For all you string-tossers.....
I've always used snakes when building fly rods, and singlefoots on spin/casting rods.
I'm excited to build this light fly blank, and want to keep it as light as possible.
(I have a 6'6" 2 wt on which I used XSNLG's)
I'm wondering how small I can go with ring sz for single foots when using a 1 or 2wt fly line, and if anyone has used the AmTak Titan NIF's?
My initial thought on guides would be to use all NIF's in #10, 8, 6, 5, 5.....top.
Would the 5's be too small?
What has your experience shown you?

Thanks all!
RB

Robert,

I built the Sig III 6'10" 1wt, 3pc last year and it is one sweet rod!! I know a few others here that are very pleased with it as well. I used single foot guides and I believe the smallest guides nearest the tip were 1/0's. I can check when I get home after work. I can also give you the guide spacing if you would like. I posted a picture of it last year, it weighed in at 1.4 oz assembled.

Russ Miller

this rod may be a case against using ceramics due to their weight. i built mine with REC single foot recoils. as for size i don't remember but i think i used an 8 stripper, a 3 a 2 and ones out to the tip. you could probably go smaller though. these lines are pretty small. also, the big advantage i think for ceramics is the ability to shoot line. my one weight is fished so close in that shooting line is really not such a big deal. others may differ but i think the ceramics will slow this rod down too much.

Robert. I stripped mine of ceramics (non-titaniums) and put on REC recoils, SF light wires. No noticeable increase in performance, but I like to think it is quicker. I would use a single foot titanium and ceramic buide in a size 10 for a stripper, 4, 3, 2s, 1s. This rod is not much for the shooting of line. Russ- my rod is 1oz. assembled!

Hey Dan Craft. We need to form a club for this rod. It is easily the most mentioned speciality rod on the board. How about you make up some T-shirts and/or ball caps for us? Some catchy phrase "Fish the One", "The One and Only". Something catchy. I love this rod!

I too am building on a couple of this blanks, I`m going to put on REC recoils too, but I haven`t had time to find any guide spacing for them. If some of you guys have a spacing suggestion for this rod I would be very thankfull. I am hopefully finishing a Sig III 7`0" 2 pc 1wt soon too, cant wait to test it...
By the way, wich fly lines and reels are you using for your rods?

Richard. My spacing was roughly 4", 8, 12 1/4, 17, 22 1/8, 27 1/4, 34, 43 1/4, 54. Obvious that I like lots of guides huh? John Dow also built this rod and could give you his spacing. Guide on every ferrule, no guide on the butt section. The reel of choice is the Forbes 2.2 oz magnesium or the new Bass Pro ultralite classic, also 2.2 oz. Rio Pocketwater 1 weight. (Dan may still have one). I have on order a Sage QT WF1F for comparison.

Hi Don,

You always remind of of your 1oz rod (lol)! I believe you used a foam handle/seat to lighten it up. I like your idea of shirt/cap for the Sig III 1wt rod, maybe we could get a list of the users of this rod and submit some ideas to Dan.

Russ

i currently have it lined with a hardy flyweight and a sage quiet taper wt forward 1. feels good to me.

Russ. You are correct about the foam. I take a cork-a-lon handle from Jann's or Summer Moon and turn it down with a drill/lathe to just barely accept the foot. You really have to watch the weight on the butt of this rod. You can use regular hardware, but figure on the Forbes 1.6 oz Avon to balance. I am serious about the cap and shirts, Dan.

thanks for the ideas everyone.
I'm looking forward to a few native brookies in WA this s
I'll test cast, and weigh this rod with both the Titan's and with the REC singlefoots.
RB

The shirt idea is great!
"big fish on a little stick"
"It aint the size of your stick....."

Another thought for the logo: Dan Craft SIG III - The Fun One

OK,

Here is my list:

DC Sig III: Got "One"?
: The "One" you'll eventually own.
: Gotta have "One"
: The "One" to Cast
: Just "One" more Cast
: The "One" Fish Can't Resist
: Your "One" Friend for Life

Robert , as Don mentioned I just finished mine , but have yet to fish with it . I used a Pac Bay Tich # 8 stripper , a #3 ,a #2 , and #1 REC recoils the rest of the way . I used 8 guides insted of 9 like Don did , , but I opted for a small furrel wrap , then the guide a1/8th away. As far as the actual measurements ( can't find my tape , used a 6" scale on the bench) it's close to Dons , 'till the last 3. I also took Dons advice on the Forbes Mag. reel offered on Overstock web, nice light little reel . I can NOT wait to fish this rod in the smaller streams up here in the NE, should be fun . As far as the weight of the one I built , I'm sure it is a heavy weight compared to others , strictly by the cork used in the handle . I used a REC up lock band seat with walnut for the wood , bored just a bit larger than my blank OD by the nice folks at REC , no shimming , just Rod Bond........... fit like a glove .
Dan I take an XL in my shirt.....LOL John


Got Fish ?

sorry.......... .double post


Got Fish ?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/10/2005 08:38PM by John Dow.

Robert,

Here is the guide spacing I used on the rod:

4.5 (2), 9.5 (2), 15 (2), 20.5 (3), 27.25 (3), 35 (4), 43.25 (4), 53.50 (10mm).

Hope this helps.

Russ

Don, thanks for the guide spacing information, I guess my Waterworks ULA at 2,6 oz has to stay at the other rods..........
I dont know how easy it is to get a 1 wt flyline here in Norway, so I will have to check if anyone can deliver one for me....

Richard

Thanks fellas. Thats all useful information.

Another question: Did any of you use a wrap of thread / epoxy on the female ferrule at the point where the tip-end of the male ferrule sits inside the female ferrule, with the purpose of adding a little strength to this area?
Just wondering....

I'll be using a REC CRNS downlocking band seat with curly koa, and will do jungle cock inlays.
Havent decided on wrap colors yet...but will probably match the feather color theme.

Cheers!
RB

Richard Mathiesen.
If you are still in need of a 1wt line...contact me at jerobox@earthlink.net and i'll do what I can to help you out.

Robert

Russ. Those are all great logos. Now, if we can get Dan to do the T-shirts.... Robert. I generally add a few extra wraps to lengthen the wraps on the ferrule guides. However, all my wraps are longer than they have to be anyway. About a third longer than the foot on the smaller guides, and the Recoil foots are already long. Four turns of thread ahead of the feet as a blocking wrap. The reason for the longer wrap on the smaller guides is purely aesthetics. I like the finished wrap to "flow" up the foot. Out at the tip, the guides appear relatively bulky on the narrow blank, and the extra length is especially helpful here. I am using Klass Kote paint to finish over 00 thread so the buildup is minimal, and REC SF guides way nothing. So in answer to your question, the completed wrap is plenty strong enough without an extra wrap ahead of the guide.

I have a freind who is asking me to build on one of these very soon as well.Only problem is,he originally was set on a Sage SLT 8ft 0wt,but heard so many good things on here about the SIG III,and combined with the price difference,he has decided to go with the Dan Craft blank and upgrade the components as much as possible(Recoil single foot guides,Venneri Kaaterskill seat,flor cork).

As far as the blank goes,he/we are having a few problems trying to figure out exactly which blank would work best for him.He is adimant about having as close to a 0wt as possible,not a true 1wts so I'm not sure which blanks we should be looking at.

Right now it's between the 6ft10" 3pc 1wt SIG III(measured ERN of 1.08 in the CCS table I think),which may be a "tad" more powerful than he wants(but close enough for him to be happy I think) and is about a foot shorter than he really wanted(this may influence whether we could use the Kaaterskill seat,which was to be the focal point of the rod,as his Hardy Flyweight would balance a 8ft rod fine,but might be butt heavy on a 7ft 1wt rod with a wood insert seat.),compared to the 7ft 2pc 1wt SIG III,which is also a foot shorter than he wanted and probably a bit more powerful.There may be a similar size blank 1wt or so in the SIG IV series that isn't shown,and if there is then that would be another option.Basicly,the closer to 8ft long the better and the lower the ERN the better.

I'm hoping to contact Dan,as well as Rocky Mountain here in Canada(they stock Dan's blanks) to see if there even is anything in a 1wt and around 8ft long.If not and the rod has to be a 7fter,I need to ask for some ERN measurements or something to help me pick out the lightest possible,with the lowest ERN.If it is a bloank that would be considered a solid 1wt with a ERN of 1.5 or so,I'm not sure if I can convince him to go for it or not and he may feel as though he has to get the Sage.I have been trying to convince him that a rod with a ERN as low as 1.08(like the SIG III measured),is awfully weak though and about as close to a 0 wt as one could get(I've never seen a blank measured in the 0's before).

Even though the 0wt Sage SLT could very well have a higher ERN than the 1.08 measured on the 1wt SIG III in question,and actually be more of a 1wt than the SIG III really is,he would still see the 0wt as a zero weight and what he wants as opposed to the 1wt still being a 1wt.I think if I could find one of these 1wt blanks with a ERN under 1.00,then that would be the answer.

Could anyone comment on all of these little rods they have built,cast,and measured with the CCS and tell me if they feel more like a 1wt or higher rod,or if they feel similar to a SLT 0wt.I guess this question is probably only geared towards guys who have tried both,but any and all info is greatly appreciated.Running out of time and desperate for answers,LOL.

Thanks.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/12/2005 03:33AM by Tony Dowson.