OK OK OK i got a fella who wants me to make him a custom rod.Good news right? Well not so good he wants a rod with no 4 grip like the kistler rods the Helium are something like that.I've look at the rod on the site and looks easy but what do they use infront of the reel seat? I cant get a good enough look to tell @#$%& It is is it a big windcheck?

Mike Barkley taught me this; you can use either 5 minute epoxy or rod bond or a coat of each until you get the taper the way that you want it. I think Mike tilts his rod with the tip up while it's drying. I didn't do that. I used one layer of 5 minute epoxy and then I sanded it a bit and put alcohol on my finger and used rod bond to touch it up to where I wanted it.

Putter

Putter has pretty much nailed it. A little rod bond, some pigment to match the reel seat color and an alcohol dipped finger/thumb and you will be good to go. Just position the arbor at the leading edge of the seat back about 1/4" or so, to leave a slight void to fill with the rod bond. I'd also suggest sanding the leading edge of the reel seat at a slight angle before munting it to the rod, as a 90º edge can get to be a little uncomfortable depending on how he will hold the rod.

Also check to see if the customer wants the reel seat in an uplocking or downlocking position. I personally like the reel as far forward on the rod as possible (uplocking) on my own no-foregrip rods, but others prefer that it be a little lower on the blank (downlocking).

How would your customer feel about a 1/2" or 1/4" (Golden Witch has that size) cork ring, sanded to a good taper? Basically a cork winding check. You could turn it on a mandrel to a quite small size. Same with a rubberized cork ring.

John,
A recent article at tackletour.com shows the way they do it at Kistler,
it's in the dropshot rod article. They use a winding check.

There was also an article in RodMaker by the innovator of the "no-foregrip" rod, Rich Forhan, showing a few ways to finish off the front of the reel seat on such rods.

............

I just put a big glob of 5 min epoxey where the seat meets the blank while the rod is on the dryer. I raise the tip end up just a little to get the angle that I want and as the rod turns, the epoxy flows to form a nice wrap right up to the top of the seat. I then wrap right up the slope (or marbelize) If you wrap, don't tie off your thread. Just tape the end up on thr reel seat and when the finish dries, just nick it off with a razor.

I don't want to take credit, I originally saw it done on an Artie Hebert video. I do this a lot. Even on rods with a fore grip, I do it instead of a winding check

[www.fishingphotos.net]

[www.fishingphotos.net]

[www.fishingphotos.net]



Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/22/2004 08:30PM by Mike Barkley.

make sure to cut off the excess barrel. The nut (whatever that thing is called) should be flush with the end of the barrel with the reel seated.

I build all my rods no-4 grip.....I have done the epoxy winding check and it works good.Lately I've been using a vinyl winding check.I wrap about two inches of thread in front of that.When I apply my epoxy,I tilt the tip up and run the epoxy flush with the threads.Looks great in my opinion.

I also cut the extra reel seat threads off.Be sure you know what reel he is going to use because if you cut it to close,the nut may hang over the check.Case in point,a chronarch mg requires more thread to be left on the seat than a curado due to the extra thickness of the reel(mg)foot.


matt procell

A lot of good info has been provided, but ..........

If the fella is wanting something akin to a Kistler rod, chances are he wants to be able to place a finger or two directly on the blank while holding the rod. Take a look at a Kistler and you will see that there is nothing but the bare blank right in front of the reel seat.

You might want to check with your customer before you start building epoxy ramps and fancy thread work in front of that reel seat. It may not be what he is after.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/22/2004 11:37AM by Joe Hepp.

it looks like a rubber winding check is all that is there.

[www.kistlerrods.com]

How do you suppose they hold that in place?

Another part that I use for this, is to take a larger size graphite bushing/arbor and turn it down, so their is an ever so slightly cone shaped ramp from the front of the seat, down to the blank. Your finger then rests on the cone shaped ramped and the blank, in a much more comfortable position. I like the looks of this also.

Bob McKamey -- Custom Tackle Supply

Why don't you look at American Tackle's "Vetre Matrix Handle". It will give you that "no foregrip" feel, while giving it a much more finished look. I can tell you, I've fished with it, and it is extremely comfortable.

I like Bob Ms suggeastion , I'm going to give that a try ....thanks Bob . JD

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