New to painting & looking to paint custom fishing rods

Anything goes in the world of fiberglass and plastic



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PostPosted: Fri Aug 25, 2017 9:09 pm
Hello, I build custom fishing rods and am looking to create some more unique designs utilizing automotive paint. I have done a couple tests using a cheap Harbor Freight gun and Wicked water based paints just to try some different patterns and techniques before I start using more expensive automotive paint. I am looking to paint them with a metallic urethane and was told to add a flex additive as well. My question mainly revolve around what type of gun/tip size would best fit my needs. I have a compressor that is older and only puts out 7cfm at 40psi so unfortunately I don't have a huge compressor to work with. Since I have no real experience painting and since fishing rods obviously have such a small surface area I am looking to find the most efficient solution to fit my needs. Any advice to get me started in the right direction would help a ton.

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PostPosted: Sat Aug 26, 2017 10:57 am
Okay, in our restoration business when we run into specialty items that we need to finish we will usually research and go directly to suppliers in that particular niche field, ie., specialized stone coatings on stone/concrete, specialized outdoor metal coatings on outdoor bronze, copper, gold, etc......you get the drift. In your field I found this....
http://www.mudhole.com/supplies-rod-bui ... s-supplies
Looks like they are supplying specifically to guys just like you......
I would like to address that gun selection thing though....you might consider getting a mini-gun for what you are doing. They work just like a regular size gravity gun however they put down a smaller pattern, use a lot less cfm, etc. You could see if that works for you by just buying one of the cheap Harbor Freight guns, then move up to something decent later....
https://www.harborfreight.com/4-oz-hvlp ... 61473.html
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 27, 2017 11:34 am
Thanks for the reply Darrel! There are a lot of companies that do sell pigments to be utilized on fishing rods. However, those are typically mixed with a part epoxy and then applied with a brush or squeegee to the rod. I'm looking to try some different marbling or crystal effects with automotive paints. I actually have that same gun you posted a link to from Harbor Freight. I have done some tests painting rods with Wicked water based paints and the gun certainly did what I needed it to do with a low cfm and I could adjust it to create a very small spray pattern to reduce overspray and waste. I guess my main question never having used 2k automotive paints before is if I could use a gun like that with a .8 tip to spray metallic basecoats and clear coats.

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PostPosted: Sun Aug 27, 2017 6:05 pm
Sure, no problem. For what you are doing it should be fine. You might have to tweek with a little extra reducer but that's about it. The tip size really aren't that much smaller when you consider the smaller pattern that they make. I've used my mini for all kinds of special effects from true fire style flames, to ghost flames, marbelizing, and lightning/storm effects. As long as you aren't getting into giant flakes you should be fine. Oh, and here is a funny thing....I've done a lot of Auto Air Colors in the past (same stuff as Wicked) and I prefer the mini when shooting that stuff.
Metal, wood, fiberglass, we work it all... www.furniturephysicians.com We can restore the irreplaceable!



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PostPosted: Sun Aug 27, 2017 6:57 pm
Great thank you! That's exactly what I needed to know about the guns. I guess while I'm here I might as well get your opinion on the longevity of using a urethane paint with flex additive and clear on a fishing rod. It will be on an extra heavy action so it won't be a small whippy rod but will still obviously flex. Do you think that paint like that will be able to stand up to years of flexing?

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PostPosted: Sun Aug 27, 2017 10:35 pm
Okay, here is somewhat the problem with flexing and flex additives. Flex additives for most of the early urethane clears were added to the clear so the flexible parts could be handled off the car and then mounted. The added flexibility only remained active for awhile then later became inactive. As paints/clears have developed over the years separate flex additives are usually not being used because new technologies have made them inherently more flexible without adding anything to them. Honestly, I haven't used a flex additive since 1994 or so.
Now, with that being said....I just have no idea how "much" repetitive flexing these paints can take in your type of environment. I know with wood and plastics it is always repetitive actions with an attached coating that starts them failing. Might try some of the fishing forums for any long term advice from guys that have been using these paint for some years. There must be some guys out there that have been doing what you want to do for some time now.......
Metal, wood, fiberglass, we work it all... www.furniturephysicians.com We can restore the irreplaceable!

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