So I just added a hook keeper to a bass rod. I’m using new 2 part epoxy from ProKote and an alcohol torch with denatured alcohol. After I applied the epoxy, I waved the torch under the rod so as to prevent constant flame on the epoxy. As I was swiping the alcohol torch under the epoxy it started to crackle and burn. What is wrong?

Probably got too much heat onto it.  No need to do that.  No need for an alcohol torch or any other heat.  To remove bubbles a gentle blow through a straw will do it.  Or if you insist on heat, just the side of the flame of a butane lighter passed close to the bubbles will do it.  There are three major causes of epoxy problems: 1.  Excessive epoxy 2. Excessive heat 3.  Mixing errors, most likely not using syringes to get an accurate mix. 

Finally got a pic of the damage loaded, I did not know a small straw would work better. I'll try that once I replace the current mess.

Ouch!

 

Heat isn't necessary for a good finish but it can help bubble release by lowering viscosity and removal of excess epoxy by causing it to sag/drip.  With an alcohol lamp hold the flame close to the side of the work as it rotates a couple of times on the dryer.  Learn to not need it.

13 hours ago, Mike Jr said:

As I was swiping the alcohol torch under the epoxy it started to crackle and burn. What is wrong?

I wonder if you spilled some alcohol onto the blank. I've never heard of epoxy burning like this. 

Yeah, that's a goner.  Razor blade take it all off, clean the blank, and redo it.  Don't use the heat like that next time.  

Once you scrape it off and redo it, give the area a light coat of polyurethane and it will all blend in.

4 hours ago, Will Ketchum said:

light coat of polyurethane

Can you elaborate on why poly and what this accomplishes that a thin coat of epoxy would not?  Not being critical, but I don't understand.  I might learn something of value here.

17 hours ago, MickD said:

Can you elaborate on why poly and what this accomplishes that a thin coat of epoxy would not?  Not being critical, but I don't understand.  I might learn something of value here.

I've used polyurethane after wrapping guides. It makes a nice finish, covers any imperfections and makes your work blend into the rest of the rod.

46 minutes ago, Will Ketchum said:

I've used polyurethane after wrapping guides. It makes a nice finish, covers any imperfections and makes your work blend into the rest of the rod.

Over epoxy or in place of epoxy?

2 hours ago, Will Ketchum said:

makes your work blend into the rest of the rod.

Because you use a matte finish poly to match the blank gloss level better?  Makes sense.

I said screw the alcohol burner after my second rod build.

 

I’ve built a handful of rods since without it and have never had any bubbles or setting issues. Flame is just unnecessary I’ve found. Using prokote as well.

10 hours ago, wisconsin heat said:

Using prokote as well.

If you find Prokote's long cure time an issue, try Gen 4.  

On 9/26/2023 at 10:24 AM, MikeK said:

Over epoxy or in place of epoxy?

I never used epoxy on a rod. I have only thread wrapped guides. The hook holders I have seen have been thread wrapped too. You may want to try it yourself.

I use 2-part epoxy over the thread.

 

How many coats of polyurethane do you put on the thread wraps? 

1 hour ago, Will Ketchum said:

I never used epoxy on a rod. I have only thread wrapped guides. The hook holders I have seen have been thread wrapped too. You may want to try it yourself.

What are you saying? All guides are wrapped on using thread and epoxy finish over the thread to protect the wraps. 

On 9/28/2023 at 11:45 AM, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

What are you saying? All guides are wrapped on using thread and epoxy finish over the thread to protect the wraps. 

I'm only speaking from my experience. I got a rod building kit from Netcraft many years ago and the instructions were to thread wrap the guides and coat with polyurethane. Maybe new rods today have guides attached differently. I have not bought a new rod in decades.

No, new rods still use thread to attach guides.  Epoxy is popular because it builds a high, glossy, smooth, coating over the thread.  Other ways of stabilizing/strengthening the guide/thread combination, like polyurethane, have been used providing a different but still effective look.  There are some other options on the horizon, tapes and strips, and they may work.  More to come, as I see it. 

On 9/28/2023 at 10:45 AM, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

What are you saying? All guides are wrapped on using thread and epoxy finish over the thread to protect the wraps. 

This is pretty much the case today...but it wasnt always like this.
People used varnish on thread wraps before FlexCoat started selling epoxy finish.

It took about seven coats of varnish to make a nice finish.

2 hours ago, Chris Catignani said:

This is pretty much the case today...but it wasnt always like this.
People used varnish on thread wraps before FlexCoat started selling epoxy finish.

It took about seven coats of varnish to make a nice finish.

And if you fished in the hot Florida sun you got to rewrap your guides every couple of years as the varnish flaked off!

10 hours ago, Chris Catignani said:

This is pretty much the case today...but it wasnt always like this.
People used varnish on thread wraps before FlexCoat started selling epoxy finish.

It took about seven coats of varnish to make a nice finish.

That’s right but they always used thread, with a handful of exceptions on low cost rods that used tape or something else. 

5 hours ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

That’s right but they always used thread...

I must have missed something somewhere....where did not use thread come from?

22 hours ago, Chris Catignani said:

I must have missed something somewhere....where did not use thread come from?

I guess I misunderstood  or read in when will k posted “I’ve never used epoxy, only thread wraps”. Only was probably “on” after auto correct now that I think about it. 

First, I must apologize to all who have contributed to this thread to help me identify the problem. I have been battling severe allergies and got another back injection during this thread and I have not been able to keep up with this.

Second, I thanks all who contributed here. I learned a lot and even got a bit of a history lesson out of this (thank you Delaware Valley Tackle). I have not been able to correct my issue with the epoxy just yet, but I have to agree with MickD. I did clean off the rod blank with alcohol before wrapping the thread and applying epoxy. Dumb move on my part and lesson learned. So thank you MickD for jogging my memory. Guess I'll try the straw method next. I really appreciate everyone's input and you all have given me several alternative ways to build my future rods. I have some broken rods laying around, so I think I will test these methods on those. The whole Varnish discussion really surprised me. I vaguely heard of a few people doing this but I didn't pay much attention. Anyways, Thank you all!

Nice post, Mike Jr.  Appreciated.  Everyone makes mistakes and learns from them, so keep on building and learning.