jeffcpr Posted July 20, 2009 Report Share Posted July 20, 2009 Hi guys I am new to this site I like what I see, I am posting a question on how to refurbish an old rod. More specifically how do you remove the old guides from the rod. I have always just used a razor bladde and removed the thread and epoxy this way. Is there a better way. Also how do you restore the original color, if you needed to cut through the old epoxy. I am looking forward to learning alot from this site and I will be sharing with everyone here, the different rods and lures that I have been making for some time now. jeffcpr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattman Posted July 20, 2009 Report Share Posted July 20, 2009 I warm guide wraps with a heat gun. Then with an X-acto knife I slice the finish and thread off the top of the guide foot. Cutting from the tip of the foot to the guide frame. The rest of the wrap that was cut peels off in one big chunk. Then I unwind the remaining thread. Cleaning up the blank is difficult. Often times there is significant color variation. And removing all the old expoy and keeping the blank from showing scars is way too time consuming. I typically just strip to raw graphite and move on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffcpr Posted July 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2009 Thank you mattman that is very help full, I should be picking up some older rods this weekend and then I can get started on them. I will be back with more stuff to talk about and share with everyone later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhahn427 Posted July 20, 2009 Report Share Posted July 20, 2009 I like an alcohol instead of a heat gun if I need to use heat. I can pinpoint the heat right on the top of the guide foot and not have to be concerned about damageing the blank with the wider coverage of the heatgun. But most of the older rods that I've rewrapped did not need the heat because the finish had worn to where I just needed to cut the remaining finish and the thread. Just make sure you cut on the guide foot so you don't damage the blank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffcpr Posted July 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2009 rhahn427 as you said alcohol works better than the heat gun, do you mean just rubbing alcohol, and I agree if the a very old the should not be far of from coming apart easy. After that how do you attend to the rod as far as it finish look. I saw a coating that you can paint on to the rod that restores its look and cover scratches. Have you tried this does it work and would any body recommend a certian kind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhahn427 Posted July 21, 2009 Report Share Posted July 21, 2009 Oops ........ it was supposed to say alcohol torch ........ it uses denatured alcohol you can get in any hardware store. The torch is an old dental tool that I got off ebay I haven't put another finish on a rod ...... just re wrapped/replaced the guides Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffcpr Posted July 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2009 rhahn427 no prob on the ooops, just looking to get all the info I can on this subject so I can get working on refurbing some rods for fun. Don't know if I can find a alcohol torch but I will look around to see what I can find. Hay I have to say this site is pretty cool so far glad I joined. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveP Posted July 28, 2009 Report Share Posted July 28, 2009 You can find the alchohol torch in most any military surplus store out there or the evil online action e site... as for the finsh I reall don't know much abou that as most of what I have done was just as rhahn427 described (cut off, rewrap). Are you working with bamboo, or fiberglass, possible an old graphite??? Just curious on that I do a good deal of bamboo restoration. That is a whole new can of worms if that is what you are talking about, as far as stripping and finish goes I could help you there. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffcpr Posted July 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2009 Hay SteveP thanks for the help on the torch, but you menstioned bamboo refurb. I have and old bamboo fly rod that does need this kind of work, and it would require a full strip and rewrap. What ever you could do to help would be great, I could make that my Christmas Break project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveP Posted July 28, 2009 Report Share Posted July 28, 2009 Well to be really honest this could turn into a really long post... refurb of boo can be labor intensive and will take a while (christmas break might be long enough!!). First start off by removing all the guides, handle and reel seat if you plan on replacing those. This can be accomplished by wrapping the handle and seat in cling wrap and submerse in boiling water for a good 10-15 minutes try and pull it off, but if it doesn't strat to move return it to the water, when it starts to move get that sucker off in a hurry before it locks back up on you. Then you need to remove the ferules as well and if they don't come off with a little pulling by hand then do the same for them as you did for the handle and reel seat. When you have what would look like an ugly old boo rod with no hardware the you can start working! You'll need to straighten it now with that alchohol burner you're going to buy!! hold the bent part over the heat for a few seconds with the direction you intend to bend it twoards the flame, don't let it get to hot just good and warm (hope this is making sense) then bend it a little too far and hold it there for a couple minutes, after it has cooled a bit check and see if it is straight, if not repeat as needed. Make sure it does not get too hot or you can screw up the whole balnk you should not get any color change unless it is just the first time you hold it over the heat you might get just a touch of yellowing but no and I repeat NO charing. Now you'll need to start sanding you want to start with a fairly fine fine grit, I usually start with 120 then go to 220, you don't want to go very deep with it either basically all you are doing is straightening out the corners and removing any scratches if you see much dust that looks like wood dust and not varnish dust then stop you have gone to deep already you also need to use a hard flat block so as not to round off the corners of the boo I like a small pice of ebony or good hard oak will work also, you can strip the finish but with chemical strippers but I suggest not to as most of the older glues that these rods are built with will not stand up to the harsh chemicals that will strip the finsh off and my cause your rod to delaminate (come apart:eek:). Now to refinsh you'll need a dip tube and spar varnish thinned with naptha (I can touch on that more if you need). once you have a new coat of finish on there all you need to do is replace all the hardware (reelseat, handle, ferules, and guides) and then finsh the thread with the spar (not thinned). Like I said if you need me to expand on the dip tube and stuff I will but I hate to make this thread much longer so.... Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
