I have had pretty good success masking my eva when seating reel seats. Just wrap the eva with painters masking tape. Put an extra "sacrificial layer" near the mating surface, that you can easily peel off once you have removed the bulk of the excess epoxy. I leave the rest of the tape on during the build to protect the eva.
Forum: rodboard

I've been using abalone inlays in buttwraps on standup offshore rods and some smaller inshore rods for about 5 years now - never seen any cracks related to flexing of the blank. Early on, I got in the habit of applying the abalone, then wrapping it tightly with thread and letting it sit overnight to allow the glue (sticky backing) to really grab hold of the blank. It works out any air bubbl
Forum: rodboard

It is a soft wood, but that makes it easy to work. Has a very even and open grain structure, so if you want to stain it, it will stain easily, before you apply final finish
Forum: rodboard

One possibility - It is what I did is to pick up a premade Formica top and screw it to your skeleton. The edge will already be on, and the surface is pretty easy to keep clean and to pop those spare blobs of finish off of. Any of the Big Home Improvement Stores will have a good selection of premade tops
Forum: rodboard

I'm currently using small joinable fluorescents because I have low ceilings and can get the light quite close... I did happen to pick up a phillips indoor LED Flood light last week at a big box store for the house that would provide lots of light if you have sockets type lights...
Forum: rodboard

You definitely want an adhesive epoxy rather than a casting epoxy (rod finish) If the gap is fairly tight, you can use 5 minute eopxy from the hardware store, but if the gap is larger, rod bond (or similar) will be better. It won't sag as much.
Forum: rodboard

Sounds to me like you need to find a lighter blank for him - that way you get the return business quicker... Just sayin' His name wouldn't be Bill Dance would it?
Forum: rodboard

It really doesn't melt - it shrinks with heat. I think you'll find that not be the look you want with a slit in it.
Forum: rodboard

A couple of the advertisers to the left have closeouts and "trash can" specials from time to time - you can occasionally pick up blanks for $5 - $20 - buy a few, then you have the entire taper covered when you need it...
Forum: rodboard

Fiberglass Drywall mesh will do a good job - better than masking tape, as you will get epoxy all the way between the blank and the buttcap...
Forum: rodboard

For most typical builds, 2 coats of Lite are plenty. I warm the first coat in warm water before mixing so that it penetrates, then straight out of the bottle for the second... never needed a 3rd coat...
Forum: rodboard

I prefer Drywall sanding screen to sandpaper for shaping foam grips. The rubber comes through the holes and doesn't load up like sandpaper does. If I have a lot to remove, I will start with medium and then fine for final shaping. I prefer to glue my grips on and then shape them to final size in place. Wet Denim to polish.
Forum: rodboard

Silver or gold?
Forum: rodboard

I've done it a couple of ways - the fastest and easiest is to do your wrap, then spray it with a marine varnish - like Minwax Helmsman and let it dry - that will provide some protection and a little bit of adhesion. these days I prefer scuff the blank, wrap the tuna cord, then thin some West System Epoxy (Not Rod Finish) 5 to 1 with acetone - I coat the entire grip with the thinned epoxy. The
Forum: rodboard

No single supplier is going to be everything to every rod builder - they may carry 90% of the items required and are not interested in the other 10%, they may be a little slower getting stuff out the door, their web site might be confusing, etc... You will find your go to suppliers and will probably purchase most of your supplies from them - but it may take you a while to find out your prefere
Forum: rodboard

Eyeball is usually good enough, but if you are really concerned, you can get some disposeable plastic spoons (picnic spoons) and use 1 for Hardener, 1 for Resin then toss them out when done. I like popsicle sticks for mixing and applying
Forum: rodboard

You can also warm the epoxy - that will thin it without adding solvents. I usually put the bottles in warm/hot water prior to measuring and mixing , then mix and apply. NOTE: Warming the epoxy will speed the cure process, so work quickly once mixed
Forum: rodboard

You will need a firly high carbon content in the steel for Oil hardening to be of any use - like 1%. Typical mild steel from the hw store is not going to have a high carbon content. Oil hardening requires heating - lots of heat, then quenching the rod in oil after it is uniformly hot. Basically the oil allows the metal to cool a bit slower than water and allows it to crystalize. That said,
Forum: rodboard

If you don't find what you are looking for, do a search for Papillo - they have both waterslide and stickyback laser and inkjet media
Forum: rodboard

I also use a small butane torch - always keep it moving, never sit in a spot for long.
Forum: rodboard

Fred Yarmolowicz Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Just a suggestion and I credit the late Mike > Barkley for it. Scan the abalone into a photo > program then print it onto decal paper such as > that discussed here several times. It may be the > solution t the small diameter cracking and > alleviate the blank stress as Kevin noted. This i
Forum: rodboard

You can do a google search for "rod blank making" and come up with a bunch of videos... You will see pretty quickly that the process for making high quality parts is pretty invilved and requires some specialized tools...
Forum: rodboard

You could have them make their own wrappers as part of the project. A few 1x4s, some wood screws and some sticky backed felt and you have a hand wrapper. Thread tension can be through a phone book (as mentioned above) The hand wrapper can also serve as a dryer - Manually turn the rod every few minutes as the finish sags.
Forum: rodboard

It may not be much consolation, but I use bent butt rods all the time for offshore trolling - You just be able to start an innovative trend with a bent ice rod.
Forum: rodboard

The guides are already on the underside along with the reel. It is unnecesary to acid wrap a spinning rod. Just hold it the right way with the reel down and you have achieved the same thing.
Forum: rodboard

read the fine print - most say shipping and handling...
Forum: rodboard

Partall Paste is great if you can get it. It is normally used for fiberglass mold release. Pure carnuba wax also works great. I have also used Johnson & Johnson Paste wax
Forum: rodboard

I have used for a glow powder from DO-IT molds for lure heads. It may be what you are looking for
Forum: rodboard

I have 2 Pac Bay wrappers with integrated dryers - I keep spare motors on hand, but during the "early stages" of curing, I make a point of checking the rods at least every half hour - there have been a few occasions where I have had some issue - a broken drive band, a chuck that wans't tight enough. Haven't had a dryer motor fail during drying yet - but I'm sure it will happen....
Forum: rodboard

I have used Flexcoat over Krylon Fusion - works great - but of course that adds a small bit more weight than permagloss. If you warm the epoxy in warm water before mixing and applying, you can get a very thin coat. The solvent in permagloss is very hot and will eat through a typical spray paint.
Forum: rodboard