Just finishing up a salmon baitcaster build on a Closer blank. I use Threadmaster Lite. From my experience, I know it goes on thicker when the temperature is cooler, much like a high-build finish. I put the first coat on last night and got good thread saturation and a nice, even finish. It did go on thick. Is one coat of Threadmaster Lite sufficient under these conditions? Sometime, when I apply a second coat, I don't get great adhesion between coats and I get small spots which are void of the second coat, as the finish dries. I'm still well within 18 hours of the first application so I could re-coat, but is it necessary?

Epoxy finish purpose is to seal and protect thread wraps. If the thread wraps are sealed and you cannot feel any thread turns and you are happy with the appearance then you are done.

Robert,
For years, I have used only a single coat + for all of my rod finish.

I coat the rod, check for any problems, touch them up while the first coat is still wet and then leave it for overnight drying. I seldom ever put another coat of finish on the thread. Just no reason to add another coat. I also use a bit of gentle heat to both thin and let the finish flow out when I do thread coating. By the use of gentle external heat, the actual temperature of the shop is less important.
But, having said that I will typically use a space heater to raise the shop temperature to about 75-80 F for optimum drying.

I have always used conventional flex coat.

Take care

Covering guides with epoxy is not necessary to protect them from abrasion and damage. Graphite blanks are already protected by epoxy. Covering a blank with a coat of epoxy does little to protect it but does add to the weight of the blank. Rod builders must establish their own or the buyer's top priority: performance or appearance.

It's about protecting and preserving the thread that binds the guide, not the rod blank.

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