revive old trolling rod

[lanikaifisher]

Much like my first post i also have two trolling rods that i would like to get cleaned up. They are old rods but still have good life left in them. There is green corrosion on the guides but not too bad. Soaked the rollers in corrosion block to make them smooth again but is there anything else to them that i should do to keep them running smooth? Also to get the green off should i brush the vinegar/baking soda mix onto them?

The coating that is on the guide wrappings is also starting to go. The wrappings still have good color and are in good condition but i just don't know what to use to re coat them. 2 part epoxy perhaps?

Other than that the rest of the pole has some boat rash and some burrs in it not sure if it is worth doing anything about but willing to if it would not cost too much to do. Im on summer soon (5 days) and was figuring this and the reels would be a good project to do before i jump into Ahi season.

[Bryan Young]

Aloha Lanikiafisher,

E komo mai bradah.  Glad you joined us.

I would first clean the corrosion (green stuff) off the guides.  Use what you know, and I would recommend a nylon brush, like a HARD toothbrush.  You can sometimes pollish the areas with toothpaste and brush away.

Then, I could coat your rod, your entire rod (except the grip) if possible, with thread coat, since you indicated that the guide coating is ready to go and you got some boat rash.  It has to be flexible, like FlexCoat, U-40,...  You can find it at most fishing stores, but I know that Brian's and most likely McCully has them.  You don't need too much, so the small bottle kit would be fine.  It's a 50/50 flexible epoxy.  Mix it in a cup then pour it on to a piece of foil.  If you have access to steam, steam the mixure a bit will bring bubbles to the surface and pop.  You can also use your breath for that, but don't inhale the fumes.  Then brush on a light coat on the rod.

Oh, before you apply the coat, whip the surfaces to be coated clean with 90% or more alcohol a couple of times, using a clean rag each time. 

After you apply the coat, the rod needs to be rotated at least 20 rpms so that the coat evens out or it will drip.

My disclaimer, since I don't really know the condition of your rod, I'm providing the advise based on what you would like to do.  Idealy, if you are going to put a lot of pressure on the rod, and the rod is aging, it may require a complete re-wrap and possibly new guides.  Good luck, and be safe.  If you have time, check out 5Oceans 7Seas in Sand Island and ask for Lance (not on Monday's 'cause he's not there) and get his opinion.

If you could post some pics of the rod areas in question, I may be able to give you a better idea what you should do.

Aloha,
Bryan

[lanikaifisher]

Thank's for the great advise Bryan,

Ill be sure to pick up either the flex coat or U-40 to coat the rod and the wrappings. Ill check the guides/wraps again to see if they seem worn or still solid. No need to light sand any prior coating before covering it with the flex coat?

[Bryan Young]

No need to sand as long as the rod is sqeeky clean.  You can wet sand it if you want, but not necessary.  The coatings are applied to unsanded rods and it sticks solid.  Call me if you have any questions.  PM will be sent with my phone number.

BTW, do you launch your boat at Lanikai by walking the trailer in the water with a rope tide to the truck like everyone else?

[lanikaifisher]

Right on bryan,

To answer your question about the ramp, YES. Its pretty tricky but been doing it for years so i got it down. Need a good crew on the rough days and low tide and late/early launches get sketchy.

[Stuck]

A cheap and easy way to remove the green corrosion is to scrunch up a ball of aluminium foil, pour a bit of Coca Cola (don't scrimp on the no name stuff, it doesn't work as good) on the foil and give the chromework a scrub with it.

[Dominick]

A cheap and easy way to remove the green corrosion is to scrunch up a ball of aluminium foil, pour a bit of Coca Cola (don't scrimp on the no name stuff, it doesn't work as good) on the foil and give the chromework a scrub with it.

Good tip.  Dominick

[seaeagle2]

Just my opinion, but I've had better results with U40 than flex coat. I'm thinking for a first timer, the U40 will give you better results, but that's just my opinion. 

[day0ne]

Several things to think about. First, what you are looking for is "rod finish", not epoxy (even though they are epoxy based). Brand names are u-40 , Threadmaster, proKote, Flexcoat. Flexcoat has a reputation for yellowing in the sun but is easy to use. Most of these brands have several different finishes and glues. For example, U-40 is a company. They have several finishes (durogloss, etc) but don't try to use U-40 Rod Bond. It's a heavy epoxy for gluing rod components together.

Get as much of the old finish off the threads as possible. If it's a fairly old rod and the finish is flaking and kind of brown, it's probably varnish and realy isn't compatible with the rod finishes. After the threads are cleaned off, I would start with a coat or two of color preserver before using rod finish. The rod finish is for the threads and as little of the rod as possible. Most are not flexible enough to coat the whole rod. If you need to coat the whole rod, use something like Bullards CPXtra.

Another thing to remember is the rod finish needs to be mixed in EXACT proportions. Using syringe is recommended, but only use the ones for rod building. Most syringes fron the drugstore contain silicone and it will ruin the finish.

Try these website for more info"

http://www.mudhole.com/  -   supplies and good tutorials
http://acidrod.com/    -   supplies
http://www.diamond-ii.com/       -  supplies
http://rodbuildingtutorials.com/  -  good stuff

Most all the major fishing boards have dedicated rod building sections, usually moderated by professional rod builders. BTW, be careful, it's an addictive hobby