Interesting. This cracking happened on both ends of the guide feet on spinning gear on two rods I seen. Looks like the guide feet were too ridgid and didn't bend with the blank, so what you have is cracking at the TIP of the guide foot and at the back of the guide foot where you want epoxy to get under the wrappings. I can see by looking at these rods, where a thin bendable titanium guide
Forum: rodboard

I've been looking at a few used factory rods as of late and I can't help but notice the guide feet cracking the epoxy at the foot and base of each guide. Lack of flex in the epoxy is causing it, along with maybe too little finish. Now.....I continue to read here about how little and how THIN rodbuilders like to make their epoxy over the wrappings. Why? Are looks more important than function? S
Forum: rodboard

Wet sanding paper not only cuts better, but it doesn't "dust", just wipe as you go. DR
Forum: rodboard

Yes! DR
Forum: rodboard

None needed. DR
Forum: rodboard

I was just courious if the sun, and heat from it, will effect "fresh" rod wrapping epoxy? How long should 2 light coats be allowed to dry-after hardening-before given to a customer for use in the hot summer sun? How long is your "deliver time" after the epoxy step at normal room temps, NO heated box. DR
Forum: rodboard

Which style are you reffering too? anyone got a pic? DR
Forum: rodboard

"Raymond, I've not yet built a rod that I'm completely satisfied with. I doubt I ever will. But, I keep trying. The best I can do gets a little bit better, I think, but Perfection is unreachable. Ralph" I agree completely Ralph. I just finished a beautiful rod for a customer and to me I'm not 100% happy with it......like someone mentioned, I don't believe I ever WILL be 100% happy
Forum: rodboard

Same as Mike here, I just get a better finish with one thin and another thin vs one thick
Forum: rodboard

Is there a basic chart available that shows measurements of where to place guides using a spiral/acid wrap available for all length rods? I spent time searching until tired, and have no back issue's of anything since I'm fairly new to rodbuilding. Thanks in advance DR
Forum: rodboard

JC, This year I have been through 4 brands of finish, each performed differently for me. You may want to try a few and see if one works better over the other for YOU. I've settled on Aftcoat, for some reason this finish works better and easier than any I have tried to date. It's thin, penetrates well and one light coat, followed by a 2nd light coat the next day just made my last finish on a
Forum: rodboard

Would the Spiral give any/much advantage to a 7'6" Rogue Flipping Stick. I have one on order for myself and concidered the spiral. DR
Forum: rodboard

How many coats do you like using, how long of a time between coats? do you thin yours?
Forum: rodboard

Anyone tried the pac bay "lite framed deep pressed" ring guides? Advantages? dis? uses? DR
Forum: rodboard

"As far as the Shikari SHX blanks go they feel awesome but I will tell you this!! They arent durable at all!! " I watched one blow up yesterday on the cast. The fisherman did nothing but rare back and cast a tube bait as he'd did 1/2 the day so far. Hunter, We both fish rivers and ....... Sometimes I believe we over-rate sensitivity over durability. Sure being sensitive is
Forum: rodboard

Joe, 3cc is about a min a mix as can safely be used-according to most. I usually mix twice + that, than I'll ever need and waste the rest......I hate wasteing it, but at larger mix's the performance rate seems better. DR
Forum: rodboard

Simple rubber bands do well for me :-) DR
Forum: rodboard

How long do you let your Color Preserver dry before adding the epoxy? How fast is too fast? DR
Forum: rodboard

Lets look it another way........a 50/50 mix is about as SIMPLE as it gets. Yet we buy syringes to make it perfect, build heated rod boxes, play with lights in them to get the right temps,.... many rods take days to dry despite the efforts. For the record, I've NEVER altered any epoxy in any way. I'm sure others can say the same and have still had problems along the way. It's not all "per
Forum: rodboard

Tom, The "slammed" was only a joke-hense the smileeeee face :-) I don't totally agree Tom. I sat down with two brands of epoxy, mixed each perfectly with syringes with varying results on each. I actually "wasted" two purchases of epoxy just playing with them to see how they'd vary, and they DID vary! This was done just to see what "way" worked well for me. I
Forum: rodboard

you guys are making me afraid to even try my new Aftcote! WHY in the world is ALL rod epoxy SUCH a dang hassle for everyone? Why can't the makers CURE the problems the epoxy's have? Seems to me were using INFERIOR products and no one cares. I've never even heard of a two part epoxy of any type failing until I started rod building :-( ANY two part epoxy mix should be FLAWLESS and easy as p
Forum: rodboard

By FAR its the epoxy step. Everything else is fine, I just hate relying on something that can so easily go bad. DR
Forum: rodboard

St Croix IV are all Cobalt Blue DR
Forum: rodboard

Thanks Tom, That was the info I was looking for. The guy picked UVA colors for the thread wraps: blue/orange trip bands. Should be a real piece of work when done. I'll tell you this much Tom, if I were building it for myself, I believe I'd just make a home decoration out of it....I just couldn't imagine it with a scratch! LOL....pass it down trhe family line and concider it a "pre
Forum: rodboard

I just got in a blank for a customer from St Croix that is a beautiful med red shade metallic BLUE. What a purdy blank, most beautiful blank I have ever seen. Glows like NEW money. Looks so good I'm almost scared to build it :-) Came with white factory lettering under the handle and a white factory decal for the top side. I'm just wondering why blue? and if it will take any special care-ot
Forum: rodboard

"Maybe if as much as possible was taken off and there was hardly any unmixed , it would be alright ?? " Thats exactly what I did. I had a very thin 1st coat that dried fine, the 2nd is what stayed sticky, the third covered the sticky. I finally removed the third, the sticky one and redone it from the 1st light one up. That will work and is fine, you've removed the problem. DR
Forum: rodboard

May be Bill?....I'm surely not scared to speak the truth...... I know it was most likely my fault. The re-coating thing to me with epoxy being soft and will not dry under, just didn't seem like such a good idea. So.....I wanted to test it out and see if it really did meld together and be "ok". As you read above, it DIDN'T. I stripped it all off and re-did it correctly. Seemed
Forum: rodboard

"the two will meld and become one single coat" I have to add to that, the two may? meld..... and they may not, depending on the epoxy underneith. I had a few troubles starting out with epoxy until I figured "my" way of doing it. In this learning curve, I had a rod with epoxy that would not dry, it got to the point where it was still slightly tacky and stayed there. I re
Forum: rodboard

Thanks Bill! DR
Forum: rodboard

Bill, Please share the model of that brother label maker and cartridges :-) DR
Forum: rodboard