom which I should be able to heat up well with the space heater.I think I'll pick up a temperature gauge to ensure the room is at the right heat.

best
Tom

Like Roger Templon I too use my body to heat up the epoxy except I put the bottles in my pants pockets while I set up for the job. Works well even though my rod room temp might be below 72.

Ray Zarychta
Glastonbury, CT

Here is a link to the CRB Tent and dryer that was mentioned by Taylor Nelson [www.mudhole.com] - Thank You

Bob McKamey
Mud Hole Custom Tackle
bobm@mudhole.com

When I’m applying epoxy and it’s cold, I place a full soda can in luke warm water for 20 minutes or so to warm it up. Dry thoroughly and clean the bottom off with alcohol. Then put the epoxy in the “bowl” on the bottom of the can. As long as it is just warm and not hot, I haven’t ever had a problem with it setting up faster than I would expect.

I tried it with a full beer can but it really makes a mess when I take a drink. Plus warm beer isn’t all that good.

The issue with heating the epoxy for application is fine, but if the ambient temperature is not about 75 degrees or more, the finish doesn't flow out nicely - as it does when the space temperature is 75-80 degrees.

Although I have nice heat in the room where I wrap, for finish work, I always raise the temperature to between 75 and 80 and hold it there for the duration of the drying cycle.

i.e. don't just apply finish and then let the room get cold. Rather, keep the ambient temperature for the full epoxy mix, application and the full term of the drying cycle. Perfect finish every time.

The expense incurred in keeping the space warm, is just an expense that you need to pass on to your client.

Take care

Roger doesn't like the idea of turning off the heaters after you get done with the application lol , hey if you can stand to keep the heaters on for the entire drying cycle by all means enjoy but i have never had an issue with turning the space heaters off after i get the finish looking the way i want it to . Finish turns out beautiful .

The room stays in the high 68 F range at the coldest after i turn off the space heaters and the finish that i use dry's quite quickly which is very important to me . I sweat like an animal when i crank those space heaters up before applying finish that's why i can't tolerate them being on all the time.

Always wise to keep Roger happy .

Roger is correct on more than one issue pertaining to epoxy and heat; yes, it is important to mix and apply (most) epoxy somewhere around 75*F but it is additionally beneficial to the epoxy to remain at a constant, similar temperature while curing, not unlike keeping the pieces to be bonded from moving; epoxy responds best while curing in a consistent environment, heat or (non)movement. Many in our field of rod building fail to realize the benefits for post curing epoxy (after the normal set time) at an elevated temperature of <150*F for 6 hours. Epoxies are plastics, plastics soften with heat. Epoxies, even fully cured at 75*F will noticeably soften when exposed to 120*F as when left inside a car on a bright and sunny summer day. If that same rod was afforded a post cure of 150*F, the epoxy would not soften to a noticeable extent when exposed to the same 120*F. Splitting hairs? = possibly; better? = certainly; employed by rod builders? = probably not.

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

On decorative wraps I lower my magnifying lamp over the area. Flows out nicely

Freddwhy (Rapt-Ryte)