This question is from Volume 6, Issue #6 of RodMaker
Magazine:
Q.
My question concerns the blotches I get when using color
preserver over regular nylon thread. This happens to me
with any of the lighter colors but particularly with the
reds and yellows over natural colored dark grey graphite
blanks. I'm careful to apply two good flood coats of
color preserver but no matter what I do the wraps come out
with blotches and dark areas. I'm ready to throw in the
towel on color preserver. I just don't see how anyone
can use it to get good results. Any ideas before I throw it
out and move to NCP thread for good? Matt...Longwood, FL
A.
Wrapping light colored threads over dark colored blanks
is a real test for any color preserver. It's sort of
like trying to paint a black wall with white paint and
hoping you won't get any bleed through or shadows. However,
properly done, you can get some measure of success.
You didn't mention how much you thinned your CP. I hope
you're not thinning it very much - color preserver has a
high ratio of water to solids to begin with and if you
thin it very much at all, you wind up putting nothing
but water on your wraps. Thus, nothing is left behind
to fill and seal the threads. Over-thinning of color
preserver is one of the major causes of thread blotching.
The other main cause of blotchy thread regards how well you
packed your thread winds against each other. This becomes
even more important when using light colored thread over a
dark blank. Take a look at the top photo (above). Both
wraps feature the same thread (Gudebrod 340 Goldmetal) over
a matte black blank. The same color preserver and epoxy
finish was used on both wraps. The only difference lies in
how snugly the threads were packed against each other. The
wrap on the left saw each thread pushed snugly against the
previous thread while the thread on the right was not treated
to the same "packing." The blotches and darkening you see
on the wrap at the right are actually the dark blank showing
through minute spaces between thread wraps. The photo below
is a 3X enlargement and shows supposed "blotches" on Gudebrod
209 Goldenrod thread.
As you can see, the thread itself is not "blotched,"
rather the dark areas are caused by the dark
blank underneath showing through in those areas where the
thread is not packed tightly against itself. The color
preserver is not at fault. ~ TK
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