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Danbob,
Your response is great! :lol: But fire and I don't play together well!! I just can't imagine a torch in my hands!! The use of a cuticle trimmer (like a nipper, but the head is angled with a fairly sharp point on one edge) will easily clean up the thread ends before or after the first coat of epoxy. You can also let it dry completely after the first coat, and smooth the bumps off with an emory board. Then apply your final light coat of epoxy.
Betty
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This is all great advice. I thank all of you very much.
I guess I should invest in a drying motor, huh? I didnt want to get too far into the rod making things, money-wise, until I knew it was something I would enjoy. Manually turning the dumb rod for hours while the expoxy sets is a little monotonous. Any suggestions there?
jb
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epoxy
You don't need to turn the rod continuously. Set it in V notches in a cardboard box , and turn 1/4 turn every 10 min. leave a dollop of epoxy on a piece of cardboard and touch IT to see if things have set up enough to stop turning. That said, you will really enjoy a drying motor. Just find (buy? ) any AC motor which will turn something like 4 rpm or 20 rpm. Speed is not critical. You don't need a fancy rod chuck. I just butt up the rod to the output shaft and apply a few turns of masking tape. You can mate it with the female ferrule by shimming the output shaft w/ masking tape ( the rod builder's secret weapon) until it fits just a bit snug.
My first drying motor was a cardboard box with the motor bolted to one side and a V notch in the other. I have now built a fancier one but it doesn't work any differently.
AgMD
THE BATTENKILL
KEEP IT WILD
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:)
JhonnyB;
If you turn the rod manually use an egg timer to alert you when it is time to rotate the rod.
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JohnnyB,
Just a thought ... are the wraps standing proud of the rod because the guides don't fit flat against the rod? When you're smoothing the top of the feet (to remove any sharp points and thin the ends) smooth the bottom of the guide feet by holding the bottom of the guide flat against a wet stone, and smoothing it back and forth till it's truly flat. That extra few minutes will make for a smoother wrap.
Betty