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My Stiffy needs help. LOL

1301 Views 12 Replies 10 Participants Last post by  TurnMeLooseFLKeys, 
TurnMeLooseFLKeys
1st off, here's a dumb ? that I'm pretty sure I already know the answer to. This is the official site, correct? YES, I SEE THAT IT SAYS THAT ON IT, but I wanted to double check.

Stiffy Push Pole™ - Fibertex & Supply, Inc.

The Stiffy Push Pole™ is hand-made of only the best, 100% composite materials & weighs in at only ounces per foot. Proudly handmade in America!
www.fibertexandsupply.com www.fibertexandsupply.com

Next, my push pole has terrible crazing and does leave the fibers in your hands. It's 23 years old now. Will this process fix what is wrong with it?

Lastly, I'm in southern central FL. Highlands county. Don't have a West Marine anywhere near me. Unsure if any of the local boat places have the paint needed. If they don't, where would y'all shop from online?

Thanks in advance!

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M
FGCI has everything you’ll need. Make sure you get a UV resistant epoxy like the instructions said. It’s a pretty easy process I plan on doing the exact same to my stiffy in the near future. Make sure you clean the pole off really good after you sand with 220. Replace the tip with a bolt and lock it into a drill or something to rotate it while the epoxy or paint dries.
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L
Did this on a stiffy hybrid. I used the epoxy found here: Products, and I'm pretty sure you can order it on-line. I rigged it up to my rod drying motor and turned it while applying the epoxy. The coating has been on there for about 6 years and still looks good.
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lemaymiami
Some years back I did a needed repair on one of pushpoles (I keep a few on hand - ready to go...) involving rod wrapping thread and FlexCoat (that like epoxy needs to be turned for about two hours for an even finish after coating... Although I have all the gear to build and repair fishing rods - instead I simply used the corner of my chain link fence as the drying spot for that pole (with the pointy end in one section of fence and one of the fork ends in the other...). I rotated the pole 180 degrees every fifteen minutes for the first hour then twice during the second hour - and it came out fine...

Note: I carefully didn't coat the repair heavily - just enough to thoroughly coat the thread and protect it from damage in use... The tiny crack I repaired was well covered and sealed with only the thread and finish... and lasted for some years afterwards...
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H
Rumor is Power Pole is coming out with a "game changing" push pole for around $4,000. :ROFLMAO:
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jay.bush1434
I refinished one not too long ago using a clear polyurethane spray. Sanded and prepped the pole per instructions and then sprayed on 3 coats. The last 2 coats I sprayed a little further away to try and create orange peel finish to give the pole a light texture. Came out great.
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Drifter
jay.bush1434 said:
I refinished one not too long ago using a clear polyurethane spray. Sanded and prepped the pole per instructions and then sprayed on 3 coats. The last 2 coats I sprayed a little further away to try and create orange peel finish to give the pole a light texture. Came out great.
Click to expand...
This is what I have done. Works well.
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K3anderson
jay.bush1434 said:
I refinished one not too long ago using a clear polyurethane spray. Sanded and prepped the pole per instructions and then sprayed on 3 coats. The last 2 coats I sprayed a little further away to try and create orange peel finish to give the pole a light texture. Came out great.
Click to expand...
I have done this same thing on that same pole. Epoxy would be way to much $$. If you want to add color just spray it with paint first. Then a few coats of clear coat. In 5-6 years do it again.
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jay.bush1434
Let me add, that you can get polyurethane spray with UV protection added. I bought mine at Home Depot or Loews.
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Backcountry 16
That's what she said ;)
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K
Anyone ever tried the sock method, like painting handrails on a ship?
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TurnMeLooseFLKeys
Thanks everyone. Closer to 40 than I am 35, so this up coming project was a good enough reason to break out the wallet and buy a good sander.

Don't have anything that can rotate it afterwards, but I do have a fence I can set it on. Just gotta wait for a day we don't have so many bugs here. Living on a spring lake is beautiful, but these blind mosquitos are terrible. They are literally swarmed all over the walls these past few days. 1st world problems!
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TurnMeLooseFLKeys
Haven't done it yet. Life got in the way.

Anyways, do I need any kind of protection when sanding the pole? Tyvek suit, goggles/glasses, mask, etc? Don't have anything, but some old jeans and long sleeve shirts.
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