1001?? - yeah, the thousanth time I am asking an epoxy question. Here's my newest dilemma (actually an old problem but I had other issues to worry about first) - applying the 3rd and 4th coats of epoxy to the butt wrap, inscription (decal), and first 3 guides. I am still using Classic Coat. I am getting streaks where I brush applied the epoxy. If I load up the brush with a lot of epoxy, then this does not occur, onl when I try and lay it on thin - the finish sort of Fisheyes in a brush stroke shape where the semi-dry brush passes.

That is one problem. Another is when I pass the Alcohol torch under the epoxy, and I guess the flame hits the epoxy. Again, the epoxy seems to cook off of the wrap and again sort of fisheyes - this time I am unable to get epoxy to stay over this spot, which leads me to believe some alcohol gas got on the prior coat and prevents the epoxy from stayng put.

What happens is - I get these streaks and am trying to fix them by heating up the epoxy and getting it a little runny, which then levelsout some of the smaller streaks. But some of these spots I screw up with the alcohol torch and make small streaky fisheyes.

Any suggestions? It's not nearly as bad as it sounds. I am doing about 20 inches worth of rod covered in epoxy, from the foregrip to the second guide, and I only have a couple of places where this happens. I just have to get it perfect to be satisfied - which I see I'll never be cause I'll find something else wrong sooner or later.

I am not expert in this area but can get a nice finish most of the time. I think you are putting the finish on too thin. Think about drops of water on a countertop. They tend to pull away from each other and form their own droplets. Put more water on there and they will clump together into a puddle. I'd put on just a bit more finish.

If you put on tool little, the heat trick isn't going to make it come together. And if the flame hits the wrap you'll have soot form or it'll get so hot that it drips off the rod.

If your finish is not sagging or lumping just try putting on a bit more. Again I am not an expert but I had this experience on some of my early rod and since I went a bit heavier on the amount I put on I have not had it happen again.

As in many things too little can be as bad as too much!

Tis' my experience that too much results in sags and lumps and too little results in brush strokes and holes. Give the man's advice a try and put on a wee bit more epoxy on your next coat.

Thanks to both of you. I know what my problem was. When I coat a guide wrap I use a full brush and can usually get it nice and smooth with 2 brushfulls - one for single foots. When I was coveing this long, wide area, the brush would dry out quicker. All I had to do was load it up more often and use a little more and it worked perfectly. Thanks again.

Billy

Billy, I have also used classic coat and find it somewhat easy to work with. The worst thing I did however is try to heat it up to rid of the bubbles. This is a big mistake with this stuff. As you stated it will fish eye. I like to apply this finish with a 1/4" Flex Coat disposable brush after it as started to gel slightly. I have found that this stuff has an incredibly long working time and requires rotating a little longer than flex coat or LS Supreme. I really like the stuff and will stick with this or Flex coat light. Hope this helps you out a little. David Tomasch