I've never built a rod before but I ordered a kit to build for my pops for his birthday. I'm not looking to make anything fancy but I do want it come out nice. About how long should this take me? Its a graphite fly rod if that matters. Thanks!

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Dave

Dave,

That is one @#$%& of a tough question. It depends on your skill sets. You may be a carepenter or tool maker and therefore have a good understanding of tools and manufacturing processes. Or you could be as ham fisted as I still am. It also depends if you want to count reading up time on how to do it.

But you asked so here is my best estimate, but don.t expect to make a world class product first time around but a servicable rod that will fish well.

OK reading time two hours minimum. Building time 8 hours minimum.

I have been building for a few years now and my minimum build time for a decent fly rod is 3 to 4 hours. Unless time is an issue why worry anyway, It is always quicker to get it right first time rather then rushing.

Good luck, and I doubt that this will be your last rod you build, Sounds like you caught the bug alrerady or why would you be here.

Regards Mike Oliver

Get the book Start To Finish Flyrodbuilding. It's a real good book to get you started. Also ask here if you have a problem . I built my first rod in 1979 and been building ever since. Have fun. Mike

If you are facing a birthday date, its a good idea to take into account elapsed time based on the deadline and how the schedule in the rest of your life impacts when and how much time you can devote to building the rod (yes, there is a life outside rod building :( ). I think Mike's estimates are pretty good for the actual work time, but those 8-10 hrs will be spread over a few elapsed days as you let things set-up, dry etc. For example, I like to let the grip/reel seat set overnight, if you use CP, I think it wise to let dry overnight. Time between wrap finishing coats is also a factor depending on the finished used.

Some of my biggest goofs have been when I tried to too quickly jump to the next step.

Hopefully you haven't pulled one of my tricks and waited until the last moment :).

When I first started building back before dirt; I could whip one of those puppies out in 4 hours. I've gotten so good at it that it only takes 12 or 13 hours to do one, now.
You can add in studying the new book you get next week, two weeks of building an oak rod wrapper, waiting for backordered glue and threads.... geez, I'm not sure, maybe in time for Christmas??? LOL!!! Let us know how you make out, OK?

Putter

Dave:

A good starting point is that you can get the job done in about six evenings, with about 11-12 hours of your time. The rest of the time, you are waiting for the adhesives to cure or the finishes to dry. This assumes that you have a hand wrapper and all the small tools you need to do the job.

Doug Weber
Weber Rod Works

Hand wrapping 20 - 30 hrs total time, from epoxying ready made grips to final epoxy drying .....

David A. Fuller

I like that last estimate of 20-30 hours. You probably won't actually spent 20-30 hours total, but it's a safe estimate for a first rod. And realize that sometimes you'll spend an hour epoxying a grip/reel seat assembly on, then you'll have to let it sit overnight. Unfortunately, on your first rod, you won't have another rod sitting around that you can work on while the first one dries.

Dave, another option: Buy an inexpensive starter rod building kit from Neals or whoever and build a practice rod. In the mean time, gift wrap the fly rod blank and components and present it to your dad on his birthday. Tell him as soon as you feel competent to build him the quality rod he deserves, you will complete the gift.

I wouldn't give my first rod to my worst enemy. Although It has proven useful in its new life as cork reamers.

Dale-
I sure agree with your feelings on the first rods we built. Jeez, the threads were ugly, the wrapping (I thought it was good at the time) was terrible, etc. etc. When that puppy broke, I celebrated!!!

Putter

After you know what you are doing, 2 to 3 hours. Read a good rod building book. I suggest wrapping the entire rod (no CP and no epoxy), leaving off the seat and grip. Then let the project sit for a week while you re-read what you should have done. Then unwrap and start over. Use an inexpensive kit. You will want to trade or give it away later.

The first rod I ever built I built took me 9 1/2 hours over 6 days. I had the advantage of building it in a fully equipped custom tackle shop with personalized instruction. Like anything there are a lot of tricks to the trade.

Just go slowly and give every thing time to cure. To this day I give a full for each step to cure. The few times I have rushed,I have ended up redoing something because I wasn't happy with the results.

I bring guys into my shop and let them turn behind me if they want to try one on their own. I don't know if a builder in your area would open to that, but I know it sure helped me to have someone with experience there when I couldn't get the thread to grip the blank on the tip of my first fly rod.

Sounds like my first rod isnt going to be easy or giftworthy! I'll pick something else up for him in the meantime while I hone my craft... Did I say birthday? I meant Christmas.... :) I'll keep you guys updated with my "progress."

Thanks again for your help.

--
Dave

Dave,
Don't get discouraged! Doing a rod isn't terribly hard, it just requires a bit of patience at first. Starting off simple is good. If you are like me and have a job you hate, kids, life, etc... you do your building in the evenings and a bit on weekends.

Allow a week or so. Put on the grip, let it dry overnight. Same for the reelseat assembly and then the foregrip. Meanwhile prep your guidefeet and work on design. CP if doing it, and let dry overnight. Then your finish of choice.

You have have more than enough time to get one done for xmas! Get started and have some fun, learn from mistakes if any, and enjoy it. Any questions you have along the way will be answered very quickly here.

Typical build-time for a first time fly rod: 2 weeks if you take your time.
2 months if you are rushed, because of all the mishaps possible.

The rod is best built first in the workshop of your mind. Thinking ahead, integrating design, structure & function, with beauty, engineering & art.
It takes God 9 months to make a baby. It'll take you at least 9 days (2 weekends plus some evenings in between) to build your first rod. But like your first baby, you will never forget it !! Somebody give this man a cigar !

Best Wishes, - Cliff Hall - Gainesville, FL

Try building 2 rods.
The first one for yourself, the 2nd for your dad.
Don't forget, the fact that you hand built that rod yourself will give it value far beyond it's looks to the person you give it to.
An early rod I built for my dad many years ago is now treasured by one of my nephews.
Best wishes,
Ron Schneider
Schneider's Rod Shop

My dad passed on a few years back. My mom was cleaning out a back storage area of the house and found an ice rod that I'd built my dad; one of my first rods. She gave it to me; dad had never used it, didn't want to "damage" it.
Still looks pretty decent, I know I'll never use it and one of my sons will get it at some point; maybe I'll just give it to one of my grandsons.

Putter

I'm just old and just not as dedicated as I used to be. It always seemed like I wanted to get through with the present rod and get on with the new one that was rolling around in head, so I built them pretty quickly.

Now days, I can still build a plain janer using grips that are ready turned in about three hours from start to finish. On the purty stuff, I would guess that I spend about a week on a rod working in short spurts. See what's gonna happen to you a few years down the road.

Later,
Gerald Mc

I have just begun my first rod, and the best advice I can give is to allow all the time in the world. Things you purchase may not fit, or may not be what you imagined. Delivery time is tediously long, and many times you will find yourself waiting overnight for things to dry, because you have failed to follow proper sequences. Lining up my guides was extrememly difficult as was determining spacing. I have not done so yet, but buy a book. What you want, I know, is art. Beauty and utility and the things in your heart expressed in a tool meant to do a task well and still be noticed in the corner, standing out for what it is. Not easy. Take your time, and I wish you success, and satisfaction.

As always, Levi

Putter ... (thumbs up)

If I put my mind to it, I can do it in three days (part time, waiting for stuff to dry, etc.)

But mine usually take me a month. Put handle on (I buy custom ones from Matt) is a day. Setting up the guides is a day. Tieing is a day. Epoxy is a day. But finding those days to work on it is the tough part.

I just build them for me, so I'm usually not in a hurry.

Should finish up my first SCV this weekend. Been working on it for exactly a month.