Who was it that put the hex on me? I was just reading earlier this week about someones rod jumping out of the dryer, and lo and behold, what do I find tonight when I go to the shop to check the dryer, but my best creation to date laying on the floor with bugs, lint, dirt, and all manner of crud in the still tacky finish! The setscrew on the motor shaft let loose. Please, somebody make me feel better.............

Ray

Well if it makes you feel any better, "I feel your pain."

Happens to everybody sooner or later. Next time pull some heavy rubber bands over the set-screws. That'll keep 'em from moving on you next time.

You want pain try this you have just finished a 9 foot steelhead rod the finish is sparkling clear and bright and all you have to do is a little buffing on the cork to make it complet and give to a custermer in a couple of hours. Guess what I was buffing a a high speed and the dran thing jumped out of the chuck a crushed it self on the lath bench. I had a heart attach and died. This a true story .All ways check your chuck before high speed turning. Let me tell you from then on I all ways make sure my chuck is tight a wont loosen up.
Bob

I have a timer on my dryer. Since I use Flex Coat, I set my timer for two hours and go to bed. One morning I got up and found a large black fly firmly imbeded in the finish.

Well, its daylight now, and I am in a better frame of mind. Got the sandpaper out........Looks bad, but just another challenge. At least the blank isn't hurt. Had planned to deliver the rod today and go fishing. Oh well, no rest for the weary. I always remember what my old boss use to tell me......."if it was easy, everybody would be doing it!"

Ray

And thus you had an insect inlay? Maybe it will catch on.

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

You know Tom, I didn't look at it that way......The light green of the stinkbug does match my wraps and the green of the Perigee blank. Anybody want a good deal on a one of a kind "Stinkbug Rod"?

Ray Alston

I found that using a plastic tie (used by electricians for tying off wire) around the chuck keeps everthing tight. The plastic ties come in two types. Those that once tightened have to be cut off with a snippers, and those that have a release, and can be used again. Get the 1/4" wide, or a little wider. The work fine. I had the same experience. NO MORE! You might want to put a little Locktite on the allen screw, so that stays put.
Sanford Hochman

I was never much on the thumbscrew idea. I preferred the foam type where you just pushed the butt into the hole in the foam and the friction kept it in place. I do not have enough experience with it to say it can't work out of there however.

The only time I use a dryer/rotator is when I do repair. And for that I use a drum type unit so the rod is not chucked into anything. Can't come loose. I suppose we need to publish some various dryer type plans in the magazine.

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

Sorry Ray, insect inlays are not new have to say have inadvertling inlayed numerous varieties of insects from no seeums to bees,problem lies with needing to much finish to cover the inlays with the larger species
John

[www.rodbuilding.org]

<<Looking around at everyone else>>>> Uh. Hmmm. Wasn't me. <<Poiting the finger elsewhere>>> Errr.

Ray - It happened to me again on Monday night. I finally figured out what the problem was. I needed to put a couple of wraps of masking tape around the blank where teh screws held the blank. It seems as if the blank would slip out of the chuck. When I added teh masking tape, it didn;t happen on the next 2 coats.

This time there were some awfull lumps, which I carefully sliced off with a double edged razor blade (much sharper thatn a single edge), and applied 2 more coats.

Sorry.

Wondered when you would chime in.......I got to checking to see who started this......
I always tape the handle in the chuck, but this time the whole chuck come off the motor shaft. I think what happened is I put a small prop under the outboard holder to level the rod and it put the shaft chuck in a bind and it worked loose. Dumb, I know....

Ray

Ray asked who did it ? Obviously it was a Peta pox. I had one once. I had just finished a rod when a Peta pox made it jump out of the rack onto the dog hair on the floor. The only thing I thought to do was get a rag and whipe all the mess off. Then I set the rod asside to let what finish had penetrated into the thread cure. I never had to rotate it or do anything. Lo and behold it cured at a nice matte finish comparable to the blank. It looked so good I never put a second coat on the wraps. I call it my "Stealth" rod. That's how I foiled the Peta Pox.
Dogman (Larry Michnevich)

.....to the world of "we have been there and got the t-shirt". Just a right of passage and a hard lesson to learn. My first tears were shed on a 50# class rod that I had about 10 hours in. Now, I never leave the shop while rods are turning. I always plan on doing something in the shop for the 3 hours that I let rods turn. I usually set up to wrap some and dry some during the same time period. You will develop this 6th sense when something not good is about to happen.

I too have had this problem. The simple solution is not to go off and leave your rod turning unattended. I start it up and check it every hour or so. If there is a disaster you have time to take remedial action before everything is set.

Jeff and Mike - That's a great idea, but not all of us have a "shop"....yet!! i'm doing this in an attic that is about 10'x11', so there is not much else I can do in there while the rod is turning (except manually mess up the finish) I spen tthe entire weekend last week applying epoxy to 3 rods. I cannot wait to move into my new house.

aggressive Canadian bugs in season when they get the opportunity to sneak into the shop, pay no attention whether the rod is tuning or NOT.
Seeums, blackflies, and those aggessive 'bulldogs' (a big sort of horsefly known for our southern neighbors) manage to do their best to impale themselves onto the buttwrap that took the longest and has the nicest finish. They must at least have good taste to choose being an inlay at no-one's request. Arrgghh!
been that, done there.....

Rich
Solryrich Custom Rods

Ray,

Welcome to the AWWWHHHHH JEEEEEEZZZZZZ Club!
It's funny to read these tales of woe (NOW) but weve all been there!
I thought I was the only rodbuilder that insisted on learning every-
thing the hardest, most painstaking way, but it seems I have a lot
of company! After losing several (obviously didn't figure it out
the first time) rods to various "hexes", I've learned to "stay by my
rod" until the process is done! I've discovered several ways to make the chore easier: Unfortunately I'm a smoker, fortunately a cig or two
takes up some of the time waiting for the rod to dry. Counting age spots on the back of both hands helps. Sticking a Q-tip into the center
of my brain for last weeks ear wax takes a minute or two. Notice that the ceiling needs to be painted helps. Resizing 2 or 300 winding
checks that fell all over the bench takes some time. And we all remember-here is the church, here is the steeple. Looking through
last years Bass Pro catalog really helps and finally just relax and
tighten the drying fixture every now and then will solve the problem.

John

Ummm, that bug "inlay" may work!