I am looking to keep better records of the rods that I build and sell (blank type, guides, handle, spacing and so on). Does anyone know of a program that will do that and if so would you let me know?

Thanks Brett Emmons

Go to the Decal Connection site and then go to the Rod Builders' Sample page. There's some software available there. If you have Excel, you can set it all up in a spreadsheet without much trouble.

I use Excell as well. You're only limited to how much info you want to enter.

Brett,
I am leaving early tomorrow morning for Las Vegas and will not be back until Monday, but if you E-Mail me, I will send you a sample of what I use. It is excel, and if you are familiar with Excel, you can download the attachments I will send you. The only problem with Excel, is that it's really a spread sheet and you would have a file on each of your rods. If you used a data base program, you can get a lot of information from reports that you make up from the data base. The excel works just fine for me. I know nothing about data base programs.

Rick Case
RodsByRick@cox.net

Rick,
Why would you have a file for each rod? I use Excel and use only one line for each rod.

Gerry

It depends how you keep records. I keep track of blacnk, grip lengths, colors, inlays, guides, prices I paid, what I charged,labor, colors used for the guide wraps, details on how many turn trim bands, inlays, length of butt wrap, spacing, colors, a little description if need be. ALso keep track of ow long each step took me ,listed by date so I know when I started & finished.

I keep a Tac for each rod, and save by year. I don't make many rods though, so it's not that bad, I'm sure if I built 50 rods per year I'd have them saved little differently

If you have Microsoft Works, it comes with a database that's easy to use. You might give it a try if you have it already.

Brett,

Here is the url for the program Gerry was talking about....

[www.vmtsoft.com]

Tight Wraps
DG Rod Works

Microsoft Access or any other database software. You may even be able to get someting suitable in a shareware version. The Beauty of those kind of applications are that you can customize it to exaclty what you want to track and the build reports if that is what you want.