How do you dry your rod?

[teachmarkey]

Hi all,

I'm fortunate enough to have a terrific mentor who is helping me learn to refurbish old bamboo rods, and I'm absolutely loving it.

The one question I have, though, is whether there's a way to expedite drying the finish? After I apply it, the coat reasonably dries after a day or two (in other words, not too tacky to touch lightly), but even one I refinished several weeks ago seems ever so slightly... not dry. I don't want to cause myself headaches by destroying my hard work, but I wondered whether there's a safe way to bring the rod to a really solid state? Is it really just a matter of waiting weeks and weeks?

Thanks!

[Midwest Custom Fly Rods]

The type of finish you use will be the biggest factor in how long it takes to dry. Since your working on cane rods I'm guessing your using a brand of spar varnish?

If you have time and the know ho you could always build yourself a drying cabinet. Basically it's just an enclosed box usually with a clear front on it and then you put some lights in it to help raise the temp insdie the cabinet to around 85 (ir around there) which speeds up the drying process a bit.

Steve

[cheffy]

Yes a drying cabinet helps. I've also had good luck using a de-humidifier in the varnishing area esp. when the humidity is up like it is right now after all the rain we have had.

[teachmarkey]

Yes, I'm using spar varnish. Are there ways of using low heat without a cabinet? Has anyone considered something like an old freestanding wardrobe with some sort of heat?

[Denny]

Any box or like I made for myself is an 8 inch dia PVC tube. I cut a door into it and attached hooks in the top, fiberglass light socket in the bottom.
I differ with Steve, I feel from my experience in drying finish in my cabinet shop. 100 degrees inside the cabinet works quite well. 85 would be too low. Experiment with different wattage bulbs to get the temp you want. I use a 75 watt bulb. Not only does a drying box help the finish dry but keeps the dust off. When you apply your finish it should not be cold for dipping. Both the rod and finish should be warmed to above normal room temp. I use Helmsman Spar Urethane., Clear Gloss. All my wraps are first coated with 3 to 4 coats of the same spar varnish. Dried between coats. takes less than 24 hours for each coat. I use micro buffers to polish out any irregularities. (Sand Turtle Gleemers) Purchased from beauty Salon supply house. Used for fingernail work. ( Once the wraps are perfect it goes in for dipping. I dip 2 coats, always. I am a perfectionist so do not mind taking the extra time and having the drying tube I have never had any problems with finish not drying.

Denny

[fritz]

Since I varnish my boo rods primarily in the winter months, I suspend them over my boiler. The room is usually warm because of the running boiler and hot water heater

[teachmarkey]

These are great ideas. Keep 'em coming!

Don't laugh, but I'm curious: would it be disastrous to put the rods in an oven at, say, the low 100's ?

[Denny]

I have an oven that I built from sheet metal, extremely insulated and can be controlled to whatever temp I desire. This oven is very common amoung the pro bamboo rod builders. Mine is six feet in length and outside measurement is 12" x 12". It is used to temper the boo and to help set some types of glue. I feel you could possibly use an oven but wonder how you might support the rod because it would be laying horizontal? The way I see it, there would be marks left on the finish. When suspended vertically in a drying chamber one can attach a heavy duty thread to suspend the rod vertically. Hopefully there would be no excess finish on any rod you finish that would run down. Most of us stop the finish flow at each guide so when the finish is all drained out you will not have excess. A drying chamber would not need to be complicated. It could be very temporary and made from cardboard boxes and duct tape. Using a light bulb for heat. Keep it simple until you want to cross over into the dark side with the Pro Rod makers.
Denny

[mnklagoon]

Denny,
I would like to see a few pictures of your rods....

[cheffy]

While my drying chamber is wood with nice cabinet doors it's only because that's what I had kicking around. I know several builders whose cabinets are nothing more than foil faced rigid foam insulation that is duct taped together including a duct tape hinge on the door. a 1/2" dowel is run through towards the top to hang the rods on and a 75 watt real light bulb in one of those lights you would use to look under the car(forgot what they are called cause it's too early here).