What is up with these wraps?!

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ozarkwater
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What is up with these wraps?!

#1

Post by ozarkwater »

Project rod. Stress relief. Supposed to be ???

Butt section, fine. Mid section, fine. Tips?!

Could not really tell that much difference in the wraps. Some maybe...

I use a sharp small bladed pocket knife, always have to cut the wraps. Never have I had this much trouble getting wraps off. Very hard finish. Somewhat thicker than the butt and mid. I think, I know what it might be, at least a guess.

Once, few years back I took a couple of rods to Tuft's & Batson. They had worked on a Yerxa for me and the work was stellar. So I go back a few months later with the rods. Gabe looks them over and says essentially no go as the wraps had been epoxied.

No pictures as all is done, but holly cow! Whatever it is, I want nothing to do with it!

Thoughts on possibilities on what was used?

Thank you!

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Tim Anderson
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Re: What is up with these wraps?!

#2

Post by Tim Anderson »

Most likely epoxy. I suggest warming each wrap thoroughly with a heat gun set at about 200°F and cutting it off while "hot." Epoxy usually softens with a bit of heat.

Tim

Canewrap
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Re: What is up with these wraps?!

#3

Post by Canewrap »

Was probably the wrong kind of epoxy as well. In my experience (I use epoxy on my wraps) the modern rodbuilding epoxies will basically peel off once cut into or are soft enough to scrape off once cut into. Tim is right about the softening though and I would add that if you can use a hair dryer, rather than a heat gun, it will be a safer way to apply the heat. I would also add that you really need to have adequate ventilation while doing this, as some nasty chemicals are released when heating up the epoxy. I have redone a few of my own rods that I did the wraps with epoxy and that's where my experience with epoxy comes from.

ozarkwater
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Re: What is up with these wraps?!

#4

Post by ozarkwater »

Thanks guys. Knew the board would have the info. Confirms my amateur opinion that this limited redo [ appears to be only on the tips ] Butt section was a breeze ] was not completed very recently.

Again, thank you - good tips on a correct how to!
CPGoss

DonT
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Re: What is up with these wraps?!

#5

Post by DonT »

The one sided razor blades made for crafts, etc would be a good idea for this. They are mostly what I use. A glove on the hand holding the rod is good too…. ask me how I know this… no major damage was done fortunately. Anyway, you can work the corner of a new sharp blade in under the wraps after softening them like the guys said and start to work the threads loose that way. Good luck.
Don Titterington
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ozarkwater
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Re: What is up with these wraps?!

#6

Post by ozarkwater »

DonT: Good idea on the blade. Thank you. Even though the old pocket knife is always there and sharp...your idea would work even better.

jim royston
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Re: What is up with these wraps?!

#7

Post by jim royston »

Cut the wraps where they cross the guide foot, right along the metal and peel the old wrap off

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JMQ4
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Re: What is up with these wraps?!

#8

Post by JMQ4 »

I dealt with this this past summer. I did as Jim Royston suggested and used a single edge razor blade to shave the epoxy down to the guide foot. It was easy to peel it off after that, although I felt as though I was going to take bamboo fibers off at the same time in some instances. Didn’t happen, but was a lot harder than using EtOH and a rag, which by the way, didn’t touch the stuff.

ozarkwater
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Re: What is up with these wraps?!

#9

Post by ozarkwater »

Thank you - I will be very leery from now on about the older epoxy rods. That is what I did, cut across the guide feet. Still scary though! Just this stuff was thick!

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