I'm looking for ideas to solve a problem I created on a feather inlay. The entire inlay process went well until I scanned my finish for blemishes or bubbles. I found a bubble on top of the inlay and proceeded to cut it off with a sharp razor blade. I accidentally cut too deep after the second coat of finish dried and there remains a depression even after the third coat was applied. Is it possible for me to eliminate the scar with another coat of finish or just chalk it up to a learning experience? I could kick myself in the ---!

Don't take the chance of getting your foot stuck in the wrong place! Simply look at beautiful feather inlay from a little longer distance. Hope you did not cut completely through the finish and get a part of the inlay with the cut. Don't know what your finish is but most regular or high builds will easily cover a trimmed area if it was done in a reasonable manner. If you apply another coat of finish do so by hand turning and leaving the area in question on the top side a little longer for leveling. Take care to remove excess from the bottom.

Gon Fishn



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/18/2006 12:25PM by Bill Stevens.

Bruce,

If the inlay isn't damaged and you have some good epoxy over and around the cut area, just take some 400gr sandpaper and a popsicle stick, wrap the paper around the stick and sand down the area in question to make it more even. It doesn't have to be perfectly even SO DONT SAND TOO FAR, the epoxy will fill the impression, but the LESS of an impression you have, the easier and better it will fill.

Should be a real easy fix!

DR

Duane brings up a technique I've used with flex coat high build. On one guide I somehow applied an excess amount of epoxy which led to the "droopies" on the other side of the guide. I found it the next day....allowed it to dry for an additional 12 hours and then took my jewelry file and ground it down. Recoat with epoxy and all is well in the universe.

I agree that using the same technique you should be able to knock down the area surrounding the impression and in the end make it way less noticeable.

D

You have to remember that we are just building fishing rods, not doing brain surgery or building a moon rocket. "IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PERFECT" Jesse

One of Jesse's favorite sayings is........Oh! I can't say his favorite saying here!.......his second favorite saying is "only another rod builder is going to notice that"!!

Ain't no feathers on his Uglies either! That is unless the bird had black and silver feathers!!

I looked at the impression I made over the inlay again and it appears I may have gotten the razor blade right down to the feather. The feather isn't damaged, but I'm still worried about filling the the pinhead-sized hole in the finish. I put the last coat on Saturday evening. Is it dry enough to try and sand now?

It was dry enough Sunday. You will need to lightly scuff it now to get good adhesion between the finish layers.

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!