I've built around ten rods now and for the most part the finish om my guides has turned out great. However, when I apply finish to a larger area of the blank, such as where I would like to place a decal, it turns our wavy in the horizontal direction along the blank. I usually use an 1/8" brush (which my be part of my problem) and I make sure to brush horizontally to remove waviness. I also have tried applying heat to get it to smooth out but it just won't. So what's the trick to finishing this type of area on a rod?

Thanks,
Joe

when I'm doing a larger section on a rod I like to do a couple really thin coats. Using a faster rpm rod dryer might help with it some. But try putting barely enough finish to coat the blank and you'll get flatter sections

Joe check out this post, from 1/9: Epoxy, poor coverage around guide foot

A much, much wider brush will help you greatly. Check out the RodMaker Youtube channel video on epoxy application. I mention brush width and its importance within.

...............

Put less finish on and use a credit card to smooth it out. Just hold the long edge near the finish and turn the rod. Works like a spatula.

Joe

I feel your pain. Fortunately the fix just might be easy.

First, a wider brush or spatula, or, as Victor suggested, a credit card, can help level things - initially. However, if excess finish is applied no change of application tool will completely solve the problem. It is truly a case of less finish making fewer if any waves. Think of the waves as a series of shorter, guide wrap footballs. And the cause is the same - excess finish.

Most unfortunately, no one can tell you how much finish is too much. What might be excessive for a lite or medium viscosity epoxy might be OK for a higher build or viscosity finish.

Try this. Using a junk rod section or a dowel apply your usual amount of finish and level it as best you can, then let it be without any heat or rotation. It will not be long before you see sags and drips forming on the bottom of the rod or dowel, and each of those sags / drips will be a wave if the rod is rotated. You can use this to your advantage to learn how much of your finish of choice can be applied to reduce the severity of the sags / drips. Then, when applying finish on the real thing, turn the rod 180 degrees every 30 seconds for 15 or 20 minutes and carefully observe the bottom of each wrap and finished area for bulges, sags, etc. and wick off the excess finish. You will soon learn how much of your finish of choice can be applied and wick off excess that might nonetheless dare to sag or bulge. So, less is truly more. You can apply another coat of finish when needed, and that is much easier than removing or sanding those pesky waves.

In addition to Donald's comments, you might take it one step further.

On y our junk rod, apply your usual amount of finish, but do not heat or rotate it for about 5 minutes and let all of the drips just drip. Then, before turning the rod, just use a brush, to remove all of the sags from the underside of the rod.

Then, just go to a straight rotation at slow rpm, with no further intervention of a brush or other spreading device. I would not be surprised if you find out that you have a perfectly smooth level finish by doing this.

As has been said many times with rod finish - the finish will seek and find its own level. Less spreading and brushing is better and is normally not needed.

Be safe

Don't forget the straw.

Joe,
Another thing that may be of help.

If you have a large area to apply finish, like where a decal or a long butt wrap might be located, use freshly mixed finish.

i.e. mix up your finish for 2 minutes or 120 seconds, and as soon as you finish mixing, get the finish applied to the large areas that you are concerned with. By doing this, the finish is its thinnest and is in the state to flow the easiest.

If a finish has set up in the mixing dish for 3-6 minutes or so, you may find out that the finish is about twice as thick as it was when you first mixed it.

Normally, I apply finish at about 50 rpm so it only takes two or three seconds to get all of the finish applied to a large area. Then, I will slow the turning and even the finish and then move on to the next guide or area needing covering.

Normally, the cause of a wavy finish is too much finish applied when it is too thick so that it can not self level.

Good luck

roger wilson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Joe,
> Another thing that may be of help.
>
> If you have a large area to apply finish, like
> where a decal or a long butt wrap might be
> located, use freshly mixed finish.
>
> i.e. mix up your finish for 2 minutes or 120
> seconds, and as soon as you finish mixing, get the
> finish applied to the large areas that you are
> concerned with. By doing this, the finish is its
> thinnest and is in the state to flow the easiest.
>
>
> If a finish has set up in the mixing dish for 3-6
> minutes or so, you may find out that the finish is
> about twice as thick as it was when you first
> mixed it.
>
> Roger has nailed it. My guess is that that area is the last that you do.

My trick - and I have mentioned it a lot on here - I mix enough epoxy to do entire rod plus some to touch-up if needed. Then I pour a little onto aluminum foil squares and place in the freezer. I take them out as I need them. I have time to go to the toilet, eat lunch - whatever. It doesn't start to thicken up for about 36hrs. It takes only about 30 seconds for the epoxy to be thin enough to flow onto wrap. And then it gets less viscous - not more viscous - for the next minute or so.

Herb

I used to deal with similar issues. Once I wrapped my brain around the idea that the brush was simply a means of getting the epoxy on the rod and quit trying to brush it smooth my finishing came out much much better and flat as a board.

Here is what I typically do now.
1. Make sure the area you are about to finish is clean of dust etc.
2. Mix up your finish however it is you mix it. I like to throw a little heat at it to thin out the viscosity and get any bubbles out but that's just me in a cold garage.
3. With the rod not moving take your brush and start globbing it on the top of the area to be wrapped. Heck you could forgo the brush and if the epoxy was viscous enough just pour it out of the cup directly on the wrap. Obviously keep things tidy if you can but all your trying to do is get the finish on the rod.
4. Use a power wrapper or your hand to rotate the rod to distribute the finish along the length of the wrap. Note I didn't say make if flat. I'm simply using the rotation to help me move the finish and cover everything.
5. Stop the rotation and watch the epoxy do what it does best "find it's own level". You can also apply a little heat from a hair dryer or heat gun(far away so you don't burn your finish).
6. When you start seeing sags on the bottom of the wrap use your brush to wick off the extra.
7. After you've removed the sags then rotate the rod 180 degree's and let it flow down the wrap again. Again in a cold garage a little heat helps keep things moving.
8. Remove any remaining sags that appear on the bottom and then start the rod on the dryer.
9. I usually throw a little more heat at the wrap once the dryer starts. It helps if any stray bubbles got in the finish and also helps let the epoxy flow.
10. Walk away and don't touch it. The epoxy finds it's on level it's like water. You don't see a sink full of water with ripples in it do ya? Epoxy is no different. We all get caught up thinking "WE" make it level when in fact "WE" are just screwing it up most of the time.

roger wilson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> In addition to Donald's comments, you might take
> it one step further.
>
> On y our junk rod, apply your usual amount of
> finish, but do not heat or rotate it for about 5
> minutes and let all of the drips just drip. Then,
> before turning the rod, just use a brush, to
> remove all of the sags from the underside of the
> rod.
>
> Then, just go to a straight rotation at slow rpm,
> with no further intervention of a brush or other
> spreading device. I would not be surprised if you
> find out that you have a perfectly smooth level
> finish by doing this.
>
> As has been said many times with rod finish - the
> finish will seek and find its own level. Less
> spreading and brushing is better and is normally
> not needed.
>
> Be safe

Joe,

I second Roger's recommendation. I was having the very same problem with wavy epoxy covering the rod decals. I used to heat the epoxy after application using my heat gun and it seemed to turn out even worst. Out of frustration, I re-read Tom's recommendation on applying epoxy and give it a try, (knowing that he is very knowledgeable in these matters). It solved my problems. I apply the epoxy and let it sag to the bottom of the blank, remove just the drips with a brush and them rotation the blank 180 degrees. Let it sit until any small drips start to appear and remove them. After the the epoxy starts to become thicker and is not dripping, I them out the blank into my drying cabinet and turn it at a slow speed. This way the epoxy does not migrate around the blank into waves. It solved the problem I had been having for a number of years. I am a slow learner, but eventually it sinks in!

Don Campbell
don@sensorfishingrods.com