Hello,

I am underwrapping my guides and was wondering: After underwrapping, should I coat them with some epoxy thinned with acetone or just epoxy or should I just not coat them at all?

Thanks,

Jon

To make it easier to overwrap, some builders will finish their underwraps before wrapping the guides. No reason this won't work and many do use it.

Other ways to make overwrapping easier - coat the underwrap with color preserver before making the overwraps (this is assuming you are using CP on your threads) and/or using a thread size that is smaller for the underwrap and larger for the overwrap. Underwraps that are tightly packed are also easier to overwrap on.

But no, you don't have to finish your underwrap and if you do, please don't thin it. If you must, use a low build finish that penetrates well and put on just enough the saturate the threads. You can build depth when you put your finish on the overwraps.

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One thing to keep in mind when applying finish to an underwrap... If the finish is not level, wrapping the guides will be difficult.

On at least 2 occasions, I needed to slightly sand down excess finish in order to get the guide to sit properly.

Greg
Reels and Eels

Remember you will add bulk to the wrap if you finish the underwrap first. Looks bad on small diameter blanks.

If you don't use CP, you only have to finish one time!