# Rod Refinishing question



## Salty Bob (Aug 22, 2010)

I have several surf rods that are in need of a total "make-over". I would like to strip them down totally to the blank and re-wrap them. They are double wrapped, and have flex-coat . Wondering the best way to do this without damaging the blank. Could I use a heat gun to soften the coating and wipe it down with acetone? Would appreciate any ideas and tips. Thanks very much , Salty Bob.


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## narfpoit (Jun 16, 2004)

Take a razor blade to the area where the guide feet are then slightly warm with the heat gun and the guide wrap should just peel off at that point. For the under wrap you will need to cut a few of the threads carefully with out hitting the blank again warm the wrap grab hold of a loose thread and start pulling and let the blank spin it should just unwind. After the thread is off any remaining epoxy can be warmed and scrapped off with a finger nail or plastic blade. You should not need any solvents since any solvent strong enough to remove cured epoxy will probably be strong enough to remove the epoxy in the blank itself. If the guides are going back in the same place just get it smooth and don't worry about how i looks.


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## Salty Bob (Aug 22, 2010)

narfpoit said:


> Take a razor blade to the area where the guide feet are then slightly warm with the heat gun and the guide wrap should just peel off at that point. For the under wrap you will need to cut a few of the threads carefully with out hitting the blank again warm the wrap grab hold of a loose thread and start pulling and let the blank spin it should just unwind. After the thread is off any remaining epoxy can be warmed and scrapped off with a finger nail or plastic blade. You should not need any solvents since any solvent strong enough to remove cured epoxy will probably be strong enough to remove the epoxy in the blank itself. If the guides are going back in the same place just get it smooth and don't worry about how i looks.


Thanks very much for your reply. The entire blank is coated with flex coat. I would like to remove it all from the blank. The blank was painted black years ago and I would like to get that area prepared, re-paint it, and then start back on the wrapping. Do you think that I can use the heat gun carefully, and remove all the coating?Thanks, Bob


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## Carolina Rebel (Aug 25, 2005)

I hate to say it, but having rebuilt a few rods, I'd be heavily inclined in your position to invest in a new blank and start from scratch. Getting all of that paint and flex coat off without damaging the blank will require a very significant investment in time and patience.


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## saltysurfman (Feb 23, 2011)

I just removed a factory coating on a St Croix. I used wet sand paper from 400 grit up to 600 grit to get it off. Took some time, but came out great. If I had it, I would probably go higher, maybe up to 800 grit or even 1000 to get a smoother finish on the blank.


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## narfpoit (Jun 16, 2004)

Once you get an edge started by removing the guides you may be able to just keep going with low heat and a plastic scraper. It really is going to depend on how well the paint bonded with the blank but the flex coat might lift it as it comes off. Then sand with the wet dry paper preferably under running water or at least keep it very wet. It should be ready for paint at that point.


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## JAM (Jul 22, 2002)

*Torch and knife to remove guides and Flex Coat*

But for the past several years I have been using a product called Citra-Strip.. It is Orange Based Stripper. I used it to get the clear Coat alot of manufactures put on their blanks. I like a Black Mate Finish as the Clear Coat just fails in the sun. You can get it at ACE in the Paint section. It is not as viloent as a chem stripper and all it takes is around 20 minutes on the blank... Then ya just wipe it off and start your rebuild..IMHO a re-build is harder and more expensive then a start from fresh... 

JAM


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