Maybe tonight will be the night for pictures.

I'm using Klass Kote thinned with Lacquer thinner (as the directions call for). The stuff is very thin and it takes the wraps clear better than the varnishes I've used. Even on tightly wound wraps, and two coats seems to be enough, though I am using 3.

I still have to order a stripping guide for it, but I'm trying to figure out what to use. A darkened mildrum or agate are my first two choices.

I just received a Dharma blank that I also want to build out this winter, and I was planning a North Fork Composite 906, but that one has to wait a bit. What I really need to do is clean up and sell some rods.

Gents, I put that seat job on hold because there's no urgency. But am still undecided which seat to use. I like the cork insert idea Whirlpool but this seat is glued together -- has been for a few years now. I like the wood insert and the D1 hardware is my fave. But the 'meat and potatoes' man in me is pushing for the metal seat! To be continued...

Hello
That's interesting ! is Klass Kote a clear epoxy finish ?
I've sampled EnviroTex Lite in the past but found it didn't have the flexibility of finishes specifically formulated for fishing rods.
I poured mixed material samples onto a piece of paper,let it cure for 24 hours and then flexed it, I did the same thing with LS Supreme then compared them.
The EnviroTex Lite wasn't nearly as flexible as the LS Supreme.
The EnviroTex Lite cured in about 3 hours much faster than the LS Supreme,when cured it was nearly crystal clear,the LS Supreme has that slight yellowish tint.
Hows the clarity of the Klass Kote ?
Please tell us everything you can about Klass Kote.

What is the definition of an "Obsolescent Lami Blank" ?
Thought This Fiberglass Forum Was Created By Us Folks With A Passion For Classic Fiberglass Fly Rods,I Didn't Realize The Lami Was Obsolete,Please Tell Us Where We Can Get More Of These So Called Obsolete Blanks ??
Have a safe trip hope you will show us more of your projects when you get back.
The copper reel seat hardware sounds like some cool stuff,looking forward to seeing it.

Ahhh To Choose The Right Replacement Reel Seat.
You know, what ever one you pick, you will wish you used the other,that's just the way it works,you should add a few more into the line up to choose from.
That way whatever one you choose will feel like the best choice.

Whirlpool next time your roasting wood reel seat inserts let us know,I have a few graphite inserted reel seats I'd be glad to trade ya.
Graphite's better anyway it throws more heat, the added bonus is the chestnuts have a very distinctive flavor plus they stick to your ribs better when graphite fired.
Just wash it down with some single malt.

Tight Lines And A Cold Winter Night Loops
Andy M

That's neat to be handy to a bin of "obsolete" blanks. I figure the term is just used in the manufacturer's sense of "out of production." A lot of 'glass rods are obsolete in that sense, but not obsolete to us. Will be interesting to see how that build comes out. If I remember correctly, that series lasted in production for several decades, having--and still having--some fans. I think it is within the last 10 years they were discontinued. Retiredfisher, please correct me or add any details; it's always fun to discover a favorite discontinued blank

Hello
First off that's amazing !
The source of Dales Crystal Coat has been a mystery since well before it was taken off the shelf.
I've been hording the stuff since,only using what I have left on very special presentation grade rods.
The Crystal Coat has a special additive called Crystal Flow to basically help the Crystal Coat level out better.
The stuff is basically odorless nothing like Lacquer thinner.
I hardly ever use the Crystal Flow but I have used it Mixed in LS Supreme just to see how it would work.
It really worked great,however I never tried it on a rod because I wasn't sure the materials were compatible for the long haul.
Geez and all these years because of the claims that Dale developed the material I figured it was gone forever.
Well you made my day,if you don't mind me asking who shared this info with you or did you figure out the source on your own ?

Another Wow your thread work looks really neat,no worries I think the peek a boo with the novelty wraps is fine,the camera probably makes it stand out more than with the rod in hand.
The one wrap two wrap 3 wrap thing is a PINTA especially at the end of a wrap like that,you see people imbed them in a base wrap very often,that way they have the base thread on either side to use to pack them and hold them in place.
I use 5 or 6 wrap tipping depending on the thread.
Really like that reel seat it that your turning ? ,Is it Maple ?

Well Whirly I guess that could make everyone over 20 obsolete as well.
If you find me face down in a bin marked Obsolete please just pull me out and dust me off,wind me up and point me toward water.

The little Bantys been plugging along,I'm afraid I went too far cleaning the cork,
The problem was it had lots of duck tape glue residue on it where a reel had been secured with the stuff.
When the rod came in it had a modern reel the grandson taped on attached.
I'm in the process of repairing the tip I'll get some in process pictures up as time permits.

Wow Carl Thanks for sharing ! I'm sure everyone is tickled pink to know there's actually a source for "Dale Clemens Crystal Coat".
Please post a link to the Klass Kote web site.

That's really cool Roy can't wait to see some of your Obsolete creations.

It's great to see what everyone's up to and learn some new stuff.

Tight Lines And What's On Your Bench Loops
Andy M

Carl, it is nice to learn that Klass coat/crystal coat are epoxy paint. Explains why it levels out so nicely. At the boatyard we use a lot of Awl Grip products, one being Awl Craft that is a clear coat. We even brush it on as a build up for varnish. I have often wondered what it would do as a thread finish. Like Crystal Coat it can be put in the freezer to keep it from kicking off. Hmmmm. I might have to do some spearmenting. Crystal Coat was the only two part finish that I ever liked. I tried others, usually only once and gave them up and returned to spar, tried and true. I have a rod that I wrapped last winter, if the experiment goes well, I'll try the Awl Craft.
Cheers
RFMcD

Hey Carl, thanks for sharing the Klasscoat/Crystal Coat story. Your wraps look great! Doug, as they say: 'a steady job and a wife have ruined many a good fisherman."

That is an Amtac green matrix blank. I purchased a boat load of clearance 2pc 3wt blanks for the sole purpose of practicing my building. I'll send a PM as to not polute the board. with Grrrrraphite.

Tengas,

you're work area looks great.
Refinishing/Restoring rods is harder than buiding from scratch, but it is great practice. It looks like you have quite a few "practice" rods.

I don't know if I would use the PacBay chuck for turning cork. I use the same PacBay rod dryer for drying and it has worked very well. I use a Jacobs chuck (the chuck that already in your electric drill) and a dowel, with one end in the chuck and the other end in the blank. I make sure the blank has support at the reelseat with masking tape or thread wraps, so the dowel does not split the rod. This works for raw blanks, but for rods with a reel seat on already, I use a dowel with a masking tape arbor and then tape the arbor to the reelseat with a wide strip of masking tape. This has worked very well for me.

looking good tengas. you got some serious new toys... i mean tools! look forward to seeing more of your work.

so, finally, i finished replacing the reel seat on my Fisher 2068. It's easy job made hard by having to choose between two favored vintage seats: a nice NOS black/gold metal Featherweight, and a Stuble D1. I had all but decided to glue up the Featherweight. Until I checked to see how the reels I planned to use would fit. Neither the Martin 67SS or the Princess fit. The reel seat's threaded ring barely pinched the tip of the Martin foot. And the Princess foot fit not at all. That made the choice clear.

Thanks picketpin52,

How do you remove the old reel seat? I have one Garcia Conolon that wanted to replace the reel seat but hard to remove it after try such a method by cooking and torch with heatgun.

Glass master,

I really love banty and short rods, that is an awesome job done there. Anyway how does the removal tiptop works for you? What are you using there?

Hello
Garcia used an amazing glue up system for their reel seats.
From my experiences they will not come off with normal heating processes.
They require a torch and torching them usually destroys the reel seat and the blank.
The best way to remove them is to just cut them off,you can then drill them out if you want to reuse them.
Here's a link to an old topic of mine that may help you with you re-building projects.
https://fiberglassflyrodders.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=40641

That's a Alcohol Lamp used to straighten bamboo rod blank sections, heat ferrules for fitting and refitting,tip top installation or removal, anything where you need clean controlled reliable heat.
It works for reel seats as well but I prefer a hair dryer.

More on the banty soon.

Tight Lines And Cut Off Loops
Andy M

Two bamboo projects
A Reed Tackle
A Shakespeare 5wt
One purple graphite blank from Roger
probably forgetting one