My Rod Restoration Project

[watatoad]

Yes it did Watatoad.

 

Having calmed down a bit and considered what could have gone wrong I think I put too much epoxy on. On the small tip section whippings it wasn’t too much of a problem but on the butt section I ended up chasing the epoxy about with the hair drier, a bit like following the Severn Bore. The finish doesn’t really show in the pics because the bright sunlight shines right through the epoxy but they were very uneven, not a nice domed finish.

 

Anyway for the moment I’ve left the two tip section whippings on. The butt section rings have been stripped off and I’m in the process of removing the blank varnish (with a distinct feeling of déjà vue).

 

Once I’ve re-varnished the butt section and re-whipped I’ll decide how to finish the rod. I do like the high build finish, just need to do a few more of them to get a feel for how much epoxy to apply.

 

You could try a tackle shop to see if they have a broken section of a rod or pole or net handle that you could practice on.

[Rusty]

Yes this thread is still going. Good job I don’t do this for a living, I think my labour charges would make me a little un-competitive.

 

The recovery phase is almost complete now with the butt section having been stripped of its rings & varnish and a new coat of varnish applied, just the whippings to re-do and it’s back to where I started.

 

As regards the tip section I carried on with the high build method and finished all of the whippings. It does become easier the more you do and so I was in much less of a panic this time. I have, however, still been plagued with air bubbles and an uneven finish, also for some reason the colour change of thread was slightly different to the last time I tried. I’m sure I mixed the epoxy in equal amounts so I’m at a loss to explain this.

 

A couple of the finished tip section rings

 

 

 

Just as an experiment I varnished the mid section female joint whipping with the same product that I used for the blank and after several coats it’s come up quite well. There’s no discolouration of the thread and the end result is pretty close to how the rod was finished when new.

 

 

This is an original whipping, it’s a bit battered but you can see the similarity in the colour.

 

 

So now I have a choice to make and I’d be grateful for any opinions on this because I’m really undecided.

 

Choice A is to carry on with the high build method and complete the rod, results are likely to be mixed on the basis of what’s happened so far. I’ll have to replace the mid section female joint whipping but that won’t take long.

 

Choice B is to change to the non-high build method with some confidence of consistent results. The rod will then be finished in a similar state to its original condition. This’ll mean stripping back, re-varnishing & re-whipping the tip section, time consuming but not difficult.

 

What do you think?

[Andy Macfarlane]

The time consuming route. You've been at it too long now to take a shortcut and not be entirely happy with the end result. Best do it and be proud of it when it's done.

[Wag]

I'm not a big fan of the high build finish. To get it to work properly you really need a motorised rod finisher that rotates slowly (7 rpm).

 

I like to apply plenty of coats of epoxy to the whippings in thin layers to build up a good finish, but let the whipping show through. Bit old fashioned, but there you go.

[Tigger]

So now I have a choice to make and I’d be grateful for any opinions on this because I’m really undecided.

 

Choice A is to carry on with the high build method and complete the rod, results are likely to be mixed on the basis of what’s happened so far. I’ll have to replace the mid section female joint whipping but that won’t take long.

 

Choice B is to change to the non-high build method with some confidence of consistent results. The rod will then be finished in a similar state to its original condition. This’ll mean stripping back, re-varnishing & re-whipping the tip section, time consuming but not difficult.

 

What do you think?

 

 

The only advice I could give you Rusty would be to go for the finnish you prefer to look at as it's you who'll be using the rod m8

[watatoad]

You have got to go with the one you like best, no matter what anyone else says as you will be the one using the rod and fishing with it...as well as showing it off...hehehe

[Rusty]

Thanks for the help all.

 

I've decided to go with the traditional varnishing. Andy hit the nail on the head really, when the rod is finished I can be happy that the varnishing has been done to the best of my ability, with the high build there'll always be a nagging feeling that it's not right.

 

So....I have a few evenings of over applied, rock hard, high build epoxy removal to look forward to...what fun that'll be.

[Andy Macfarlane]

Once you get under epoxy, it tends to peel off quite cleanly.

[Rusty]

Recovery work is progressing well with all rings re-whipped onto a re-varnished butt section, they’ve just had their first coat of varnish. This is the water based pro-rod varnish recommended by Tigger and I’m very impressed with it (although I knocked over the damn bottle again). Provided you apply lots of thin coats it produces a nice finish. I’ve been brushing with the direction of the thread by holding the loaded brush against the whipping and turning the rod on the castors, quite therapeutic actually.

 

One ‘weakness’ I found is that it’s impossible to feather the edges of a varnished blank if you’re replacing just one ring. I tried but the water based product just peeled at the edges when I sanded. Not much choice but to re-varnish the whole blank.

 

An interesting effect is that first application soaks into the whippings darkening the colour significantly but as more coats are applied the whipping colour gradually comes back to its original shade.

 

The recovered butt section convalescing;

 

 

 

 

The mid section is now complete, it’s been subject to the least trauma having not been experimented on. Further coats of varnish won’t bring any more colour back or fill the thread, it’s too thin for that, the effect is sort of traditional and in keeping with the age of the rod.

 

 

 

 

I’ve been much more comfortable with this method. Ok it’s not a pro finish and there are bits of crap stuck here and there but I like the less glossy appearance of the whippings. It’s got an amateur look about it which is very appropriate I think.

 

The tip section is still in intensive care having undergone major surgery, it wouldn’t be right to post pics. The high build finished rings are off and the blank varnish has been stripped. It’ll need sanding back and then re-varnishing before the rings are put back on.

 

Next update will be of the finished rod.

[Tigger]

Lookin good Rusty, not be long now and you'll be using it m8