I know all epoxy is approximately the same. But can anyone tell the the subtle differences between threadmaster and ProKote? Is there a discernible difference?

Their open and cure times are different as are the time windows during which re-coating is recommended without roughing the surface of the prior coat.

As the old saying goes, and from a practical perspective., you can cover the differences with a dime.

Do a forum search on epoxy finish for the last year. Should be be a lot of info.

In my experience, ProKote is slower curing and gives a slightly softer finish than ThreadMaster. Some people, such as Billy Vivona, use a mixture of these two at a 1:1:1:1 ratio to get a curing time and finish that is intermediate between the two. Both are very good finishes either alone or combined. I like and use ThreadMaster because of the faster curing time. In addition, the ThreadMaster resin is also seems less prone to crystallize in cooler conditions.
Norm

Hello All.

I do the same as Billy only I use ThreadMaster & Flexcoat in equal proportions.


Tight Wraps & Tighter Lines

Bob,

New Bern, NC.

Threadmaster regular for me also and the fast cure time is a major reason why , Threadmaster lite to me takes a lot longer to cure . I tend to stick with what i'm familiar with and what has worked well for me in the past as i don't like surprises. I believe everybody eventually finds what works for them , there is no " Be all end all " that works perfectly for everybody.

I guess im on the opposite side. I tend to like prokote more. I like the idea of letting my rod spin for several hours, at least 12, to get the right cure of the epoxy. I don't like the idea of a fast curing time just in case it might start curing while im applying the epoxy to the rod. Everyone has their preference, that's mine :)

When I work with finish epoxy, I use the time of 10 minutes of great use for the epoxy finish. If I don't finish a finish application in 10 minutes, I will mix another batch.

It normally takes me about 5 minutes for the application of finish to a rod. No real reason to spend any more time than that on a rod finish.

I apply finish to the butt wrap, and the guides initially with sufficient epoxy to insure that everything is completely covered and all of the wraps completely wetted out.

Then, I go back to each wrap and use gentle heat to insure that everything has flowed out and leveled nicely. At that point I will remove a touch of finish or add a touch of finish for the perfect finish and move on to the next guide or top top.

As Mr. Kirkman has said many many times. No need to brush the finish. Rather just let the turning rod pull the finish off of the brush and then move on.

But, everyone has their own techniques for doing work. Use the system and or method that works the best for you. If it takes an hour to apply finish, then go for it. You many only apply finish to one or two guides before the finish begins to set. If that is the case, just mix small batches and do the job in the time that works best for you. If it takes 15 seconds to apply finish, enjoy the short time for the jobl

The first time a job is done, takes the longest time. After the same job has been repeated too many times to count - the job takes less time. If you like to use one finish - great. If you like to use a different finish - also great.

Be safe

Ken Brown 2 Wrote:
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> I guess im on the opposite side. I tend to like
> prokote more. I like the idea of letting my rod
> spin for several hours, at least 12, to get the
> right cure of the epoxy. I don't like the idea of
> a fast curing time just in case it might start
> curing while im applying the epoxy to the rod.
> Everyone has their preference, that's mine :)


Threadmaster doesn't cure so fast that you don't have time to work with it , i still let the rod spin overnight and sometimes longer . I wouldn't want something that cured too fast but Pro Kote is one that takes too long for me but it's a good one for sure.

I may try threadmaster again as I have gotten better with applying my finish. The first time I tried it, I felt like I was working against the clock. The end result was not too good. I find that I now like to have a thinner epoxy and apply multiple coats. Using a thicker epoxy might be great for a single pass but also is easy to put on too much finish resulting in footballs.

Ken,
If you get into the position where you may be putting too much finish on a rod that may result in foot balls, simply stop rotating the rod, with the guides pointing up. Then, let the excess epoxy form a drip, and if necessary, just use a brush to dab off the drip and the excess epoxy will be gone. By keeping the guides pointed up, when the rod stops rotating, the guide eye will not fill up with epoxy.

Take care