A fix for this is to wrap up to the edge of the guide, then take your tag end and wrap it counterclockwise around the blank and over the guide foot a few times.
The extra thread holds down the guide foot, and as the blank is turned (also counterclockwise) the spiral is unwound, just like when we made our initial crossover wrap.
Once you are up over the edge of the guide foot a few turns, you can trim the tag end and continue as normal.
Besides the guide wraps we need to be sure to over-wrap the ferrules, or joints of each section to help reinforce them. A 1 inch long wrap is plenty, though be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions that come with your blank as they may have specifics that you need to follow in order to not void the warranty.
On this rod we’ll install a Fuji style folding hook keeper. This is wrapped in an identical manner to the guides.
A delicate wrap at the tip top adds a nice decorative touch.
The last step before applying the epoxy finish to the wraps is to apply a few coats of color preserver. Without CP, the wraps will darken significantly, often blending them in with the underlying blank. If you plan for this it can be quite attractive, but as the thread goes semi-transparent, the guide feet as well as any contrasting color tag ends will show through – metallic especially. By simply brushing or dabbing on 2-3 coats of CP we can keep the color of the wraps very close to the color on the spool
After an hour or two of dry time we are ready to apply the epoxy finish.
If you want to write your name on the blank or apply any stickers to customize the rod, now is the time to do it. Just about any permanent gel marker or metallic marker will work for inking the rod as will regular India ink.
For the coating on the wraps I’ll be using Flex Coat Lite, which is a low-build 2 part epoxy finish. When using FC there are two things to be especially careful of. The first is to very precise in the 1:1 mixture ratio. If it is off by even a little bit the epoxy won’t cure and you’ll end up with a sticky finish. For precision I use a pair of small syringes supplied by FC. They are reusable, so I usually get the larger bottles of FC and reuse the syringes.
Before mixing the epoxy I warm both bottles in a small tray of hot water. This facilitates mixing and makes it easier to apply before it begins to setup.
For this rod I carefully draw 2.5ccs of each mixture into the syringes, evacuate any bubbles that remain, then put the contents of both syringes into a small plastic mixing cup.
The second thing to be vigilant about is to mix the epoxy very well. Mix for a full minute, making sure to scrape the sides and the bottom of the cup. Once a full minute has passed, mix for another full minute. Again, without a thorough mix the finish will not cure properly and you’ll have a sticky finish that will have to be over-coated or removed, which means cleaning and rewrapping the entire rod!
With the FC mixed there will be a lot of tiny bubbles left in the finish. These need to be removed or they will transfer to the wraps. Pour the mixed FC onto a small tray made of aluminum foil. This spreads the finish into a thinner layer. Gently blow on the surface of the finish and most of the bubbles will pop. The foil will also help the finish stay runny longer.
Now it is a simple matter of applying the finish to the wraps. I prefer to use a small spatula but a disposable hobby brush works well to. You’ll want a medium-thick coat on the wraps. Be sure to pull some excess epoxy over the edges of the wraps onto the blank, and also seal the little tent under the guide foot with epoxy. This will keep water from getting under the wraps and causing problems when fishing.
As the finish cures it shrinks very slightly and will also self-level a little. But for the most part, the amount of finish that you see, and the shape of the ‘blob’ is what you are going to get on the finished rod. Unfortunately you can’t spend too much time on each wrap as the FC will start to get gummy after about 20 minutes. Nothing says you can’t do more than one batch of FC, so if you want to work slowly and do your rod in two batches, go for it.
After you have applied a coat of finish to all the wraps you’ll need to rotate the rod for an hour or two as the finish cures or it will sag and drip. This can be accomplished in two ways. One is to set the rod horizontally in your wrapper or a box with V-grooves cut in it and rotate it 180 degrees every 5 minutes or so. After an hour you can turn it every 10-15 minutes for another hour. At this time the finish should be cured enough to not sag. When turning by hand, after 2 hours I like to rest the rod with the guides pointing down just in case the finish does sag a slight bit, it is less noticeable on the guide side of the wraps.
An easier way to rotate the rod as the epoxy is curing is to make or purchase a rod turner. A turner is basically just a motor that slowly rotates the rod as the finish cures. My turner has two motors that run at about 6rpms, though faster ones are fine too.
Whichever way you decide to go, be sure you turn the rod as the epoxy cures.
The next day, assuming you were vigilant with your mixing, you’ll have a finished rod!!
After a careful inspection and depending on how thick your first coat was, sometimes the wraps will need a 2nd coat. In this case simply mix up another batch and apply it directly over the first coat. No roughing or other treatment is necessary. If on the off chance your finish is still tacky after 24 hours, another very thin coat of properly measured and mixed finish will help cure the sticky undercoat.
I like to let the finish cure for a solid 24 hours before I take the rod out on the water or do any test casting. But, once it is cured, you’ll have a rod that will be better than any factory built rod, cost less, and one in which you can be especially proud of.
Enjoy!
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The Premiere issue is ready for shipping & the Fall 2008 issue will be available September 1st.
Hatches Magazine Subscription
Price: $6.95 for each issue
The Premiere issue is ready for shipping & the Fall 2008 issue will be available September 1st.
