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Post 01 Jun 2021, 11:45 • #1 
Sport
Joined: 04/20/20
Posts: 98
Location: Springfield, PA
What's your rule of thumb for the time you wait between finishing a build and fishing it?

I'm asking the question relative to wrap finish cure times. For epoxy-finished wraps, I don't see a need to wait more than a day or two after the final coat before getting the rod wet.

But what about varnishes? I've finished my last couple of builds with 6 coats of spar, really like the way they've turned out, and find myself moving more in that direction. Feedback I've seen on wait times between finish with varnish and fish vary everywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks.

I get temp and humidity will be a factor but in general terms what's your starting point and other than temp/humidity, what are your important considerations that drive the duration for you?

Mostly interested in spar varnish, but please don't hesitate to share any of your knowledge with others you're using: urethanes, whatever.

Thx!


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Post 01 Jun 2021, 12:29 • #2 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 07/11/14
Posts: 1784
Location: urban Colorado
I believe varnish will continue to cure after it is dry to the touch. So personally I allow a week after last coat, before fishing. The classicflyrodforum gives the same ranges as you found, up to a couple of months ;-)
Using Ace Hardware Spar, and also Epifanes, so far haven't seen any damage or deterioration in the wraps.


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Post 02 Jun 2021, 09:59 • #3 
Master Guide
Joined: 04/02/14
Posts: 537
Location: US- Northern CO
i find varnish takes almost a week before i feel its ready. i always smell it to check usually around day 5 or 6 it will smell a lot less then it does on day 3.


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Post 02 Jun 2021, 12:08 • #4 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 03/30/09
Posts: 1525
Location: Hamilton,Ontario,Canada
Sometimes I put a coat of spar varnish on the wraps before I put a final coat of epoxy over it.As xNYkid stated I wait until I cant detect an odour from the varnish.It can take a good week before it gets to that state.The reason I use spar varnish first is to stop any air from coming out of the thread when the epoxy is applied.It works for me.


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Post 02 Jun 2021, 15:43 • #5 
Sport
Joined: 04/20/20
Posts: 98
Location: Springfield, PA
All good feedback. I was sort of working to a week's rest kind of timeline but I like adding the 'smell test' as another gauge of doneness. Thx.


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Post 02 Jun 2021, 18:27 • #6 
Administrator
Joined: 01/10/06
Posts: 7811
Location: Holly Springs, NC
jeffroey wrote:
What's your rule of thumb for the time you wait between finishing a build and fishing it?

As long as your patience will allow you to wait. Spar varnish needs time for the oils to react with oxygen and residual solvents to evaporate. A warm location helps, but there are no quick cure additives or techniques. Wrapping and finishing rods in the fall/winter really is good practice.

After a couple of days, spar varnish should be tack free with no soft spots. If not, buy a new can of varnish, strip the wraps, and redo them. After a week spar feels cured to the touch, but is still soft under the surface. For a 'can't be damaged' finish wait a month or more. Often the rod tube still smells of spar varnish for half a decade.

The photo below shows one of my first spar finished rods. I waited two weeks before test casting. On one cast the line wrapped under the hook keeper, slid against the wrap, and sliced through the finish. For what it is worth, I built the rod in 1987. The finish still shines and is hard as a rock.


Tom



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Post 27 Jun 2021, 17:25 • #7 
Sport
Joined: 12/30/16
Posts: 43
Location: US-SF
"The reason I use spar varnish first is to stop any air from coming out of the thread when the epoxy is applied.It works for me."

I do the same but with thinned (DNA) epoxy as my first coat to fully saturate the threads and drive air out of the tunnels along the guides; saturate the threads, wipe as much of it off as possible and let cure; follow that with coats of varnish.


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