FRACK!

I've been working on the first rod I've made in probably 5 years.
Started finishing the wraps last night and when I checked on them
this morning they had a white cloudy "precipitate" in them.

I'm sure it's my fault, I used the rod finish that I used for my
last rod (so it's at least 5 years old) and brand new brushes.
I don't know if there was something on the brushes or if the
rod finish had become contaminated. Isn't it poly urethane?
Can polyurethane go bad?

Anyway, now the top section of my rod has beautiful wraps
with a milky film in the finish.

Is there anything I can do except for cut off the wraps and
start that section over?
Thanks,
- Ken

wrote:

Is there anything I can do except for cut off the wraps and
start that section over?
Thanks,
- Ken

From: http://tinyurl.com/mnjpf

Unfilled 2 component materials

The shelf life of these products is typically 1 year from the date of
manufacture provided that they are stored in sealed containers. It is
advisable that any containers which have been opened are purged with
Nitrogen and re-sealed for further storage. The usually recommended
storage temperature is 220C (720F).

If looks like five years for partially used components (esp. w/o the
nitrogen treatment) is pushing it, to say the least.

If I were you, I'd just fish with it and see if it held up. What's the
difference what it looks like? You could be starting a whole new style.
At a minimum, it makes a good story if someone makes fun of your rod.

If the wraps don't hold up you can cut them off and try again with new
epoxy (not polyurethane).

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

"rw" wrote in message
nk.net...

...The usually recommended storage temperature is 220C (720F)....

Bad idea. VERY bad idea.

Wolfgang

Wolfgang wrote:
"rw" wrote in message
nk.net...


...The usually recommended storage temperature is 220C (720F)....


Bad idea. VERY bad idea.

I agree, but that's what it said. :-)

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

On Sun, 12 Mar 2006 18:10:14 -0800, wrote:


I've been working on the first rod I've made in probably 5 years.
Started finishing the wraps last night and when I checked on them
this morning they had a white cloudy "precipitate" in them.

That's probably due to moisture in the resin. I don't think there is anything
you can do once it's set up, but if you heat it slowly while it's setting up
with a hair dryer or something you can probably get the moisture out.

I worked for a couple of years at a fiberglass oil pipe factory when I was in
college and we'd run into that from time to time. The pipes were heat cured so
if there wasn't too much moisture it would clear up, if it didn't we'd dispose
of the resin.
--
Charlie...
http://www.chocphoto.com

I'll offer what little I know from my experience screwing up an epoxy
job. IIRC, I was cautioned (by whom or what I don't remember)
against using certain types of plastic mixing containers or tools for
the epoxy. It was probably on a rod-building BB, but it's been a
while. Anyhow, the thought (or reality) was that certain components in
the plastic could leach into the rod finish & cause setting or clouding
issues.

As for removal, tough call. I did have a decent result doing this
after my drying motor crapped out & I ended up with big sags on one
side of the rod. I'll tell you what I did, but this is in now way an
endorsement of the process.

First step, I razor bladed everything I could get without getting into
the wraps. Because I was working with some big ass sags, this was not
too difficult. The result of this "shaving" was a lot of very
angular flats in the epoxy. Ugly. I wanted to remove as much of the
rest of the epoxy as possible. I tried tiny strips of sandpaper and
tried to carefully "buff the wraps without scratching the blank.
This proved too difficult and too risky. The epoxy was too soft to get
a good bite with the sandpaper, and keeping clear of the blank was too
tough on my nerves.

By now, the wraps *really* looked like ****, so I was desperate. I
went for the acetone. Now, I know that this is nasty stuff and it
*will* eat the blank, so I was very judicious in its use. I used a
coarse piece of cloth, soaked it good with acetone, squeezed the wrap
between my fingers, & turned the blank to rub off the high spots.
Short applications only to avoid prolonged exposure to the blank. In
the end, it pretty much worked.

Just the same, the finished product was well short of a beautiful job,
but part of that blame lies with it being my first rod. The wraps were
clear and smooth, just not perfect. Had I spent more time on it, I
could probably have done a better job. The rod still fished well, and
there have been no adverse effects from the acetone.

Joe F.

In article .com,
says...
Just the same, the finished product was well short of a beautiful job,
but part of that blame lies with it being my first rod. The wraps were
clear and smooth, just not perfect. Had I spent more time on it, I
could probably have done a better job. The rod still fished well, and
there have been no adverse effects from the acetone.

Joe F.

Thanks all (I'm gonna pass on the 720F storage temperature advice
though). Mysteriously enough when I checked on them this morning
(about 36 hours after application) the white has mostly disappeared.
They still don't look quite right, but they aren't disgustingly
ugly like they were yesterday.

Fortunately it's the tip section of a 14ft spey rod, so if I ever
show it to people they'll have a tough time seeing them. :-)

Thanks,
- Ken

"Charlie Choc" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 12 Mar 2006 18:10:14 -0800, wrote:


I've been working on the first rod I've made in probably 5 years.
Started finishing the wraps last night and when I checked on them
this morning they had a white cloudy "precipitate" in them.

That's probably due to moisture in the resin. I don't think there is
anything
you can do once it's set up, but if you heat it slowly while it's setting
up
with a hair dryer or something you can probably get the moisture out.

I worked for a couple of years at a fiberglass oil pipe factory when I was
in
college and we'd run into that from time to time. The pipes were heat
cured so
if there wasn't too much moisture it would clear up, if it didn't we'd
dispose
of the resin.
--
Charlie...
http://www.chocphoto.com

It's been so long I can't remember if it was enamels or lacquers...I think
enamels.

Often, with high humidity or multiple coats the finish would 'blush.' go
white and milky, I'd spray a coat of enamel reducer (thinner) only and that
would usually take care of the problem... it would also smooth out the
finish a bit...

john