Refinishing a push pole

General Discussion
1

My Stiffy Hybrid is getting a little rough to the touch, so I figure it’s time to refinish her. I went to the Fibertex website that has refinishing instructions. They promote the use of AwlGrip paint, but that doesn’t come in a spray can that I can find. They also state that some customers use Appliance spray paint, which is readily available at Lowe’s. I purchased a can of the black Appliance paint and some 220 grit sand paper. Are there any other tips I should know before I start?

Once it has been refinished, I thought about wiping it down with wax to help shed water and mud. Will this work or am I wasting my time?

2

I’d say just enough sanding to get that paint to stick. Use it a few times before you make it sticky or whatever that wax will do. You might like it without.

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3

sandpaper and matte finish spray polyurethane is what I used. worked well

4

I would wax it as it might get slick when wet and you could slip.

5

Painting Your Stiffy™ Push Pole

Safety first - put on your safety glasses, dust mask and work in a properly ventilated area… now to the fun part!

We all know UV rays can decompose and destroy just about anything. The same goes for your boat, fishing rods, and push pole. UV rays can cause a push pole to shed over years of exposure. A “shedding” pole can leave fibers in your hands which can be a little annoying. These instructions can also be used if you want to change the color of your pole.

Here’s how to fix the problem:

Paint to use:

 Any 2 part polyurethane paint (Awl Grip, System Three, etc.)

 Polyurethane paint has strong UV inhibitors and increases abrasion resistance.

Spraying the pole:

 Sand the pole with 220 grit sandpaper lightly scuffing as much of the surface as you can. The purpose here is to remove the fiberglass “fuzzies”.

 Wear gloves while sanding the pole and wear a dust mask.

 Remember! You are scuffing the pole, not sanding it smooth. A little scuff goes a long way.

 Mask off the foot and spike, unless you want to paint them too.

 Spray multiple coats waiting 15 minutes between coats.

 You can leave the mixed paint in the refrigerator in between coats or overnight before you spray again. The coolness of the fridge will keep the paint from catalyzing as fast.

 Remove masking before paint cures.

 Let cure for 24 hours before use, wait longer in colder weather.

 Don’t forget to protect your lungs and eyes!!!

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6

How do you paint the whole pole? Do you hang the pole on some thin wire or do you support it at the ends, trying to visualize how to paint it without it resting on something. I have a neighbor that wants to do this.

7

You don’t paint the tip or the foot so just set each end on something and paint the push pole.

8

Yeah, it says to mask off the tips on each end to avoid overspray. I plan to rest each end on a sawhorse and carefully use the “Y” foot end to flip it over. I have a set of plastic sawhorses and the top horizontal piece has lots of notches and grooves for holding various sizes and shapes. I’m hoping the spike end of the pole will stay in one of those notches while I give it a few flips throughout the process.

9

There are some 2-part aerosol paints available now that should be harder than regular rattle can paints. Note, I haven’t used it but should be close to what Awlgrip is.

10

Let’s think about this. The pole is made up of three materials… epoxy, fiberglass, and carbon fiber. Why use anything other than epoxy to refinish it??

Add some pigment if you want total black out.

Mix it up and brush it on, make a rotisserie if ya want to get fancy. It’ll be just like epoxying a rod blank.

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