Any Flex Coat Lite users out there - how is working time / pot life compared to High Build or UV for you? I know they are all good, but do you find considerable difference in working time?

Not sure about Flex Coat as I do not use it, but all the other lite's I have used had a slightly longer pot life than their regular builds.

Marc,
FlexCoat and Threadmaster, in the lite versions, are my go-to finishes. It is safe to say that all lite versions of all brands have a longer pot life, cure time as well. With the exception of CTS Crystal Coat, the lite versions will be cured enough if given overnight @ 70*F.

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

Thanks Mark - time to try some Lite I think.

Never noticed a difference in any of them, probably because they all have adequate time and I just walk away.

Only significant difference I've noticed is that Pro Wrap takes a very long time to cure. When I use it, I don't expect to touch it for at least 24 hours or longer.

Marc,
More than considering pot life and cure time, I prefer lite versions because they are more difficult to introduce bubbles while mixing, bubbles which do occur tend to pop easier / quicker, and they seem to self - level better than the higher viscosities.
I think that Michael was referring to ProKote. That is what I used when I started rod building simply because that is what the tackle store used where I purchased my initial supplies. While I didn’t notice a lengthy pot life or cure time, I noticed that it yellows (no, make that BROWNS) quickly, considerably more so than any other finish. Although I and many others agree that the majority of finishes are all good, ProKote is the only one that I refuse to use.

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

Yes, Pro Kote.
Interesting on the yellowing comment. I have a rod that I used Pro Kote on many years ago, has been hanging where it gets morning sun , has been exposed on a boat for a week a year for probably 6-8 years, and the white ramps on it still look perfectly white. ???

You didn't ask but I am going to toss this in - if you require more than 20 seconds, at the very most, to coat a guide wrap you're doing something wrong.

...........

Michael,
Would any of you use this thread finish?
[www.rodbuilding.org]

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

Thank you, Mark, but I'm all set with some Pro Kote and a fresh batch of G4, so it would be a long time before I would use it.

I agree with Tom Kirkman

Flex Coat Company
Professional Rod Building Supplies
www.flexcoat.com

People shouldn't get confused by what Tom said . He's talking about the initial coat of finish where you want to spend as little time as necessary on each guide and keep moving along to get a coat of finish on all the guides WITHOUT needing to mix a second batch of finish due to spending way too much time on each guide . AFTER you apply the initial coat of finish on ALL the guides then you go back and do your touchups on the first coat but don't expect to get perfection in a finish with a single coat . Some people can and are so quick and precise at this that they don't even need a second coat but most will let that first coat cure and wait so they can apply a second application of finish if necessary .


I usually always apply a lighter second coat .

This might help- [www.youtube.com]

...........

Chris,
With all due respect, I don’t think Tom and John were referring to avoiding the need to mix a second batch but rather getting the epoxy on the wraps promptly to allow the finish to do what it is intended and designed to do = self-level without a bunch of extra, attempted manipulation. In most cases, simply applying the epoxy and allowing it to do its own thing while it is still “fresh” produces better results than trying to force it to do something. Correct me if I misinterpreted your point Tom and John.
That said, there is nothing wrong with coating thread wraps in 2 batches / steps if needed; fresh epoxy certainly “does its own thing” much better than when it is closer to the end of its pot life.

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

Mark , Tom said a wrap should take 20 seconds tops and that indicates Tom was talking about the speed for which one should spend time on each wrap . My post covers exactly what he was talking about . My post is not about the video Tom linked to .

Mark Talmo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Michael,
> Would any of you use this thread finish?
> [www.rodbuilding.org]
> p?photo=22036&cat=502


Yes...send it on.

Just don't spend too much time on application. We always do 2 coats, like our videos show. My personal finish game really suffered until I shot this video of Roger Seiders wave technique. Now my finish looks like thin, smooth sheets of glass over the wraps. Check this out and try it, I think you will get good results like I do.

[www.youtube.com]

Flex Coat Company
Professional Rod Building Supplies
www.flexcoat.com