Friends, If the decal was created with a high quality adhesive layer, and applied properly by rolling to "set the adhesive layer", then the epoxy would never find a way under the edges at any time. Rod thread epoxies are not agressive in the fact of wanting to dissolve anything they come in contact with so they don't try to attack the decal adhesive like Acetone or Xylene. Xylene is us
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Fernando, That is correct. That will remove all doubt. I always build rods so they won't come apart. Which would be bad for business!! I use only the U-40, 24 hour, slow cure type which allows a longer pot life to fit all components together and, in my opinion, may be a bit stronger than the fast-cure epoxies. Some would say the bonding strength of both fast and slow cure epoxy will be the s
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Gents, I have seen this discussion many times and I would like to over some technical information . . .Not mine, but from the "Titebond" website. Titebond glues are NOT WATERPROOF, none of them - especially the way we builders would like to see WATERPROOF. They state a "WATERPROOF FORMULA" but If they clean up with water, they are not waterproof...they are water resistant ON
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Steve, On occasion, I have used a piece of 2" packaging tape with the glossy surface as transfer film media. The lower quality, meaning "house brand" of packaging tape, is best due to its lower adhesive tack. However, if the adhesive layer of the decal is not sufficient to prevent lifting by the transfer film when being removed, then that may indicate what the problem is in the
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Steve, I looked at the picture you posted and I can see what you are speaking of. The wrapping under the decal appears to have some "dimpling" as part of the design. The ghosting appears to be where the decal media had originally made contact with the underwrap over a dimple and then released itself between the two high spots, causing the adhesive layer to be "smudged" at t
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Hey Jon, Yes, you sure can apply decals over a thread base wrap as long as the epoxy finish is sufficient to give a good, smooth foundation for the adhesive layer to adhere to. If no epoxy is applied, then the thread underneath will never look like the thread that is exposed beside the decal once the epoxy is applied. It's the same effect as placing a decal on a matte blanks w/o a layer of epo
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Hey Gerald, The latest place I purchased rattlesnake skins was Pine Hollow Longbows at (pinehollowlongbows.com/Snakeskins.html). I specified smaller skins for custom rods and gave him a dollar amount I wished to spend and wanted him to include a copperhead skin that he said he had. When I received the order, it had 9 rattlesnake skins and TWO copperhead skins, all in excellent shape and about
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Chris, Go to armbreakercustomrods.com (Florida) and you will see so much "unique" fishing equipment your head will spin like Linda Blair's did in the EXCORCIST . . .Beautiful creations - and one with a Rattlesnake's head too! The snake skin should definitely be tanned with no oils of any kind in or on the skin. Will "bite" you in the butt sooner or later. Charlie
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Hey Steve, I have not used any of the precut decals so I do not have first hand information on what is used. I have seen a few of the Bill-Mar decals that Jimi Ellis supplied but at the time did not pay attention on how they were made to be applied. The product I use for the transfer film is made by American Biltrite, Inc. and 3M makes the decal media. I have some of the peel & stick m
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Hey Jim, I am not sure whether you make your own decals or not so I will offer some generic information that may help you with your inquiry. Waterslide decals are what I started with in 2003 when I returned to rod building and used them up until about two years ago when the quality of the laser type waterslide paper went in the dump bucket and the supplier had no interest in improving it. S
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Mr. Tom . . . Thanks a million times over for all your efforts with this "experiment" I started building rods when Dale Clemens had a dream and Gene Bullard was the only OTHER source of supply. Not very hard to design a fishing rod back then. I stopped in 1985 to go into some heavy duty commercial/art photography work as a sideline - now thats fun - with film and a 4x5 camera with a
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Hey Jack, I have pruchased the bulk of my St Croix blanks from Karen at Bingham and if you tell her the urgency of your schedule, she will definitely work with you on it. The last 6 fly rods that I have built were on the burgundy style and she has gotten them all for me in good time along with some for inventory. Somehow she seems to get them out the door quite fast - or either my timing h
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Hey Nick, Probably need a different printer. I have an ALPS MD5000 that I have used for the last few years and it will not run on my new computer even with the paralell port it was designed for - will not talk to each other. Alps may still be made in Japan but are around $1000.00 and approx $150.00 shipping to get it here, at least that's what they were when I checked earlier this year.
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Hey Friends, Each media has it's particular properties. I used to use waterslides all the time until I started testing P&S for my rods - now I use P&S for several good reasons. If you install them on a glossy blank you don't need to apply the layer of epoxy like you need for a waterslide. And with no water, you don't need to let the decal dry before you apply the epoxy over the decal
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Clinton, I thought you were headed in the right direction until you mentioned Bill Stevens - whoa . . .that sheds a whole 'nuther light on the subject!! Now seriously, if you are going to use their media, then by all means let them guide you in the direction you need to go. The media they have is designed for exactly what you are intending to do and Bill & Lance are a "Super Pair&qu
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Clinton, Will you be using the printer for rod building purposes or for the creation of limited edition artwork on acid free paper? If the art market is your goal then look at the Lyson, Ilford, VanSon, and American Ink Jet inks you can use for fine art, and giclée prints. Many of these inks will outlast a conventional color photograph if the photograph has been properly processed. Ever se
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Clinton, Will you be using the printer for rod building purposes or for the creation of limited edition artwork on acid free paper? If the art market is your goal then look at the Lyson, Ilford, VanSon, and American Ink Jet inks you can use for fine art, and giclée prints. Many of these inks will outlast a conventional color photograph if the photograph has been properly processed. Ever se
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Thanks Tom, Someday you have to tell me how you use that mental telepathy technique - If I had seen the words "International Custom Rod Building Symbol" logo I would have immediately known what the gentleman was wanting. Maybe it was the large expanse of water between us and him that I was not calibrated for. Just a case of him thinking one thing and me thinking another. "Ti
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Philip, Whoever you wish to buy your decals from would certainly see that they got back to you or otherwise the business would not last very long. Send an e-mail to the business selling the decals like you did to this board, describe to them what you want and then they will be responsible to get the proper postage on the package to get them back to you. Getting the return postage for the
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In my opinion, the threads are what do the work in keeping the guides where we want them and the epoxy is designed to protect the threads. Therefore, the epoxy should COVER the threads to properly protect them. Getting the taper from the thread to the blank is the art of the technique. Finishing threadwork is somewhat like dealing with women, sometimes "pretty" is not alwayes the b
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Kevin, The razor blade, when delicately applied, should be sufficient . . .sanding increases the chance of getting into the thread fibers - then, you think the FLY was bad . . .get an invasion of fuzzies and then you pull your hair out!! Get the blade, get a good light and progress slowly. Good luck. Charlie
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Kevin, Let the finish cure and remove the little bugger with a sharp single edged razor blade that has been degreased and then apply another coat of finish. The modern epoxies are so forgiving, fly isues such as these are easily taken care of. I have had a few myself with the smallest of insects that creep into the cracks and crevaces of my shop. Good luck. Charlie
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Gentlemen, I feel all pigments will fade in time, some just take longer than others. Reds and Yellows and the various tones thereof, will go the quickest. The manufacturer of the inks you intend to use could possibly tell you about the colorfastness of their inks. Check with the epoxy manufacturer also to see if UV inhibitors exist in the finish and how they slow down the UV damage. To get t
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The Peel & Stick Decals are in some cases much easier than the waterslide as for one, they don't have to dry before application of the epoxy!!! However, just simply applying the peel & stick to the rod and then applying the finish is not the best method for this style of decal. Also as you stated, the quality of the decal material is of the greatest importance. After the peel & s
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Brian, The Peel & Stick Decals are in some cases much easier than the waterslide as for one, they don't have to dry before application of the epoxy!!! However, just simply applying the peel & stick to the rod and then applying the finish is not the best method for this style of decal. Also as you stated, the quality of the decal material is of the greatest importance. It should be
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Hey Brian, Is the product you are speaking of the item listed below? A couple of years ago I used some sign vinyl with epoxy and the coverage and adhesion was great. I just made sure it was cleaned of any contaminants before I applied the epoxy. As Matt said, epoxies are fairly docile substances that don't bother much of anything - except one's nerves . . .!! Get the Carbon Fiber Look! Or
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Definitely use the epoxy as it was designed for what you want to protect. Save the Spar and the Krylon for lawn furniture. A nice glassy coat of epoxy will do wonders for the finished look of the rod. Just make sure the tube is squeeky clean so the decal and epoxy will adhere properly. Good luck. Charlie
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Thanks for the correction Jim and including the article. It refreshed my memory from 7 years ago when I got back into building. I must have gotten swept up in the excitement of our government simplifying something that I missed the fine print. And when I was in archery, as Tom points out with the FET exemption, I was buying directly from the manufacturer. (EASTON) So in that case that was
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Steve, The FET is paid only when a rod is sold for the first time. If you sell it for $100.00 or $1,000.00 the FET is still the same - $10.00 - no percentage anymore - $10.00 ea . . . . .period. You possibly could get an FET exemption certificate, as I did when I was into archery many years ago, and then be exempt form the DEALER, if he chose to sell exempt, but that just means more paperw
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Thanks folks for all the assistance. Dear Bob . . .I have sent you an e-mail from work and will call both you and Karen and see what we can do. I sent the e-mail to sales@mudhole.com on 12.30.09 being well aware of the holidays I though when all got back to work on Monday, the e-mail would have been picked up th
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