I've been using flex-coat lite to cover inscriptions and now feather inlays on rod blanks. Initially I had trouble with wavyness - but with more experience I seem to have solved that problem. I also use it on thread wraps.

I've read a couple posts recently that suggest a urethane finish is better for blanks. So should I be using permagloss on inscriptions / inlays - and flex-coat lite on wraps?

Should I expect problems from the rod blanks on which I've used epoxy?

Thanks.

Doug

Glass Coat is good for butt wraps and inscriptions. Two coats heating each coat with a hair drier. Brush length wise with the blank. The heat helps to soften and flow it. On guide wraps I like the light epoxy two three thin coats, Permigloss is good for complete blanks. On wraps you will need about six coats. It is thin. Dries hard and flexible and is a urethane

Sounds about right. Stick with epoxy on the inscriptions and feathers.

Doug,

No, you are using the epoxy where it should be used.

Epoxy is not the recommended finish for a whole rod blank, due to it's weight. Epoxy is an 'all solids' coating, what you put on wet weighs the same after it's cured (or prety darn close). It would be readily apparent and possibly have an adverse effect on lighter rods.

PermaGloss,and other urethanes, cure lighter in weight, and that is what makes them more suitable for coating a whole blank. They are also incredibly tough.

Each will 'work' on a blank. That is, they won't 'hurt' the blank structurally or crack/chip, etc..

Good Luck!

Buddy

This subject keeps coming up, no matter how many times the answers are posted. I guess its one of those things that just won't go away.
Our epoxy rod finishes are not intended to be used to coat a rod blank. It isn't only the excessive weight that makes them unsatisfactory, it is simply that they are not compounded to be used for a coating. They will chip, crack and peel to an excessive degree after being exposed to normal fishing environment. The reason for this is that they do not have sufficient "wetting" characteristics, which means they will not have the proper adhesion under adverse environmental conditions. To compound the problem there are professional rodbuilders out there who should know better, but are continuously telling the world how to use an epoxy thread coating to coat an entire blank. Our epoxy thread finishes are classified as "casting resins", they are not classified as "Coatings" and do not posses the necessary properties to be used as a coating.
Ralph

Just ask any rodbuilder who frequently has to repair Star Rods and he can tell you what happens when the whole thing is coated with epoxy.

Ray

Please note in Rays post he is referring to Star rods not All Star two completley different companies- there are a number of companies in Florida that coat the entire blank with thread finish-sometimes it holds up fairly well, those that are more heavily used will show problems within a year or two- flaking,peeling,continous problem, have two or three request a week to re-epoxy these rods. when you explain why it really won't work they go to someone who will do it and come back 6 months later with the same problem.
John B