I am yet to build my first rod, but am wondering about coating the wraps on the eyes and tiptop.
I know standard procedure is to dip, wrap then coat the wraps. But has anyone tried putting the eyes on then dipping, thereby coating the rod and the wraps in one step? This of course would be a bamboo rod.
Some people varnish the blank first, then wrap the guides.
Some people wrap the guides and then varnish the rod. It doesnt matter much either way…whichever you prefer.
However, in either case. After you wrap the rod, you need to put coats varnish on the wraps to protect them.
It will take a number of coats of varnish to completely cover the wraps.
People will normally thin the varnish for the first couple of coats on the wraps. Thinning the varnish will allow it to penetrate the threads very well and will help fill up the gap under the thread that is next to the feet of the guides.
I would suggest trying thinning your varnish about 50/50 with real turpentine or mineral spirits. Use that for two coats.
Then try two coats of full strength varnish. The two thinned coats can be applied the same day, just let the thinned varnish dry pretty well.
The full strength varnish will take longer to dry. Give it a day between coats.
You want to completely cover the thread to protect the wraps. You don’t want to see any “ridges” from the top of the thread.
Hope this helps.
What are you referrinig to as varnish? Do you mean any rod finish?
Bruce
Spar marine varnish is what I use in the way Bgreer described.
Malevo
[QUOTE= I know standard procedure is to dip, wrap then coat the wraps. But has anyone tried putting the eyes on then dipping, thereby coating the rod and the wraps in one step? This of course would be a bamboo rod.[/QUOTE]
That may standard procedure for you, but not for me and a lot of folks. I wrap the guides, then finish the guide wraps using this method…
http://www.rodbuildingforum.com/index.php?showtopic=7286
Then dip the entire rod. I like the look of the rod and wraps having a unified finish. That being said, the last couple of rods I have built ave been impregnated and then polished, guides wrapped and then just finish the guide wraps. The matte finish blank is kinda growing on me…
Brad
Thanks Brad, great info.
When I said “standard procedure”, that is what I have read in a couple of books and online sources, so, being a noob at rod building, I was under the impression that “dip, wrap, varnish wraps” is the standard way to finish. Glad to know there are other way.