Wow !

[Rivverrat]

           Alex !  I've just finished taking the time looking at all of your builds here. The best compliment I can pass to another rod builder is I hope to make use of some of your methods / techniques I have seen you using here.

       Being of course if that's alright with you. Some really great work you've done here & it keeps improving !  ... Jeff 

[steelfish]

Now thats a compliment!   

feel free to use anything that you have seen in my builds, I didnt invented anything here just use what I like from different rod builder and combined or mix techniques and wait for the best LOL.

I have always said it, Im still learning a trick or two on every rod I build, my last rods are bit different on the thread work from the first ones I built.

[Rivverrat]

    Truth is we all are still learning. If the learning stops at some point probably be best that I stop wrapping rods    ...Jeff

[thrasher]

I would have to agree with you Jeff.....WOW! indeed. The attention to detail in the dead pool rod with all those olive branches made my head hurt, no way in hell I would have the patience or the skill to pull that one off!! Keep up the good work.

[steelfish]

.....no way in hell I would have the patience or the skill to pull that one off!! Keep up the good work.

I used to say the same on fancy wraps of custom rods I have seen from other rodbuilders, heck, I still say that there is no way I will get into those cross wraps, diamond wraps and many other fancy buttwraps, waay too much time and skills are needed.

I think I already said it before, on that Deadpool rod  I think I wrapped those olive branches 3-5 times each one until passing the QC test of my OCD and even like that I also recall that I have already wrapped 3 underwraps with olive branches and then when I was wrapping the 4rd one I "found" a way to wrapped it a bit easier and 3x cleaner, so finished to wrap that 4rd underwrap and got the razor blade and cut off the first 3 underwraps I wrapped the DAYS before and started again, too much time consuming as you said, I dont know if I will ever wrap them on a rod for a friend or client.

[thrasher]

Your OCD to quality control is what makes your rods stand out and I assume why you have so many requests. I am really jealous of your finishes, that is something I always struggled with.

[Rivverrat]

Your OCD to quality control is what makes your rods stand out and I assume why you have so many requests. I am really jealous of your finishes, that is something I always struggled with.

   Use thin coats. Its OK to apply more coats as needed.  Stay away from high build epoxies until you feel more comfortable.

 Make sure your rod is level when applying finish & for crying out loud don't get caught up in the madness with bubbles. Mix your finish bubbles & all again apply thin coats go back over it with a lighter or clean flame source & presto your bubbles will be gone. Clean & clean again prior to applying finish.
Any fuzees or blems can be removed with sharp razor after epoxy has dried.

ALWAYS !!  Wipe edge of razor blade with alcohol to remove any protecting oil. Oil & hamburger eating friends are not allowed in my rod building area

         Remember your brush is used to push the epoxy along its way. Your not painting it on... Jeff

[steelfish]

Your OCD to quality control is what makes your rods stand out and I assume why you have so many requests. I am really jealous of your finishes, that is something I always struggled with.

   Use thin coats. Its OK to apply more coats as needed.  Stay away from high build epoxies until you feel more comfortable.

 Make sure your rod is level when applying finish & for crying out loud don't get caught up in the madness with bubbles. Mix your finish bubbles & all again apply thin coats go back over it with a lighter or clean flame source & presto your bubbles will be gone. Clean & clean again prior to applying finish.
Any fuzees or blems can be removed with sharp razor after epoxy has dried.

ALWAYS !!  Wipe edge of razor blade with alcohol to remove any protecting oil. Oil & hamburger eating friends are not allowed in my rod building area

         Remember your brush is used to push the epoxy along its way. Your not painting it on... Jeff

I couldnt have said it any better.

I was having problems with too much epoxy, the problems were I couldnt have it perfectly level, balloon shaped epoxy on the wraping thread on the foot of the guides, too many micro bubbles on the finish, etc.
the solution: just use the minimal amount of epoxy to cover the area, any bubbles or excess of epoxy will be gone with the heatgun, some guys dont like the use of heatgun because it flows air and that can made particles and dust to fly over the epoxy but I havet had that kind of problems so far.

I actually dont have as many request as it seems LOL, but since I can only work on rods late at night for few hours and many of the weekends Im busy with family matters or fishing, it looks like I have tons of orders, but mysteriously I have always a rod or two or 3 to build, repair or customize, just enough to be busy the whole week and the next and the next 
now the problem I have is to find time to build my own rods

[thrasher]

Yeah, I always feel rushed like I'm racing the clock when applying epoxy and always seem to slop it on real thick. I know I have plenty of time but it just happens that way  Then after it dries I see a little bump or something so I knock it down with a razor blade and apply another coat. I do use a heat gun to pop bubbles, I actually really enjoy watching the micro bubbles disappear. I do always buy the high build resin, when I run out I will grab some lite and see if that helps me out. I get a decent finish on my rods(after multiple coats) but just not that factory look like yours, I only build my own rods so it doesn't really bother me too much. I'm not as picky as I was years ago, usually only do licorice sticks nowadays or Johnny Cash rods as I call them(all black)

Alex, always having 1 2 or 3 rods to work on seems like a lot to me, especially if you are only doing it in your spare time. Keep up the good work, I enjoy seeing them!!

[steelfish]

Yeah, I always feel rushed like I'm racing the clock when applying epoxy and always seem to slop it on real thick. I know I have plenty of time but it just happens that way 

I know that feeling, the pot life of the epoxy I use is really short so I was applying it in a rush to avoid having it harder on the cup, now I make two batch or 3 and problem solved.

.....Alex, always having 1 2 or 3 rods to work on seems like a lot to me, especially if you are only doing it in your spare time. Keep up the good work, I enjoy seeing them!!

thanks amigo, really glad you guys liked them, sometimes even I got surprised of how a rod looks when finished LOL