I apologize if this has been covered. I’m building a rod for a charity fundraiser for my son. I had a black blank with royal blue thread. Once the epoxy landed it got dark. I put some pretty good looking epoxy ramps with blue and a pinch of silver that I wanted to match. . I put a second coat of epoxy with blue and a little silver. It covered all my thread flaws. I must admit they were a bit footballish on the guides. Anyone else try this?

I add pigment to wrap finish at times. A little pigment goes a long way. Shouldn't thicken the finish, footballs due to too much finish I would guess.

I have an old G Loomis GL2 that I re wrapped using the factory guides. The blank has a silver metallic finish and I wanted the guides to look as if they were just sticking out of the blank, so I used some CRB pearl metallic marbling pigment in the color Old Silver, and mixed it with the finish epoxy. It really looks sweet.

It can definitely be a way of getting colors you might not be able to get with just thread. Plus, as you mentioned, it can cover up flaws if need be.

Hello Sam.

People have been doing it for years, and as for the footballs, yes to much epoxy unless you were going for the rounded look (I did it on a rod once, but I was trying for all the way round, I didn't like it).

You know you can sand it down and put on a thinner coat.


Tight Wraps & Tighter Lines.

Bob,

New Bern, NC.

Thanks, Bob. The wraps aren’t huge footballs. Are they really a problem or just an eye sore to really good rod builders? I’ve made about 13. Can see my flaws in the the first ones, but like to think I’m getting with each rod. Some times the fancier ones with marbling look cool. Other times the basic thread catches my just as much. Thanks for the input. Sam.

Hello Sam.

There are a few reasons you can get "footballs", the most often it's too much epoxy others it can be that your rod is not level, or you lost power on your dryer, but the dryer loosing power will usually end up with just sags and not footballs.

If you are not getting the coverage you want in one coat don't load it up but go for a second coat later.



Tight Wraps & Tighter Lines.

Bob,

New Bern, NC.

Thanks, Bob. Did lose power 3 hours into drying one night. Wasn’t pretty. The footballs are usually toward the rod tip. I will keep the leveling thought in mind. Thanks