So I’m working on a casting rod and I can’t find winding checks in the color I want, is it possible to just add pigment to some epoxy and make a winding check? And if so how would I go about making it clean

One of the listed sponsors, VoDoo Rods, sells pigments for mixing with epoxy, and for marbling effects. I currently use three of the pigments. They are east to mix, and don't appear to have affected epoxy strength. To make an epoxy winding check, I would mix a small amount od epoxy, add the color pigment, and apply a circle of epoxy against just the blank, and grip, in the desired diameter. i would let it dry on the rod dryer for an hour. Then, add another layer of colored epoxy, this time a little smaller, working away from the grip. Repeat until your winding check is the size, and shape desired. American Tackle and Alps both have good selections of winding checks, in many colors.

Tight Lies and frisky fish

RJF

I have done this several times and it turns out nice. Mix the pigment of your choice with some thread epoxy and mix well. You can either freehand the epoxy onto the turning rod and make a “cone”. The easiest way I have found is to use a rubber or vinyl winding check then apply your tinted epoxy on top of it. If you use black pigment it hides the rubber winding check but the winding check helps it to achieve a nice cone shape. Good luck.

What I do to make a epoxy winding check or ramp, is to use Rod Bond paste epoxy. Add the coloring agent as you mix the epoxy, then apply to the rod. Using the paste allows you to shape it without "running" concerns you will have with thread epoxy. Shaping with a alcohol wet finger works well..

There is an article on this in the RodMaker issue that just mailed.

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I’m with Phil. I use a paste epoxy, like rod bond, mix in a small amount of pigment and apply to where you want it. The paste epoxy will stay where you put it, and is easy to shape especially when it is partially cured. You can easily smooth it out with a nitrile gloved finger wetted with some DNA.
Norm

I agree that Joh Hutchinson's method is the most reliable way to get uniform, nicely shaped, colored winding checks. When liquid wrap epoxy, even lite build, is used to generously cover a rubber/vinyl winding check a nicely curved filet is formed. And it's easy to have each one done have the same size and shape.

A smart strategy would be to try a number of methods on scrap materials and determine which is preferred.

I have has great success starting with a base of paste epoxy and then finishing off with thread epoxy....pigmented or not.

I too have used paste epoxy with pigment for trim before. Here is how it looks.

Before: [www.rodbuilding.org]

After: [www.rodbuilding.org]

I used Testor's pigment.

While I was in the Coast Guard on an ice breaker built in 1941, we lost the only ice machine, near the equator, the drive gear had stripped a few teeth. We laid out some modeling clay and imbedded the gear in it, carefully removed the gear, rotated it a few teeth and imbedded it carefully again. We than mixed some Marine-Tex epoxy with brass powder included and poured it into the clay mold and allowed it to set, after a bit of minor cleanup of the finished gear, with new teeth, was put back in service and it worked for about 3+ months till we got back to Seattle to replace the gear.
I see no reason why you couldn't form simple winding checks the same way with epoxy.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/07/2022 07:12PM by Spencer Phipps.

Thanks everyone I got some playing around to do!!

Thats some real McGeyver stuff. Love it.

If you are a RodMaker subscriber, the issue you'll get in a few days will have an article from Nuno Paulino on this type of thing.

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