adhesive questions

I'm building my first rod, and, as always, I'm starting out on the high dive without any real idea how deep the pool is :? I got a deal I couldn't pass up on a Partridge Cumberland blank in an 8ft 6wt. I've got all the parts and pieces sorted out and I found someone to teach me how to do the wraps (Thanks Betty!!), but I have a few questions about glues and finishes.

1. I've been told that urethane would be the best way to go to seal the wraps. Does anyone have any other thoughts or is this the best way to go?

2. It's an impregnated blank, so I'm thinking that means I won't have to do a whole bunch of varnishing, correct?

3. What's the best epoxy/glue/whatever else is out there for attaching the grip and reel seat?

I know these are painfully basic newby type questions, but then I'm a painfully basic newby at this :D Thanks in advance for your ideas and advise; I'll keep you posted on how it turns out!

First, I assume you are building a graphite rod. If you have not already done so, go to the rod building section on this site and read Al Campbell's rod building manual. It is a good starting point.

As for Urethane - -I have tried it and I thought it was ok -- seemed to dry much faster than epoxy.

I prefer the epoxy -- using the Flex Coat Lite. I use several coats and lightly and carefully sand out imperfections between coats. I allow 24 hours to dry before doing anything. Also, I find that when I apply a coat of epoxy, if I flame the epoxy with an alcohol torch right after I apply it. it seems to smooth out and flow nicely.

I'm sure you will hear from some of the other more experienced rod builders and they can give you some tremendous ideals and help.

Good luck.

Bluegill222,
You say you have an impregnated blank, which causes me to believe that it may be bamboo. If so there is no reason to varnish the rod , but you should put some sort of finish on the wraps. If you would be traditional you must use a spar varnish such as Man-O-War. If you would like to be a bit more modern you might opt for a modern urethane varnish. Either varnish should be gloss. Satin varnish is made w/ small flakes of stuff held in suspension ( if you stir it a lot) and these may result in a less durable finish. Or if you would like to be totally modern you might choose to use any one of the epoxy coatings commonly used by graphite rod makers.
Any of these will result in a good rod, but will result in subtly different looking final products. It is your rod, make it the way that pleases you.
AgMD

Oh Yea, Adhesives. As a general rule of thumb, the slower an epoxy takes to setup the stronger the bond. Cork and realseat can be glued up with any hardware store epoxy such as made by Duro, or Duco. Look for something clear/amber, like a thick syrup, and a setup time like 45 min to 90 min.
AgMD

From your description saying the rod blank is impregnated, it sounds like you have a cane rod blank. As I am a builder of only graphite and fibreglass rods, I can add that my adhesive of choice for reel seats and handle assemblies is a 2 part paste type epoxy called Rod Bond, made by U-40. This is great stuff to work with, has good workability and is flexable once cured, providing a lifelong bond with your rod components. Finishing epoxy on thread wraps is usually FlexCoat or FlexCoat Lite, but there are also many other brands available for such purpose. One important note............always mix your 2 part epoxies very thoroughly or you risk improper adhesion/finishes. :wink:

Yes, it's a bamboo blank, guess I should've mentioned that :oops: