Yes - I do a lot of work with US Composites Epoxies. It is a good quality product, but you need to be aware that it is higher blushing than West Systems, and the cure times are typically longer than West Systems - both Slow and Fast. The viscosity is lower than West System, so it doesn't fill gaps as well, but works great. Blush is not an issue if you clean it up - a little soap and water wil
Forum: rodboard

I keep a spool of 10 lb Spectra fishing line to use for pull strings. When I cut eva, I pull off a short length of spectra , chuck the eva in my lathe and use the spectra to cut the eva. Very clean,very even cut.
Forum: rodboard

the eyeball method works well, but if you are worried about it, pick up a package of plastic picnic spoons at the grocery store... use 1 in the resin and 1 in the hardner... mix together, throw the spoons away when done. That way you don't risk contaminating the jars... Pro paste is just a little thinner than Rod Bond and seems to mix easier for me, but I use both
Forum: rodboard

Can't help you with white, but Mudhole usually has a bunch of clearance blanks cheap... like $15
Forum: rodboard

There look to be some Pro Wrap braids available - haven't had a chance to use any yet
Forum: rodboard

Agree on Papillo - Just keep in mind that most inkjet printers will NOT print the color white. You will probably want to use white waterslide paper for most tasks
Forum: rodboard

AFTCO #4 Aluminum Seat is plenty heavy enough for an 80# Class reel. Likewise, the PAC Bay or AmTAck #24 or #26 should do fine as well Most of the 80 class reels are going to have a brace in addition to the reel clamp - you may want to check with your customer so that the brace is not rubbing the grip...
Forum: rodboard

Can't speak for anyone else, but all of my heavy offshore rods (trolling) use aluminum butts - AFTCO, PacBay, etc. So the reel seat is integrated into the butt. I've made some heavy jigging rods with aluminum reel seats, but 80 Class reels are really too heavy to jig with for any length of time...
Forum: rodboard

There are some people who turn their drying rods by hand... you could set up some simple supports - apply finish as you normally do, then move the rod to the drying rack and keep turning each rod on the drying rack every couple of minutes to start, while you are applying finish on the next rod... or you can pick a couple of cheap dryers and do a few rods at a time - I believe mudhole just rele
Forum: rodboard

I have 2 Pac Bay power wrappers - 1 with 8ft bed (2 Sections) and 1 with 12 ft Bed (3 Sections) - I like the fact that I can go from wrapping to drying very quickly. You definitely want the chuck upgrade. The original plastic chuck is just about useless.
Forum: rodboard

I have a rod project that requires a very clean edge - ie: no bleedover, no waviness with the permagloss edge. Can I use masking or electrical tape to mask and then peel the tape off once set?
Forum: rodboard

Razors are cheap - I buy them by the hundred and throw them away when they don't cut clean
Forum: rodboard

Graphite/foam arbors or Drywall mesh depending on the size. Both work great and are more solid than tape.
Forum: rodboard

I have eccentric cores - even turned on the lathe. This happens when the core slips on the mandrel. As Tom mentioned, a bit of tape wrapped on the mandrel will allow you to snug the core to the mandrel and the results will be much better.
Forum: rodboard

Also if your core and mandrel are flexing while the cutter is moving, you are trying to remove too much material in one pass. Take smallet cuts - that will reduce the deflection and give you a more accurate cylinder.
Forum: rodboard

I turn my foam cores on a metal lathe. First I put the core on the mandrell, then put it in the lathe - I do a first pass to get my core perfectly round before I begin shaping any shape to the grips. all shaping is done on the mandrel - 1 end in the chuck, the other end in a free spinning tailstock. Once the carbon skin is on, I size the inside of the core foe the blank and dry fit the rear
Forum: rodboard

I prefer Pro-Bond. Will use Rod Bond if I run short of Pro-Bond. Pro-bond mixed easier than Rod-Bond and may be slightly less viscous, so it acts as a better lube.
Forum: rodboard

Yes. Both aluinum and brass are easy to work on a metal lathe. To match factory winding checks, you need to be able to anodize aluminum ones - not hard, but does take a special setup
Forum: rodboard

I do something very similar, but a few minor differences. I tape the trim threads to the blank opposite of side the guide will go. I leave plenty of extra trim thread on the side that will get trim bands Then I'll secure the guide with tape - covering the tag ends of the trim threads. I'll wrap the guide foot until secure enough to remove the tape, and then trim the tag ends of the trim thr
Forum: rodboard

2 coats of Lite works for me more than 95% of the time.
Forum: rodboard

Roman Chamine Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Don't want to hijack the thread, but what kind of > papers do you guys use for printing decals? > Papilio? Metallics? Can anyone post a link please? I use papilo for all of the above - metallics (silver, Gold) White Water slide, White vinyl
Forum: rodboard

I use a cannon mx410 - for printing both Metallics and white. I used to have an HP, but it sucked up ink too quickly, and if I didn't use it for a few days, would give me trouble.
Forum: rodboard

Every product is "Known to the state of California to cause cancer" - You just can't get away from it. The PCBs in the tape are probably less damaging than the lead in the weights
Forum: rodboard

I would second the EVA with Shrink Wrap flocking for durable, easy clean, no maintenance foregrips. If you are willing to take a bit more care of the grips, leather wrapped cork is definitely classy and holds up well if properly cared for/stored
Forum: rodboard

Try a site called Surplus Depot - they carry a huge selection of motors - usually at good prices
Forum: rodboard

The big box hardware stores (orange and blue respectively) carry a couple of different 5 minute epoxies that are good for adhesive purposes. Devcon seems to be the most common and the one I prefer - as they usually have it in 1 pint kits (1/2 pint squeeze bottles) instead of small tubes It is fairly thick already
Forum: rodboard

Tolulene is the correct thinner for Weldwood. It is nasty stuff by the way - Gloves and respirator strongly recommended - as well as a well ventilated area. Even a new bottle of weldwood is a bit too thick for really premium bonds. thinning it really helps with even joints.
Forum: rodboard

The 1:1 epoxies are typically designed as adhesives (Pro-Bond, Rod Bond) or coatings (rod finish) The 2:1, 3:1, etc epoxies are designed as laminating epoxies. They are manufactured tor wetting out Fiberglass, Kevlar, Carbon fabric. A whole bunch of properties are possible depending on your needs. A carbon skin grip uses woven fabric - in the form of a sleeve, so a laminating epoxy is the
Forum: rodboard

How well seated was your abalone on the rod? Once I apply the abalone, I wrap the whole thing with thread - snugly and let it sit overnight - It helps me make sure the abalone adhesive is firmly attached to the rod.
Forum: rodboard

Mudhole often has clearance bin blanks if you cannot wait until the show - lots of the blank vendors will have "trashcan blanks" available
Forum: rodboard