Get to grips with fly-fishing glues & epoxy for excellent results.
Have your glue stick at the ready and make sure the following tips stick fast in your bank of fishing knowledge, because once you have these golden tips on board you'll be a master with glues and epoxy... and your fishing results will reward the effort.
Your essential guide to fly-fishing glues & epoxy.
About super glue...
1. Super glue on winding checks
Winding checks are widely used rod components for tapering back down to the rod blank to improve the finish, look and feel.
2. Guide placement with super glue
In terms guide placement and locking guides for thread wraps, rod builders are always looking for the next best way to do it. But super glue is NOT the answer with guides.
3. Super glue for tip top guides
You may have heard that some rod builders use super glue is ensure tip top guides are installed. This works great because the tip will never loosen, but remember it's a permanent bond.
About epoxy finish...
1. Don't over gun your guide wraps
Thread wrapping definitely isn't hard, however when it comes to wrapping guides, some rod builders have a tendency to wrap too much thread. So be careful!
2. Preparing & applying epoxy
If you're preparing a two-part epoxy, using the incorrect methods can mess with both the curing process and the epoxy's final appearance.
3. Check on curing epoxy
Once your thread wraps are epoxied, the finish is now in its earliest and most critical curing stage. So make sure you regularly check on the finish.
4. Shielding your curing epoxy
Double-checking your epoxy is the first step, the next step is applying more protection over your finishing rod - this protects against high temperatures, and contaminants like bugs and pet hair.
5. Do it with a drying tent
Using a drying tent and heater is one of the greatest ways to shield your curing epoxy and keep maintain the ideal curing temperature.
Top drying tip for the chilly environment!
As well as the tent drying system, a mini work bench heater with a compact design is perfect for heating up a cold workspace or maintaining the temperature inside the tent for the ideal drying environment!