Any questions russ@reelfoto.demon.co.uk
If it is a temporary solution then a couple of coats of quick drying dope, clear nail or domestic varnish over the whipping will not look so pretty, but it will more than likely see you through the rest of the season, or at least until you can get a pro rod builder to strip and re-ring the rod. On the other hand if you think that your handiwork does not look out of place and you are content to catch fish with it rather than worrying about what others might think, then a more permanent varnishing job is needed. The tough high build finish that we see on rods today is much easier to apply than you would think. It is a simple matter of mixing two constituents, usually 50/50 and applying it to the whipping. The easily made mistake is to put too much of the gloss finish on the whipping. If you try to put the minimum amount on, because of its consistency it will usually be more than enough. In fact many pro rod wrappers warm the gloss finish to make it more fluid and easier to put a thin covering on the actual whipping. For several hours after the application of the gloss finish the rod needs to be turned through 180 degrees every fifteen minutes or so to stop the gloss coat from forming a big blob in one area. Read the instructions for the time necessary for the finish to begin setting. An easy way for the rod to be turned without marking the blank is to cut yourself some “Vee blocks” from cardboard so that the blanks sections can be left in a dust free area and easily turned every fifteen minutes or so. Components for re-ringing a rod or a simple repair can be obtained from Dave Dowcra 01 493 850 900/843 563. Email dave.dowcra@virgin.net Web. http//www.surfcasting.co.uk Or Veals Mail Order. 01 275 892 000. email sales@veals.co.uk
Any questions russ@reelfoto.demon.co.uk