I know this has been asked many times before, but what is the best way to paint a blank? I did read “Refinishing Rod Blanks” by Ralph O’Quinn in the library. I also did a search and found some things about colored blanks (from the factory) and tinting finishes. But couldn’t find much on actually painting the blank. Maybe I am not using it right.

Here is my plan to help explain. I have seen the rods built for children on this site and got really interested. I have a 6 yr. old boy who has the ”kids” Zebcos. He does have a hard time with them. The reel is very heavy for him and the button is hit or miss. He has a hard time pushing the button and keeping it down during casting with his small thumb. I can see where the triggered closed face-spinning reel by Zebco (not sure of the name) will work much better. It is light, the trigger is easy to pull and hold for casting and the weight naturally falls downward. Why did I not think of that before??

Well anyway, I have some of those cheap bait-casting Zebco rods lying around the garage. Rather than tossing them or buying new blanks I figured I could “recycle” them. The ones I want to work with are graphite and fiberglass. I figured I could cut off the old handles (they only run about 2” into the reel seat/handle) and loose more than half of the weight of the rod right there. Then I was going to tear them down to the blank and rebuild it as a kids spinning rod.

So to make it more interesting I wanted to paint the blanks bright colors. It would help him get interested if he was able to choose his own colors and “help” Daddy build his rod. He would understand the whole process better and would have a rod just for “him”. In addition, he would have a better fishing tool for him to enjoy.

The colors may be a florescent green or a bright red or blue. Whatever a 6 yr. old kid picks out. Then we would of course choose the thread colors from there.

So to the whole point… Can you paint a blank? If so what kind of paint? Hopefully something easy to apply such as spray cans (I don’t have a shop or any fancy tools). Car touch-up paint? When dry, I guess just cover with Permagloss and start building.

This does not have to be the top-of-the-line paint job or finish. No high paying customers or reputation at stake. Just something my son and I could have fun with together and make him his own “cool” custom fishing rod.

Any help or input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

I've had very good luck with a Testors product called "Pactra" which is available online, or at Hobby Stores. It is made for the flexible acrylic bodies on radio controlled cars, which take a beating. It has a flex agent in it and won't crack. There's a wide variety of colors available, however many of them are translucent and need to be sprayed over a white, gold or silver base coat. Then as you guessed, top it with Permagloss and wrap.

Mark Griffin
[]
C&M Custom Tackle
San Dimas, California

The same hobby stores sell small airbrush kits and Testor's makes two forms of the Pactra paints, one for brush work and one specifically formulated for use with the airbrush. I can't remember if the airbrush stuff requires thinning but the same stores do sell the Pactra thinner too.

This approach does work. All you need to do is hand the rod vertically (we do it from a clothesline, but without any clothes nearby, of course) and spray it as-directed (smoothly, continuously, etc.) An undercoat might be needed but that's just a matter of doing it twice. There are also some spray products sold by some of the sponsors and others, that are made for this application. Email me if you need info on those.

Uncle Russ
Calico Creek Rods

I paint almost every rod that I make. Probably a ratio of 90 painted to 10 unpainted. This is primarily because I don't do it professionally, and either build for myself, family, or friends. My passion is buying old rods, stripping them, reconditioning or fabricating as many components as possible and new where not.

My proceedure is as follows. I sand the blank carefully. Many will frown on this, but if you PAY ATTENTION you can sand the finish without getting into the blank itself. I use automotive aerosol touch up paint (acrylic lacquer) which is either Dupli-color or Plasti Kote. I spray a light coat of primer and wet sand with 600grit wet/dry paper. I then spray the color coat. Following that, I buff with scotchbrite grey pad and spray clear lacquer or clear top coat. Basically, following the directions on the can. I don't know if these paints have a flex agent or not, and really do not care. My dad had a body shop way back when the only paints were enamel or lacquer and I never saw the paint fall off a wrecked car except where it was creased and if you flex a rod that far, paint is minor among your concerns.

Many of the pros may disapprove of this proceedure, but I can assure that it has worked very well for me.

I've used DupliColor or Plasticote auto touch up spray. Lots of colors including some pretty wild ones like the Chameleon system. I scrape the old finish off with a razor paint scrapper (no sanding), prep with gray Scotchbrite, hang from a rafter kind of like Russ and apply per the instructions on the can. I wet sand with 2000 grit soaked in hot water and Dawn. Sometimes I use the clear coat that comes with the system if I want more gloss. I've not been able to use Permagloss no matter how long I've waited. Sounds like Pactra might be a better choice if they have the color you want in spray.

Apparently typing at the same time as Royce.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/05/2007 02:21PM by Steve Rushing.

Royce / Harold,

I paint my blanks the same way, with this exception. Instead of using just plain primer, I use adhesion promotor. It comes in a spray can also, and is used mainly on plastic / vinyl car parts as a felxion promotor as well as getting the paint to stick. Have had no problems with cracking so far.

Bill in WV



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/05/2007 02:34PM by William Bartlett.

Man...GREAT responses guys! Thanks. That is why this site is so awesome. The knowldge and experience of the people on it. I think I will go with the DupliColor. Have an Auto parts store right down the street. Easy, cheap, and tons of colors.
Sorry, but now that I think about it I have another question...what is a good way to cut the blank. I was just going to use a hacksaw. Will that work?

Better to us a Dremel with a diamond cutter disc. Don't cut straight through though. Wrap a piece of masking tape around the blank where you want to make the cut, and follow around the circumferance of the straight edge of the tape.

Bill in WV

Steve, I've probably the same results as you with the permagloss. I don't know if I did not let the paint cure long enough, or if my application method was the cause. It was like the Godzilla of paint removers.

Bill, that adhesion promotor, is it available in auto parts stores? And I assume that it is compatable with most paints, or not?

Harold, I cut with a dremel, like Bill described. I have use a jewelers saw and cut around the circumference as Bill said.
I think the trick to it is to always have the cutting action from outside to inside and never the opposite. Not certain about that, but seems kinda logical.

Ok, I get the dremel tool idea, but I don't have one. Don't plan on buying one just for this project. Don't have a lot of $$. That is why I'm recycling the blanks from the other rods. Will the hacksaw work? Have others tried it? Any recomendations? I like the tape idea.

This is a guess only, as I have never tried it. If you use a 32 teeth per inch blade and go super carefully it may work. I would probably use just the blade (not mounted in the frame, and cut on the pulling stroke, not the pushing stroke. I've heard that a triangular file will also work.

I've used a hacksaw with no problem. Band saw works also

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!!

I've used a hacksaw on every blank I've ever cut without a problem. I also tape where I'm going to cut or the graphite fibers at the bottom of the cut will peel up the blank. I like the idea of cutting around the entire outer circumfrance rather than stright thru the blank, but I also think it doesn't make much of a difference at the butt end of a blank.

As far as painting the blank, I'm glad you brought this topic up. I'm currently trying to paint a blank red. I've done some tests at the butt end using the Testor's paint and permagloss and as Tom said it was hardly even opaque and the coloring was not consistent almost looked marbled. It was a nice effect, just not what I was looking for so I continued to apply more coats. After three I was getting a more pronounced red coloring but still not bright red and I figured any more than three coats would begin to add to much weight to the blank. I'll be picking up some of the auto paint tonight.

You have to be careful when selecting paints for lexon bodies. Some of the paints are not very opaque. Lexon bodies are painted from underneath and the transparent paints are meant to be applied first, then painted over with a opaque color. You see the effect once you look from the top.

Doesn't work well for rods.

Regards......Doug@
TCRds

Doug Moore Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You have to be careful when selecting paints for
> lexon bodies. Some of the paints are not very
> opaque. Lexon bodies are painted from underneath
> and the transparent paints are meant to be applied
> first, then painted over with a opaque color. You
> see the effect once you look from the top.
>
> Doesn't work well for rods.

Hence the comment above about some being translucent and may need a base coat. Translucent paint inside a clear body and backed with white, silver etc... is the same as putting white, silver, etc... down as a base coat on a rod blank, then covering in translucent paint. Their "electric" and "candy" paints are the only ones I've come across this on, and their depth & brilliance is well worth the effort in spraying a base coat first.

Mark Griffin
[]
C&M Custom Tackle
San Dimas, California

Royce,

Yes, the adhesion promoter will be right there with all the spray paints. WalMart used to have it, but they've gotten rid of a lot of there car body repair stuff, so I doubt if they still do. But, any auto parts store should have it. It's made by Duplicolor.

Bill in WV

Bill, thanks for the info.

Harold, Looks like you can grab your hacksaw and go to town. Mike and Scott would definately know.

Simply amazing!!! I can’t wait to start this project. Thanks again everyone for your valuable input. I just “discussed” with him what color he wants. He wants a bright blue blank and bright yellow threads (he chose the thread color before I even had a chanced to ask).

Of all things the rod I chose was a dull brown. It has a ferrule that I was trying to separate just now. Got it about half way ( I think...already on three inches coming out of the end and it is still stuck good). Then I noticed, the finish and color on the top part is coming off pretty easily yet the finish on the bottom half is still good (equal pressure applied on both parts).

After some good fingernail rubbing on both ends, it turns out that the top end is a bright red fiberglass top shoved into a graphite butt end with some serious force. I picked this rod out of the garage last night. I don’t even remember where I got this one from. Someone already “Frankenstein” this rod. They did a great job though. The color and wraps on the top part of the rod look just like the ones on the butt section.

I wish I had a good camera to show the similarity, yet the difference. Man…I wish I started building rods 20 years ago!

Mark, I have yet to try any of the Testors, but have used quite a few of the Pactra paints. The last time I tried their Met Flake Gold over a base coat, I had to apply several coats to achieve any sort of metal flake finish. It worked, but I had to let it set a couple of days before it could be handled with out damage to the finish.

I was glad it was only in the butt area of a split grip.

Regards......Doug@
TCRds

Few more possibilities

Krylon Fusion..................But it has a long cure time
Appliance Epoxy Spray Paints
Spray Laquer Paints
House of Kolor Paints

And around a 6-year-old

Createx Auto Air Paints..................Water soluble and not as toxic as many other paints, pretty easy to thin for hobby airbrushes, and easy to clean up.

Derek L. McMaster
Rohnert Park, CA

Born to Fish, FORCED to Work