Is there a RPM range that one should stay within when purchasing a drying motor? I noticed on the Graphite Rod Building tutorial where it said between 3 and 36 rpm. That’s an awfully large range. Is there any benefit to having a slower or faster motor? I’m looking at buying one and I’ve found them in the 10-45 rpm range.
NC I have 2 an 8 rpm and a 16 rpm. I prefer the faster one. A drying motor is expensive and really not needed. I used the notched card board box for my first 2 or 3 rods. How much room do you have for rod buildintg? Enough to turn a 9’ rod for 3 -4 hours where it will be out of the way?
2-8 rpm the slower the better. That has been what I had found that makes a smooth coat. I am moving away from epoxy as I have found better alternatives.
Jack,
I have the space in my basement workshop. This may be a silly/stupid question but, what did you do without a drying motor? I have found some relatively inexpensive motors on eBay, some with and some without stands.
I totally disagree with this statment. I used to use an 8 RPM motor and I was always having trouble getting a smooth finish. Since I went to a 36 RPM motor, my finishes have been glass smooth. My personal opnion is that the faster the better, as long as you are not flinging finish all over the shop. I know that a rod builder that lives near Jack Hise told me he spins his rods at 100 RPM when he finishes them. I guess the bottom line is, do what feels right for you!!
Brad
You don’t need a rod turner for a first rod. Save that expense until you know you will be building more rods. Get a good book and sit down next to the rod resting in the notches in a cardboard box. Turn the rod one quarter turn after each page for at least two hours. I like to do this late at night before bed when the house is quiet and less dust is stirred up by other people moving around.
NC
I used a cardboard box with notchs on each end. After applying epoxy to the wraps of one section you lay it across the notchs and coat the wraps on another section and so on. I used a kitchen timer to tell when to turn the sections 180 degree every 15 -20 minutes. If mixed correctly the epoxy should be set up in around 2 hours. Watch TV, read a book, start another rod, etc. If you thin the first coat with an equal part lf denatured alcohol it will soak into the thread and require little or no turning! A trick I learned from Kaboom1!
Correction Brad, Don coats at 200 rpm!
another vote for the box method. I watch mindless tv and turn the rod at every commercial break. no problem ever.
Jack, a little faster that I thought!! I know his finishes come out smoother than baby’s behind!!
Brad
Another trick with a rod turned is not to use a brush but strips of plastic (Cut up old credit cards) and only touch the wrap with the bubble of epoxy.
Well, as you can see, there are a boat load of opinions on what works best for each of these guys.
A fast dryer, in the 36-45 RPM range will make getting a nice straight line and getting finish on all of the guides before your finish kicks much easier. It isn’t necessarily the best for a smooth hyper flat finish however.
The speed you need for your dryer will depend a lot on the finish you use. FlexCoat, both the regular and lite, are fairly thick and need a slow dryer to level properly. These can be thinned, but why? There are low viscosity finishes available.
I have a 36 RPM dryer. 4 of them actually. I also have settled on ProKote from American Tackle as my finish of choice. ProKote is a low viscosity finish with a long pot life. It does take about 2 hours longer than FlexCoat to set for me, but I get a much better finish with my fast dryers as the FlexCoat does not have time to level as the rod spins. The ProKote will level at these speeds and looks great. I apply finish to all of the guides and the inscription area all at once on a rod up to 11 ft long meaning I don’t have to mix multiple batches of finish which saves me money. I usually have time to go back and add a little finish to the stripper after the first has soaked into the tunnels alongside the guide feet.
You should not need to thin your finish. It is designed to be applied according to the directions which I have never seen to include thinning. The cheap nylon brushes should work fine for you if your finish isn’t already trying to set on you.