Bamboo Tips - Tips Area |
|
< Home < Tips Area < Finishing < Drain Tubes < Ferrules
I'm going dip the rod this weekend via the DH drain tube method. Do I need to do anything special to the ferrules before dipping the rod? (Kyle Druey) I make a female ferrule plug out of a hardwood dowel using Dave LeClair's ferrule station cutters (generally it is 2/64s bigger than the ferrule size). I insert the plug into the female. I tape over the whole ferrule with Teflon plumber's taper and then use masking tape over the whole ferrule. This way, I get no gummy tape residue on the ferrule. The low tack masking tape does NOT work. Use sticky stuff so the Teflon tape stays put. I cover the male ferrules completely as well. (Bob Maulucci) I plug the ferrules with a rubber plug like is used to plug Gra------ rods. Wrap the ferrule with Plumbers Teflon tape and then over wrap with masking tape. If you have not seen drain tube used before, here are a few tips. Warm the room to 80* with the varnish and rod in the room to bring it all to the same temperature. Insert the rod in the tube and look for any bubbles that might attach themselves to the rod or guides. The rod can be shaken some to release the bubbles. Let the rod sit for a few minuets before starting the drain. Drain about 4 " per min. Watch the varnish ring on the tube, don't let the varnish run faster than then varnish is running off the walls of the tube. As you pass a wrap, stop the drain for a minuet or two. This gives the varnish time to drain from around the wrap. If you drain too fast around the wraps and guides you stand a good chance of getting a run. Drain past the guide and stop again, then past the lower wrap of the guide and stop. Do this at every guide and wrap. Varnish will form a film in the guide loop. When you stop just below the guide, you need to wait till the film breaks. Wait till the varnish runs down from around the guide before you start draining again. Sometimes it seems like it will never break, be patient, it will break. To keep the rod from touching the sides of the tube use three quilt pins like a "Y" stuck in the tape around the ferrules. You should get a real nice finish if you take your time with this. (Tony Spezio)
|
