Okay, I think I messed up. This is my first build and I decided to sand a NFC Delta blank. I thought I was being extra cautious starting out with 1000 grit wet sandpaper and the white 3M pads that are the equivalent of 1200-1500 grit. There’s still a significant amount of visible cellophane the entire length of the blank, but when I went to check my progress and wipe with a rag I saw what appears to be graphite colored residue. This is indicative of getting into the fibers, correct? Is this possible when all sides still show cellophane the entire length of the blank? I compared it against an old NFC-made Kistler, and the mirror black X-rays I ordered, all of which show no traces of cellophane. I don’t see how I could be doing damage when so much of it is still present…
Did I screw up? I’ll link a picture that shows a good representation of the amount of cellophane left and the residue on the rag above it.

[imgur.com]

Matt, I can only share what I did when I sanded one of the Delta blanks. I sanded it until all of the shininess was gone. I was getting a little grey as I sanded. I'm curious? In the picture you linked it appears that you'd still be able to feel the ridges in the blank? I sanded until I couldn't feel any ridges.

I don't believe I damaged or affect the blank in any way. The blank I sanded was a SW 764 Delta. I use it for throwing glide baits up to 3 1/8 oz. There have been days where I did nothing but use that rod and have seen no signs of any thing negative.

Matt Lukas Wrote:

"There’s still a significant amount of visible cellophane the entire length of the blank"

The shininess showing between the ridges already sanded down isn't from cellophane. The cellophane curing wraps are removed after the blanks come out of the curing oven. The shininess is just from areas that didn't get sanded as yet. Sanded factory rods have a matt look the whole blank length without the feel of ridges which come from the epoxy resins in the graphite material that flow with the heat of curing.

I have sanded a few of the NFC blanks, so here is my $.02. I would use some 2500 grit and keep going until you get the finish you desire. I will admit, the ones I have done didn’t seem as severe as yours tho. You can’t really do much else at the point you are unless you put paint or finish on it. Those are options as well. Good luck and keep us posted on how it ends up.

I just don't get buying a blank then sanding it. If you want a smooth finish NFC has a mirror option on many blanks. If they don't, there are many other sources of fine quality blanks that don't have ridges.

You did "screw up" in at least one area - you have almost certainly voided your blank warranty.

.............

Matt, You have a lot more sanding to do, and that rag will be black when your done. If I was doing it I'd start with 220 wet until all the ridges were gone and then buff it up with what your now using. You'll be there for hours the way yore now going.

Dennis J. Danku
(Sayreville,NJ)

You are fine. All you have done was to remove the resin ridges. The shine you are seeing is the residual resin in between the ridges. The mirror finished NFC blanks have been sanded much more than what you have done. If the blank feels smooth then use it. When I wet sand a blank I start with 800 to 1000 grit paper until the blank feels smooth. This rarely takes more than 5 to 10 minutes. The resin ridges come off very easily. If you want a clear coat you can wipe on some PermaGloss.
Norm

I’ve debated on trying this at some point, but the ridge look doesn’t bother me and for only my building 3 rods so far, all on X-Ray blanks, the ridges really didn’t mess with me much. I’ll be doing my SJ-736 X-Ray mirror finish next so it should be smooth sailing. I doubt I ever sand one myself.

My sense is you will be fine. Do a stress test before building and you will know for sure.

Michael Danek Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I just don't get buying a blank then sanding it.
> If you want a smooth finish NFC has a mirror
> option on many blanks. If they don't, there are
> many other sources of fine quality blanks that
> don't have ridges.


YES!!
Herb
CTS Rep

I would have preferred a smooth finish on the IS 694 X ray blank I recently built on. No such option in the inshore X ray line up. If you can point me to a blank of that caliber with a smooth finish, and that blank costs $75, let me know.

As far as the Delta series being spoke about here............. most of, if not all of the blanks offered in the Delta series, are offered in other line ups that offer a smooth blank finish. But ........ they are sometimes double the price of what a Delta series is. I've picked up two Delta blanks recently. One that I've built on, one I've yet to build on. A body would be hard pressed to find a blank for $35 each, that are as good as these Delta blanks are. And while sanding one of NFCs ridged blanks definitely voids the warranty .... that, according to Kelsey at NFC ..... they are not difficult to sand. I actually thought the Delta blank I sanded, sanded easier than the X ray blanks I've sanded.

I get where you're coming from Michael, but there was a time when I didn't get people buying a blank that had ridges on it. In fact, that was the main thing that kept me from trying a Point Blank blank. Now the only thing keeping me from building on a Point Blank, are the 5 blanks I have that I have yet to build on, and the fact that I already have way too many rods as is. lol

Gonna have to start selling a few of them I guess ....

David, the Point Blanks do not have resin ridges like the unsanded NFC blanks. By comparison they are very smooth.
Norm

I’ve been building since the late Reagan/Bush or early Bush/Quayle eras and have never sanded a blank. I keep things close to as simple as possible for serving the intended function, and at most try one new technique on a build. There are techniques long left behind since they mostly just added either weight or the potential to do something sloppy. There are actually a few ways to make simple rods look elegant.

I don’t know if you have damaged your blank, but the people here who say you haven’t are most likely correct. Sanding carbon comes with respiratory concerns that are more important than forfeiting the sale price of an NFC blank if you don’t have the proper PPE. If you do, keep going and stress test it before investing additional time and materials.

I think it’s great you started with a premium blank as I don’t see building a rod that doesn’t perform really well. A first time builder can build a very nice rod. I agree on the advice to choose a factory smoothed blank if a builder either prefers smooth or is concerned about being able to wrap the ridges. Some specialized blanks, such as long and light steelhead ones, may only come un-sanded. Beginning builders may want to get proficient by wrapping a smooth blank or two before tackling one of those. Thread is fairly inexpensive. If a wrap doesn’t come out neat, one is only out a dime or so to try again. If a wrap isn’t packing well you can guide the thread on with the edge of a burnisher. Don’t get frustrated, you’ll readily get past any bumps.

Norman, thank you for sharing that. Looking at the pictures of the finish on the Point Blanks, it didn't look like it was a rough as the NFC finish, but pictures can be deceiving. At the time I was considering a Point Blank I was still pretty new to building, so I had concerns about how well the thread would pack with the kind of thread tension I use.

Now that I've wrapped a couple of C6O2 blanks, and an unsanded IS X ray blank, my earlier concerns aren't quite what I thought they'd be. I still think a beginning builder may initially have a little trouble wrapping on one of the ridged NFC blanks, but it doesn't take that long to get used to the idiosyncrasies of it. Although I will say that for me, metallic threads don't play as nicely on the ridged blanks.

When ever I sand the ridges off a blank, I start with 120 grit paper. As I get closer, Move to 220, 320, 600, 1200, and 2400.

But, to do the bulk of the sanding start with 120 to get the major ridges removed.
It is perfectly fine to get to the bare blank and then just to the final polish with the 2400.

Many manufacturers around the world have shipped excellent products over the years, and continue to ship excellent products with nothing applied to the bare blank. Just a high polish on the fiberglass or graphite blank.

--
What you have done is just fine, But, drop down to a much much coarser grit to finish the rod and to make some real progress, and proceed as needed to the ultra fine grits.

Best wishes.

like roger wilson.

approach is slowly and sufficient support

I'm with Mike and Herb on this one. I could not imagine purchasing a blank from a well respected manufacturer, then attempting to turn it into something it isn't nor was ever intended to be. I never had the urge to buy a carton of brown eggs and paint them white before using them. ?

I have built on two NFC blanks to date...an SJ703-1, and an MB765-1. Luckily, I never got around to reading so many of the threads and comments about winding guides on these ribbed model blanks before I actually got to it. They both turned out beautifully, and I guess without knowing any better, I simply wound the guides (KBs/KTs...4.5 runners) using size A thread with some metallic trim without any muss or fuss. Simply...no issue. AFTER reading some of this stuff, I would likely have been terrified to buy one of these blanks. And once these blanks are turned into completed rods, although I know full well that it is a personal preference, I think they look and feel pretty darn cool.

Bottom line....if you don't like the look or feel of the ribs, don't buy a ribbed blank. If you're looking to sand these blanks because you're afraid of winding guides over the ribs, knock yourself out if you feel the need, but it truly is a non issue. It's as straight forward as winding guides on any smooth blank.