How to Prevent Bubbles in Epoxy Finish:

Now matter whose epoxy finish you use, we all experience bubbles in our finished wraps, some more than others. There are several ways to remove those annoying bubbles. Use an alcohol lamp filled with denatured alcohol. Denatured alcohol is a clean, very hot burning alcohol. It only takes a quick whisk of the lamp to burst your bubbles and no ugly residue will be left. Epoxy your wraps as usual, cover all your guides at once, (don't worry if bubbles start appearing on wraps already done). When you're done (and the rod is turning in your drying unit), pass the lit lamp under each wrap (i.e., brushing on the flame). You will see the bubbles pop right before your eyes. Don't worry if your epoxy temporarily softens and drips a bit. As long as the rod is rotating, it will soon find its own level and cure to perfection. This method will certainly give your custom rod that professional look.


Better Underwraps

When underwrapping your custom rod, try this technique. After underwrapping your rod, stop and apply a coat of your favorite finish to the underwrap. This will do several things: (1) another layer of protection (especially on larger rods) is provided between the guide feet and blank; (2) the threading will be permanently sealed from any damaging moisture problems in the future. (No matter how well you epoxy or wrap a rod, the epoxy will eventually crack between the inside base of the foot and the blank. Even the smallest of cracks will allow moisture to break down the wraps in time. By using this technique, you have assured that the underwrap is intact. All that needs to be replaced will be the guide wrap.); (3) epoxying both the underwrap and guide wrap separately will make for a cleaner, more professional look. Try it, you won’t be disappointed.