64 replies to this topic

[timmy]

Rather selfishly, I'll vote for a camera, we want to see your work.

I'm so glad that the varnishing went well. I know the effort that goes into a rod to that point, and would hate to have someone follow my instructions and be disappointed.

I still have family in the area, (Fleet) so if you send me a private message withcontact details, we could meet up next time I go down there.

Cheers,

Tim.

[karelgol]

Just my 0.02 dollar/pound/eurocents. I've used "Sikkens botenlak" which translates in english to yacht varnish. Rubbol is another brand available in The Netherlands. In some dutch books (Van Onck/Van Beurden, Jan Schreiner to name a few authors) from back in the 70's this varnish is allready mentioned to give your bamboo pole or splitcane rod his yearly maintenance.
For me the syringe still works fine to apply the varnish. I've shown this method to a friend of mine who is a (house)painter. He declared me insane to thin the varnish so much, but was impressed by the results.

Karel

[testwood]

Hi Timmy - ya lives and ya learns . Having poured the second coat all five sections that I varnished looked ( a one piece 6 foot Lee Wulff plus a two piece Payne 100 and Edwards Quad )everything looked great and I was out for the rest of the day. A closer look this morning horror horror the top joint of the Payne had runs all down one side. The other joints were great. I think what happened was having suspended all the joints whilst being poured this particular joint was touching the bottom of the container and leaning over at a very slight angle. So. Today I learns a new skill. How to strip down a newly varnished rod whilst trying to keep ones cool. Joint is stripped, rings are off, finger stabbed with Stanley Blade has stopped bleeding and I have to get my head rewhipping the joint.
At times like this I think of the guys who do rod building for a living and something goes wrong in the final stages
Look forward to meeting up
PS Bring your camera !!
PPS Timmy, read the small print on the can of Yacht Varnish. I say not suitable for marine use.!!!

[testwood]

Hi - karelgol - Interesting to hear about Silkens, I have used this on the outside woodwork of my house for 15 years and it is excellent, the best wood treatment we have used it has a semigloss and requires a base coat. Expensive but good.
Before I poured the rods I tried a syringe on a test piece. it worked fine to start with, the problem I found was it became more and more difficult to use as the solvents seemed to make the neoprene grommet swell and it became difficult to operate the plunger .

[karelgol]

Perhaps there are different kinds of syringes, made from different material. I got mine from a veterinarian to use for mixing gudebrod epoxy. Gudebrod doesn't come with syringes as opposed to Flexcoat.
These were too big, so i got me 2 2cc syringes for mixing and now use the bigger ones for "pouring" finish on splitcanes.

Karel

Perhaps you have the kind of Sikkens with UV-protection?

[testwood]

Hi Timmy - Did you pick up my PM with address and telephone number about meeting up when you are down this way?

[testwood]

Timmy - It was good to chat on the phone the other day and I appreciate your offer of local help.
Well hear goes !!.
I cover my wraps with a couple of coats of International varnish and then pour finish with diluted International varnish. I think I need to first cover them with some kind of 'thread filler'.
One of the posts mentioned Thread Master Lite is it available in this country.
I hope to improve the quality of my photos - first try
Cheers

Dig my mousetral wrapper

[timmy]

Ah, wraps. Not my farvorate subject at the moment.

I put the first coat on with thined or warmed varnish (I haven't quite worked out which works best for me. but am leaning towards warmed.). Ithen apply three or four more coats of neat varnish until the wraps are smooth with no texture from the thread, sanding with fine-ish wet and dry before the last coat to get the varnish nice and flat. Then I will spent a little time tidying up the overpainted varnish on the blank with a Stanley blade used as a scraper to get the "hump" running close and parrellel to the tipping before pouring on the finish coats.

Cheers,

Tim.

[timmy]

One thing to be careful of when sanding wraps is to make absolutely sure that you don't go too deep. if the grit hits the thread everything goes fuzzy and I have to cut it off and start again. This has been known to cause some bad words to be said.

Tim.

[riverangler]

TESTWOOD. I emailed Andy Dear who advised me that he had sent the first consignment of ThreadMaster to Century Composites( I'm sure you will know them). I have ordered some and they say I should get it this week (8th Dec). Speak to Simon Chilcott. We will have to compare notes after experimenting. Mike.

[testwood]

Riverangler - Thanks for the info: no I had not heard of Century Composits but will give them a ring and we can compare notes
Nev.

[riverangler]

Right Nev. If you have a problem I should have enough to send you some if necessary.
Mike

[mdraft1]

do you tape the whole grip? also, do you hang the rod tip down (if so, i guess the grip must be completely covered). when you pour do you cover the guides with tape first? i've heard of guys putting vasiline on the guides. has anyone tried this?

thanks

[mdraft1]

[jayhake]

I do not cover the grip at all. I leave the reel seat off and hold the bare blank where the reel seat will go. Just mask off the ferrules with scotch tape or teflon tape. You do not need cover the guides at all. What little varnish that dries on the guides will come right off. I pour from the grip of the butt section, with the female ferrule pointing down. On the tips, I hold the male ferrule and pour from the male ferrule wrap down. I hang them in the same manner.