So, you've gone through the steps to assemble your rod. Your diligent attention to rod assembly has led you through the various steps that include:

• Inspecting the blank for defects
• Splining the blank
• Scuffing the grip / reelseat area for good adhesion
• Wiping down the blank with a papertowel and alcohol to remove production grease and dust
• Reaming the grip and attaching it with the appropriate epoxy
• Installing the winding check
• Attaching the TipTop
• Temporarily attaching and spacing the guides
• Static guide testing to be sure line flow is correct
• Guide alignment
• Wrapping, packing, and burnishing the guidewrap threads

And now the step that will be the most critical. The epoxy work is a testament to your professionalism or at the very least your abilities as a rod builder. No part of the rod is more scrutinized by fellow rodbuilders than the guide finish. Why? It is the most difficult part of the process. For me, it happens to be the most laborous as I want every rod I ship to have a smooth as glass appearance without surface inclusions. Does this happen 100% of the time? No, it would be foolish to expect 100% perfection. However, striving for it is another story! LOL!

I'll take you through the steps I use to get the near perfect and flat finish on my wraps. I realize this is a long time coming, and I apologize for those that have requested I do this on more than one occassion over the past year. Thank you for your patience!

I begin by collecting all the necessary supplies and setting my work area up for business. I'll wipe my hands down thoroughly with a paper towel and denatured rubbing alcohol to remove any oils. I'll also use the paper towel and thoroughly wipe out the 1 ounce solo cup of any contaminents. It may be overkill, but it isn't a bad practice to get in the habit of doing.

All parts collected and ready to go:



A few minutes before mixing begins, the epoxy bottles are placed in a container of hot water to warm up a bit. I will warm the epoxy in the fall/winter when my workshop's ambient temperatures are much cooler. In the summer this step is unnecessary!



Breaking the cheapo craft store plastic bristle brush stems in half provides with provide a mixing stick and a shortened brush that can be more easily managed.



This is where my process of epoxy mixing differs from many builders. Instead of fussing with the measuring syringes, I merely count drops. I've used this technique with as low as 10 drops per part without experiencing curing issues. Most often, depending on how much of an area that is needed to be covered, I'll use 15 drops of each part. My epoxy of choice is "Classic Coat" in the lite build formula.



When you've got equal parts in the cup, it is time to stir. The way you stir and mix the epoxy is critical to the end result or the aggravation that must be endured to achieve a good end result. The lower the amount of bubbles introduced to the finish the better the finish will look and with less effort when cured. Notice the technique I use is tilting the cup at a slight angle, rotating the cup in a circular fashion while I swipe slowly back and forth with the mixing stick. If you have the dexterity, try rotating the stirring stick as you wipe back and forth in the cup. When 3 minutes has elapsed, the mixing is done.



Epoxy mixed and ready to be poured and with minimal bubbles.



Pour the epoxy onto a sheet of aluminum foil and slowly spread it out thin. This will cause the bubbles to rise to the top and release. If the work room is cooler, you may wish to warm the foil in front of a space heater just before the epoxy is poured onto it. The warmth will speed the rise of the bubbles from the finish.



Now, here comes the FUN part! You're ready, right?!

Before putting the bristles of the brush into the epoxy for the first time, flick them forcibly with your finger. Keep an eye out for lint or stray bristles. Getting them out now, reduces the "fishing for lint in the finish" routine as we near the end of the application process.

Load your brush with epoxy and put a pile of it at the beginning of the wrap, but only on the threads. Stay three-four threads away from the end of the wrap





Now, load the brush with a bit more and coil the finish around the wrap as you rotate the rod. Leave a gap of thread at the beginning and at the end that is void of finish. We'll draw the finish from the "loaded" area out toward the ends in a folding stroke at the end. Essentially, we'll roll the finish epoxy over and onto the uncoated threads. As we approach the edge, we'll use this same technique to roll it off the end thread and onto the blank. Spacing the gap width of uncoated thread and loading the appropriate amount of epoxy will become second nature as you do more guides and gain more experience. When you've got it correct, you'll have a nice level finish with minimal excess finish that needs to be removed. (note: it may appear as if finish is on the blank in these photos, when in fact it is color preservative that is picked up by the camera). Notice that the brush is turned parallel to the blank near the guide foot arch. I've notice that during the spiraling process that on occassion bubbles will be introduced in the front and back of the hump. Running the bristles length wise will remove them. If you have excess finish accumulating during this process, it is OK to pull it off and remove it from the brush using the edge of the mixing cup.







Now we begin to roll the finish onto the blank:





As part of the "edge rollover", you may notice a hump near the start and finish of your guide wraps. This hump of built up epoxy can easily be removed by running your brush lengthwise down the wrap. Any excess can be taken off at the far end and the length wise stroke repeated to get a perfectly flat finish.



Or you may wish to manipulate the top of the finish with a gentle glide over the top with the bristles suspended just above the surface. As seen in these photos:





A reverse length wise brush stroke to flatten things out.



Ok, now we've got the guidewrap completely covered, we've got a very small line of finish applied at each end and we've applied a decent amount of epoxy near the guide foot tunnels. The tunnels have wicked most of the finish into them via the capillary effect, but now we've got an annoying bubble of excess finishing forming near the guide foot stantion. Time to remove this using a dubbing needle. Using the needle we grab a bit of the excess from underneath the foot and wipe it off on our paper towel. If the bubble forms again, we'll got back for a second pass on each side until things look nice and tidy.









What's next? Time to put the rod on the turner for 8-10 hours. I'll normally recoat the guides within a 24 hour period of time. Earliest 8 hours latest 24. Most often somewhere in the 12 hour range. At that point it is cured enough to be past tacky, but not cured enough to reject the next layer and fish eye on me. Sometimes, due to the thin coat nature and technique I use and have described, you'll get an ugly result. NOT TO WORRY! The subsequent coats will cover up everything nicely and level out perfectly!



Some finished guides:

Wonderful!

Thank you,

Harry Boyd

Thanks for the great tutorial, Dom. I have been waiting to check out your step by step finish recipe for your great finish results. Nice job man!

Dan

Many thanks for a detailed tutorial on finishing the wraps. Also, the photos were super clear. Will definitely keep referring to it in the future. I particularly liked the copper/white.black wraps. It looked like you did a couple of wraps past the guide foot. Am I correct?

My pleasure guys!

Yes...On float rods, I'll wrap the stripper guides and a few of the mid guides with a "jam" wrap. A couple turns past the foot. The tip section guides get the Rich Forhan locking wrap treatment.

Dj

Dom,
Thank you!! Very nice indeed! I remember when you first did your "Brook Trout" theme rod. It was just fantastic and of course I had to try it also. It never turned out anywhere as nice as yours, but I may have to try it again one day.

Thank you for sharing,

Dick Seymour

The tutorial is awesome thanks for posting it.

Jon

(note: it may appear as if finish is on the blank in these photos, when in fact it is color preservative that is picked up by the camera).

Hi Dom,
I know I read somewhere that you use color preserver on most of your builds. I am just finishing up a build upon which I used color preserver for the second time. The first was the "Brook Trout" theme and that didn't turn out as well. This time I mixed the CP with 50% water for the first coat, and then added 50% more CP for the second and third coats. It went on much better, being diluted. I think I now prefer to apply the first coat of epoxy to the CP, rather than applying it to a wick'd off first coat of epoxy. What are your thoughts on this?

Sorry to be such a bother, I know you are busy,

Dick Seymour

The first several photos, as Bowbiker pointed out, appear as if there is finish on the blank when indeed it is color preservative that was captured. Right on Bowbiker!

For clarification, if I could purchase all the colors I prefer to use in NCP, I would NEVER use color preservative. I absolute hate the results I get, inconsistent, and hate the extra time that I need to take to apply it and such. It is another step that wastes my time and gives me good results 80% of the time. Pathetic if you're on a schedule. Want to know how I really feel? LOL!

You didn't indicate the CP that you're using, but I use Gudebrod (the old stuff, got a lot of it) which is to be thinned with alcohol. I usually put a decent amount in a cup and then a few drops of the denatured alcohol to improve the application method. Yes, it is easy and soaks in better. Three coats of gudebrod CP thinned good, less thinned, moderately thinned is that order of application.

Ideally, the first layer of epoxy should be "wicked off" enough to leave a top coat that is not blotchy (as pictured on the metallic wrap above). That is, if you're aiming for a thin coat for all of the layers. Some threads wick better than most and therefore produce the puddle like effect after curing.

I've tried several different brands of CP and dislike gudebrod the least of them all. Although this may begin a huge debate, I feel that color preservative, although taken as a necessity for us rodbuilders, weakens the wrap by prohibiting the epoxy from solidifying between and underneath the wrap. In the same way a thin coat of concrete applied on top of a heavy duty tarp is less stable that concrete poured directly onto a porous surface.

That may be an unfounded opinion, but I think it is likely correct!

Dj

Thank you....thank you.....thank you

I was one of the guys begging for a tutorial. Your work is phenomal!

How do you maintain such a straight edge on the blank? It looked like from the pictures that you just roll the epoxy out there and let it go.

Thanks for sharing,

Chris

Chris-

THANK YOU! I appreciate the kind words more than you know.

How do I get the straight edge? If you roll the brush on the last couple threads (not on the blank) and you push with a decent amount of pressure and you keep turning it, eventually a ball of epoxy will roll its way onto the last thread and then onto the blank. Sorta like a snow plow pushing snow with a the plow turned at a slight angle. The snow balls up and rolls off the end and forms a nice tight line.

I hope that is clear?

I don't roll the edge of the epoxy onto the blank the first coat (usually) I'll get it close to the edge and then allow the second coat to do the flop over onto the blank.

Dj

A couple of more questions:

I may have missed this but do you rotate the blank by hand or in the dryer when you are pushing the epoxy around? I have never been able to keep a smooth flow epoxy with the dryer turning so I usually turn my by hand.

How many guides do you do with each mix of epoxy?

Thanks again,
Chris

Chris-

I rotate the rod by hand.

I build alot of long rods, for both the fly rod and float rod guys, so I usually break the rod in half. Top section / bottom section with each getting a 10 drop X2 batch application. Once the warmed epoxy starts turning to the consistency of syrup...it is time to mix up a new one.

Dj

Gamecock....excelent questions, and Dom......EXCELLENT ANSWERS.

Thank you,
Dick Seymour

Thanks for the great instruction DJ. Seeing your finished results reminds me how far I yet have to go. But that's good--working towards something is usually more interesting than being there.

I'm just a little fuzzy on the rolling the ball of finish part. If you are working towards the right side of the wrap, as shown, and you look straight down on the work, are you twirling the brush? Clockwise or counterclockwise? Or are you angling the brush, as you do spiraling the finish along the thread?

Is there any trick or method you use to get the final result perfectly straight on the 'sides' (parallel with the rod)? I tend to get variably football shaped finish.

Thanks.

Gnossos

Gnosses-

You would be angling the brush, like a snowplow pushing a pile of snow, and rotating the rod so that a thin bead of finish begins to collect and form a line off the end of the brush bristles. Then, you'll continute to rotate the blank and "push" the bead closer to the edge and then over onto the blank just enough to be a fine straight line of finish.

Footballs are an indication that you are likely using too much finish to begin with or are using a high build formula and too much of it. Saturate the wrap for coverage and then if need be pass over it with a "dry" brush to pull off the excess. Then, do length wise brush strokes (just in from the ends of the wrap) to smooth it out. Don't worry about blotchy thread finish results on the first coat, the second and/or third coatings will smooth everything out.

Dj

On the graphite rods that I have built for the second coat of expxy to get a nice even smooth build I would the rounded butt end of the brush to build up epoxy. Leaves a nice smooth uniform finish.

Thanks for a great tutorial!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks. That was a good tutorial. Unfortunately i read it a little late. My rod guides came out OK although one is not as smooth as I would like. But the broad "insignia" area just above the grip is the real problem. I had warmed the epoxy and tried to put it on smoothly with a brush while constantly rotating the rod, but I had "hills and valleys" which I tried to correct with another coat only to make things worse. It there a way to correct this? Being very careful not to go through the epoxy, can I sand the epoxy smooth and then try to recoat? What is the best way to proceed?

Thanks

Rog K

I believe four things are invaluable tools when the going gets rough:

1. A razor blade
2. A lighter
3. A jeweler's file
4. A triangluar shaped fine tooth file.

You can use the jeweler's file or the small triangular shaped file to level the humps (be delicate) and reapply a top coat to level it. You're going to want to file, wipe with alcohol, refile the areas that need attention and wipe again.

Be sure that when you apply the top coat that you work it into the grooves created by filing and then smooth it out. Take off the excess and do the length wise brush strokes. You may even want to put two thin coats on there to really get it level.

Good luck!

Dj

Thanks, I'll try that. Just curious - what is the lighter used for? I do want to put on a very thin coat of epoxy, but how do you thin epoxy? I use Flexcoat light.

Thanks again.

Rog K

The lighter is for burning thread fuzzies prior to applying the finish. Don't thin thread finish. If you want a thin coat, apply less. For the inscription area, l o n g strokes with your brush length wise (parallel to rod blank) repeated over and over are needed, along with patience and practice. I'm still not happy with my results and I been practicing a l o n g time.
Gnossos

Thanks again. I appreciate the help.

Rog K

Hi DJ,

Very nice work and thanks for the detailed "how to" instructions!

I have a question on installing the peel and stick labels. I have some scratches on blank so I was planning to add a thread wrap, coat of epoxy (dry 24 h) and then install peel and stick decal over top.

in doing it this way, the ends of label will be exposed and not 'tucked in' under the trim bands as I normally do when installing the label directly to blank.

Any thoughts/tips on proposed method?

thanks!
MIke

===================

I've just started using the peel-n-stick versions after many years of ordering waterslide. Decal connection's stock labels are printed on some very nice, durable, but thicker stock than the waterslides. So, there is an adjustment in application technique that needs to be learned or followed.

After doing a couple, what I suggest is underwrapping as you have mentioned, a thin level coat of epoxy, a 24 hour wait and then application of the decal. Be sure to use a burnishing tool, starting from the center of the decal, and work the decal into the layer of epoxy with smooth, even and robust pressure. What I've learned is that due to the thickness of the label stock I needed to be sure to put a good coat of finish over everything and then remove as much as I can on top of the label with lengthwise strokes of my brush. the second coat will be more heavy on the label area and less on the underwrap and trimband ends. If I had to guess...the label stock thickness is about 1.5 of my typical layers of finish. I also make sure to follow the border of the label's edge with the brush so that there aren't any air dams or gaps in finish between the edge and the underwrap. Almost as if you're trying to tuck point caulk into the edge. If you applied the label correctly and to a level and smooth finish base then the edge "should" disappear when the top coat is applied.

Final inspection will reveal if you need to put another coat on to make it all merge into a nice smooth level and near flawless wrap.

Hope that helps!