Hi all,
I am going to be building my first bamboo rod in the next few weeks and I have settled on using yacht varnish for creating clear whippings. Are there any companies I should go for or avoid? I am thinking of getting Rustins Yacht Varnish, but do I go for the satin finish or the high gloss?

Regards,
Brennan

Never done it myself but this might help before you start:

Transparent Wraps - Rod Building

If you want to go traditional look go to the local hobby shop and buy Copal varnish.

I use epiphanes spar, exceptional quality with a high tung oil and solids content so costs a bit more and is comparatively thick (but easy to thin).
Flint Hire & Supply Ltd Epifanes Clear Gloss Varnish

I'm sure the alternatives - blackfriars, rustins etc are fine.

And go for gloss, you can always knock the shine back whereas satin contains fillers for a more opaque finish that can't be polished out.

Thanks for all the replies. I've now got things sorted.

Regards,
Steven

If you have rustins available without having to pay p&p etc, use it... I believe it was £5 for the small can which would give you a few rods worth if poring varnish over rather than dipping... .. Ive just been using it for the first time on a rod and the results are very nice...

Good luck

epiphanes every time, far superior quality to any other. Gives superlative transparent whippings, try it with white Pearsalls gossamer for totally clear whippings. Top though, when grinding down the feet of snakes etc, use an oil stone rather than grinder to avoid discololouring the feet.

Thanks for the reply all. I've got to the stage where I have only a few feet left to wrap and then I'll be finishing with Flex Coat diluted with denatured alcohol. This is my first build so it's more of a learning experience for me.

Brennan

That will do the job just fine