Varnishing wraps

[Mister Bill]

What instrument do you use to spread varnish for the first and subsequent wrap coats?

I have done a lot of epoxy wraps with a brush.

Is it the same?

Bill

[BGreer]

Hi Bill,

Varnishing wraps is similar enough to using epoxy on wraps.

Myself, I use a brush to apply varnish to wraps if the wraps are long enough.
On smaller guides, where the wrap is quite short, I'll switch over to using a bodkin.

One thing of note, just like epoxy, varnish will get bubbles in it if you get the bristles of the brush against the wraps.

I just apply a thin coat of varnish, check for any varnish on the blank and bubbles. Then I put in on the drying motor and let it spin.

Brian

[munsey w]

I use a bodkin and just drip a drop of varnish on the wraps and move it around...adding varnish slowly as needed.

[bluesjay]

Hi Guys, +1 for bodkin, no bubbles, no hair......

Jay Edwards

[Mister Bill]

Thanks.

Sorry.

Dang bifocals.

I thought I was in the Rod Building forum.

Bill

[ffftroutbum]

I have always used a brush. For those of you guys using a bobkin are dipping the rod afterward? I have had control issues (coverage issues) with a bobkin although I have may need to practice more with it. It was a much slower process for me as well.

[Trout120-1]

Go to a craft store like Michael's or Hobby Lobby, by the cheap multicolored brushes, usually 30 in a pack, and use them. Then discard after you know the varnish on the brush is dry. Works great !

[bluesjay]

Hi Guys, ffftroutbum, Getting the varnish right up to the edge is the tricky part. I often move the glob on the bottom of the rod. I always use my Optivisor. I varnish first, and then wrap. I do sometimes dip one time after everything is 'done.' I think Sweetgrass does that, and I think I saw it on their site.

Jay Edwards

[eastprong]

Trout-120 is correct. If your brushes are throwing bubbles, use the cheap nylon bristle brushes. These are what I use when epoxy is the finish on plastic rods, where bubbles are even more of a problem. These brushes will involve careful trimming to take care of the wild hairs. The other solution is is to make sure your natural bristle brushes are saturated first -- will involve a little "pre-brushing" on paper.

[BigTJ]

Bodkin. Precise and can't trap air.

There is value in warming the varnish a little if it is cool and mixing it carefully so as not to introduce air into it.

With a bodkin it seems best to load sufficient varnish then spread it out.

[Mister Bill]

Digger used a paper match out of a book of matches - no lint.

Bill

[nativetrout]

I use a toothpick and have what I think are great results

[jwhealy]

A very good tutorial by Chris Carlin on coating wraps can be found here http://www.rodbuildingforum.com/index.p ... topic=7286 . This is the process I use except that I use TM Lite and DNA. It works quite well. Wiping the excess coating (varnish or epoxy) off pretty much eliminates bubbles.

[BigTJ]

I use threadmaster light too - one coat - with 2-3 coats of spar over and I use the Carlin technique too but I never seem to need the second coat he mentions nor do I get air bubbles. I think that is because I coat up the wraps pretty good to start and because I heat up and stir the epoxy until it goes completely clear which takes a couple minutes but seems to make any air bubbles go away. 2 coats of spar gives you a dry thread look like Dickerson, 3 coats the glassy look. The only thing to add is when I wipe off the TM light I use a gloved finger. The wraps come out saturated but the coating is very thin so you can end up with wraps that don't look like footballs. I also think the resulting rougher thread surface from wiping off excess epoxy gives the spar something better to grab on to. I sand between the last coats of spar. The spar I use seems to really hug the corners of the wraps and doesn't spill onto the shaft like poly used to do for me. After many years fussing around I'm finally happy with my wraps using this technique.

[aged_sage]

I use both the coarse bristled brushes that can be acquired in bulk, as mentioned above, or a fine bristled 'artist's' brush for applying both varnish and epoxy, and have never noticed a problem with bubbles associated with either when the bristles touch the wraps. For epoxy, I use a 1:1:1 mix of Part A, Part B, and Isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol. (I also use this mix as a top coat on my balsa bugs, which I definitely touch with the brush bristles. I have never had a problem with bubbles on them.) I also roll the brush over the wraps towards the wrap edge. With an adequate 'charge' in the brush and on the wraps, the rolling will create a "bow wave" of the coating that is readily controlled by controlling the roll as the "bow wave" approaches the edge. With a little practice, you can roll it just off the edge of the wrap to get a coat on the outer edge of the wrap, without getting it on the blank. Any excess that may get on the blank is easily removed by pulling a short piece of the tying thread through it while tightly held against the edge of the wrap.

With both varnish and epoxy, I let the first coat sit for a moment or two, and then wipe the excess of with my bare finger, and let it dry before applying the next coat.

If you do get an air bubble, simply exhale over it by placing your open mouth as close as possible without getting the finish on your lips. The moist, CO2 laden, hot air coming from your mouth will 'pop' the bubble.

[Trout120-1]

Never had any bubbles. Just be careful when you reach the end of the wraps. Thin the varnish and no problems. Takes practice.

[tcorfey]

I just started using some new brushes from Testors the plastic model people.

Value Pack of 20 brushes (10 small pointed and round 1/8 wide and 10 wide/flat about 1/4" wide) Marketed as Nylon shed proof bristles. Model # 281177 and get this made in USA. 20 pack costs $10.00

Just refinished and cleaned up my old Payne 100 rod using these for epoxy and for varnishing. No lost bristles. Worked very good.