I haven’t purchased any finish yet and wondering about everyone’s thoughts on which is the best
Thanks

Rod finish does not "protect" a graphite or fiberglass rod very much. Rod finish is a purely cosmetic addition which adds a tiny bit of weight to a rod blank and slightly slows its response/action.

If you're talking about thread wrap finish, an epoxy, you'll find that different builders prefer different brands. In the end, they all do the same thing and all are "the best." Different brands simply possess slightly different use characteristics such as pot life, viscosity, etc. They all work equally well. You just have to find the one that tends to suit your application technique the best.

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Thanks Tom. Yes it’s thread finish I’m asking about. Should have been more clear in my question. It’s been several years since I last built and had always used flex coat. So many new brands I was just looking for some thoughts on the nicest end product
Thanks again

Used properly I think the end product is really about the same. It's the characters of application in the middle that are going to differ.

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You will find that they all work , as Tom stated , most of the time what ever finish you first started building with , they will stick with , you learn one way an stick with it ,
some people will change around a little , from one make to a different one . but not many will, they just stay with what they have on there bench ,

William Sidney
AK

Been using 2CC pumps on my Flex coat quart bottles for longer than I care to try and remember. Never seen a better method than pumps any were for me.

You can get many opinions as to the "best," but more important than what brand you choose is your method. Most epoxy problems stem from not accurate proportion measurements. Use syringes. Period. If you don't, sooner or later you will screw up. The second most prevalent problem is probably contaminants. Be very careful not to introduce dust or silicone or oil or anything else to the wraps. You don't have to apply anything to a wrap before applying epoxy, unless you choose to use color preservative. Just keep the wrap clean and get on with it. Third is probably trying to cure it in too cold an environment. Many use heat tents if they don't have a warm place to cure it.

Check the epoxy article in the Library.

I have used Threadmaster regular and lite and Generation IV regular viscosity and all work fantastic . The Threadmaster and Generation IV are from Andy Dear . Searching for his name in the archives will provide endless reading.

Threadmaster regular dries the quickest and has the shortest working time while Threadmaster lite dries much slower and has a longer working time . Generation IV has a very long working time and doesn't dry as fast as regular Threadmaster but dries faster than Threadmaster lite. Generation IV is said to have much better bubble release but I haven't noticed that benefit , seems to be very similar to regular Threadmaster in that regard at least to me . Others say they do see faster and more effective bubble release.

Threadmaster regular seems to produce the hardest coating once dry the Generation IV just slightly less so which I like. I also agree that if you're very familiar with a finish then it's a good idea to stick to it unless you're dissatisfied . Many like to try new things and nothing wrong with that but I don't like surprises so it's up to each individual .

You should have asked which is better, Ford or Chevy. Tom sized it up appropriately; they all are good if used properly, each having slightly different characteristics. I've used several over the years and come to the same conclusion. Good luck.

Mark...that's an easy question to answer....FORD! My own comment made me think. I've only been a commenter on one site so I am not positive how others work but would put money that they are all the same. Most likely there are builders on here from different parts of the world. We find something that works well for us so we are "pro" that method or product when there are many other methods and products out there than can be equally as good...possibly better in some circumstances and situations. But, many of us feel or state our way is the "best". I have made some posts on here about methods of building that have worked for me and then had another poster comment with, "by far the best way to do this is...." I usually laugh. I'm not sure there is a 'Best" way. There are only ways or products that we've found that work "best" for us. I love rodbuiling.org because it is a learning site with many very experienced people sharing their way of building rods. I love that and love to learn. Thanks to everyone for your comments and for sharing your knowledge.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/2021 09:21AM by Todd Andrizzi.