You won't believe how ezi this is to bind your runners!

[ThePinkPanther]

OK, I have to admit that I am pretty hopeless at binding runners onto rods!
Can never seem to get the knots tight enough or the nylon thread somehow gets crossed along the way!

So having dragged my old whippy Black Queen out of the garage attic, I figured out there just had to be a better way - and there was! Even the guy at the local tackle shop showed some interest in it!

So for starters, I cut off all the old runners, bindings etc, sandpapered it all down to the original blank - all easy so far! I gave the whole blank a few spray coats of Copper Spray paint and then a few more of Estapol clear varnish.

Now to digress, I love Heatshrink and have stacks of all diameters and colours in my workshop. It has come down a lot in price and and is easyly procurable at most marine, auto electrical or Dick Smith Shops .......................

So, working out just what clours and sizes were needed to bind the seven runners onto the blank, I carefully chopped them up, allowing about 15-20 mms beyond the two ends of each runner, positioned them and shrink where I knew they had to finish up and set to work.

I found that a tiny speck of supaglue held the runner in the spot I wanted it and then it was all done with a simple wave of the heat gun!! Buy a bottle of Loctite 406 - it is the Supablue from hell! It gets a murderous grip and if you glue your fingers together with it, it is then a chainsaw job!

If you want to get fancy, you can get the larger diamater stuff to position on the butt fitting or anywhere on the blank you have the urge to pretty up.

Then it is just a few more coats of estapol or some of the better quality marine clear varnishes and all done. A truly credible finish that not only looks great but is very durable and takes one tenth the time as the "real thing" does.

There are a couple of areas to be kinda careful on. Make sure you have all the Heatshrink cut and positioned on the blank with the runners all in place. Obviously working from the thick end of the blank precludes you having top cut any off if you make a mistake.

Secondly, don't get too savage with the heat gun if you have pre-painted the blank - it will blister off. Several warm passes are better than the maximum heat your gun puts out.

And of course make sure the runners are all aligned correctly and remember that the Supaglue is where the strength comes from. Using the junk stuff from Crazy Clarke's is useless. I make sure the runner has well and truly gripped before hitting the heat shrink.

I have done several rods like this and not a sign of wear on the bindings. The only improvement I think I might make is to superglue/shrink the runners onto the bare blank before all the painting etc. That way, you can really hit it with the HIGH setting on the gun. A bit of masking tape over this and painting is all too easy. Obviously the "tighter" the diameter Heatshrink then the better the shrinking process will be and I see no reason why you couldn't use a couple of strips on the one spot if necessary .........

[finga]

The stuff stops the splinters on shovels and brooms getting into my delicate pinkies as well...if I used them
Good idea matey. Do you use the normal stuff or the stuff with the resin inside??

[sid_fishes]

can you post a couple of pics please as there are some that would love to see the finished product cheers sid

[ThePinkPanther]

I didn't even know you could get it with resin in it!! Duh!

If you really want to get serious Supaglue, then email this guy in NSW.

maverickconcepts@yahoo.com

Costs about $35.00 for a typical small bottle plus you get a powder bottle as well that fills steel holes, microwave dishes etc.

He will mail you just the glue by itself if that is all you want.

You only use one millionth of one drop! Made in Austria I think and truly unbelievable stuiff - worth every cent of it and lasts for years in the fridge!!

I initially tried an old runner on a busted blank and the fibreglass broke off WITH THE RUNNER and that is real strength!

Working on the pics.....................