Bubbles, bubbles everywhere....

[rufus george]

Due to my excitement of finishing rewrapping an old rod, I kinda rush the finishing process. Not one to read instructions, i proceeded to mix the epoxy when it was cold. As a result, bubbles formed. The finish is a little tacky. Must of not measured the parts correctly. I tried to use some heat to smooth out the finish. it worked but still the bubbles stayed. Anyway, I just wanted to share some mishaps on my first attempts of applying finish. I think I'm gonna go ahead and strip the rod and rewrap. Being a graphic designer, little mistakes drives me crazy.
rg

[Fisheadgib]

Flex Coat sells some syringes that will make accuratly measuring the 2 parts more precise. (Normal syringes have a lubricant on the plunger that can react with the finish.) Stir the finish slowly so that you don't stir bubbles into it, and use a nonporous stiring stick also.(no wood) One last thing, as your rod is revolving on you drier, Look it over for any bubbles with a bright light and if you see any, blow on them through a soda straw and they will rise to the surface and break.

[rufus george]

Flex Coat sells some syringes that will make accuratly measuring the 2 parts more precise. (Normal syringes have a lubricant on the plunger that can react with the finish.) Stir the finish slowly so that you don't stir bubbles into it, and use a nonporous stiring stick also.(no wood) One last thing, as your rod is revolving on you drier, Look it over for any bubbles with a bright light and if you see any, blow on them through a soda straw and they will rise to the surface and break.
Well I made a mistake by using a wood stick. I'll use the straw method once I rewrap the rod.
thanks!
rg

[fcbandgdog1]

Works well also and is a one part finish...no mixing and no bubbles...good stuff. I prefer that to two part finishes.

F

[Rod Builder]

An alcohol lamp works real well to remove any bubbles

[rufus george]

An alcohol lamp works real well to remove any bubbles

When do you apply heat? After the finish sets?Or right after you apply the finish and bubbles are present?

tia
rg

[AtlantaKing]

I've found that stirring the finish together slowly but deliberatly helps to reduce the bubbles. Also, I pour the finish out into a aluminum pie pan and let it spread out as thin as possible which exposes the finish to as much surface area as possible, thereby letting the majority of the bubbles pop before you apply it. The, tilt the pan so the finish runs to one side and apply. I apply a gentle flame to the finish right after I've applied it all and while the rod is turning. However, don't heat it too much or you will char the finish.

[narfpoit]

Finishing is deffinately the scariest part. I, like you, always try to rush something. I started using the perma gloss for this last one I did and it looks good but takes a lot of applications to get there. The suggestion about mixing your two part epoxies on a flat surface is a good one it will also lengthen the amount of workable time. Here is another option.

http://www.rodbuilding.org/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/928

it is an epoxy mixer. There are lots of homemade ones on this site but this was the most profesional looking one. It slowly rotates the epoxy in the cup with a stiring rod. it mixes and removes bubbles at the same time. I am hoping to make one soon.
Also instead of an alcohol lamp you can use a blow drier less risk of setting stuff on fire. you apply the heat after you get your finish on. the heat will make the epoxy a little more runny allowing the bubbles to come to the surface. Anyway I hope some of that helps.

[rufus george]

I rewrapped one of the guides and followed the pie pan and straw tech. Worked like a charm!!

rg

[Paully]

As usual I'm runnin' late but I need to say this.:rolleyes:
For you guy's just starting to use Permagloss read the "WARNING" label. I didn't until after the FIRE was out. You can use an alcohol burner (or another type of clean burning flame) to get out bubbles in most finishes, NOT PERMAGLOSS. It is flammable, trust me I know. I tried doing and didn't read the label enough. I burned the top section of a 2wt fly rod in half before getting the fire out. :D No not one of my better moments.
Luckally I had cleaned my work bench up the night before. If I hadn't of, I'd of probably burned my shop down. I guess that's another good reason to keep things in their place.

Oh well, live and learn.
Happy building.

[JAM]

JMHO

But a lot of the bubbles that you are seeing might not be from the chems or the wood stiring stick but from traped air under the threads. More traped air = more bubbles. Your metalics are the worst as far as amount of bubbles that appear because the thread is more porous. when I apply the finish with flex coat hit it with a torch, go over all the wraps wait 10 mins and break out the torch and hit it again...It thins out the mix and gets rid of all the boubles... JMHO.. JAM:)

[Heaver]

Mixing the epoxy finish in an exact 50:50 ratio aside, the applicaiton of this mixed finish is all a matter of technique.

The first coat of finish MUST BE A THIN COAT. No buildup of finish must be allowed to take place - ie. the thread is thoroughly wet, but no pools of finish on the surface of the thread exist. Inthis condition there can be no way that bubbles will form on the thread because there is nothing on the surface of the thread to hold these bubbles....

I normally apply the first coat and achieve the condition I describe above simply by judging when enough finish has been applied, but I have applied finish hundreds of times.

The best way for you to achive this is to flood the thread with finish, let it soak in for 10-15 minutes, then wipe and soak as much of it off as you can using coffee filters (paper filters). Do not use paper towels because they leave lint. No need to rotate rod.

Apply a 2nd coat 24 hours later, now being more careful with bubbles - do not overbrush the finish on. Use a propane torch to VERY BRIEFLY flame the finish to bust any bubbles. Be careful and do not overheat. Rotate the rod to keep it from dripping. Alcohol is too cool of a flame for this - it willwork but you have to hold the flame on the finish too long, and it will also develop soot if you're not careful. Propane will not.

Lou

[I_8_IT]

I build a lot of rods. The biggest things you can use to reduce bubbles are color preservatives and even rotation.
Color preservatives:
Make sure you use them. Even though they dry out again befor the finish they do not dry out completely. they help push out the air in the wraps and bid them together.
Even rotation:
Make a power turner, mine is made from an old grill rotisserie and a speed reducer. I made adjustable clamps and stands to fit different rods. It's easy to do and I will help anyone build one that asks.
Turning the rod at a steady speed constantly lets centifical force push the bubbles out of your finish since they are lighter than it is.
And patience patience patience :)