Are ther any sources, besides Rodmaker Magazine, of information on the revolver style spiral wrap. I've read every thing in the archives on regular spiral "acid" wraps. But there seems to be now info about this style. Is it proprietary and protected?

Bill in WV

The name is copyrighted. You can also read about it in Rich's book, PowerHand Baitcasting.

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In other words, I have to buy something in order to gain the knowledge. My rough luck I guess.

Bill in WV

Yes, Rich had to invest a lot of money and time and R&D in order to develop it and then had to come up with many thousands of dollars to publish his book. As you can see, after all the time and money he's spent he needs to recover at least a little of his money.

That's the trouble with all the free info - at some point it cost somebody something. Next week I'll get a bill for the latest issue of RodMaker. Along with the postage it'll cost me right about $40,000 for just that one issue and that doesn't include any incendental costs - that's just paper and ink and binding. And yet there will be some guys asking me to put the articles out for free. LIke myself, I'm sure Rich gives away as much as he can, but he can't do it all for free.

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William,
There is a very good article in one of the pat issues of RodMaker that describes the different approaches to spiral wraps that I would think would be a good investment if you are interested in learning about spiral wraps.
But no you do not have to buy anything if you can ask specific questions that can be answered here.

I think everyone should realize that everything comes with a price to someone! Sharing info/experience/info is one thing (I think that in general, rodbuilders are the most sharing group that I know) but expecting people to give away what they sell for a living is something else. many of us have fixed incomes and we have to make choices based on that.. There is nothing wrong with not only recouping an investment but with making a profit!

I, for one, am very grateful that there are people like Tom K., Andy Dear , Ken Preston and the rest of the people that are willing to share/help and wish them all the success (monetary and personal) in the world

Mike

I understand all that. I won't ask again. I have no income and cannot afford to buy a subscription to RodMAker Magazine, or any other publication for that matter. You'll not see me post again, I'll just be content to stay on the porch with the posts and glean what I can from what's here. Thank You to all that have helped me and answered my questions. You will be rewarded.

Bill in WV

No offense intended Bill, but you have spent the better part of the past few months here on the board asking for free materials. Then when you've been told at least some of it might cost you a little something you seem to be offended and make a smart comment.

I can appreciate anyone who is down on their luck or disabled but in those cases it just doesn't come off well to make comments like "In other words, I have to buy something in order to gain the knowledge. My rough luck I guess."

Considering all the free stuff that I imagine you have gleaned from this site and from the generousity of this boards users I don't think you want to appear ungrateful with such a comment and it's not the first time you've made such a comment here.

It could be worse than having to pay to get the knowledge - Rich and I had to pay in order to present the knowledge.

I think the point has been made and we shouldn't be too tough on William. Any of us could wind up in similar shoes at any time. Still, the free exchange of information on this site is unparalled and we have to remember that such easily obtained information is a privilege, not a right. When you run up against something that you can't get for free, well, that's just one of the economic realities that we all face from time to time.

On the original question, the Revolver Rod comprises several key features: A spiral wrap, a no-foregrip design, a split rear grip and some other features I'm probably overlooking here late at night. The total package adds up to a very lightweight and high performance rod that Rich named and copyrighted. Doesn't mean you or anyone else can't build similar rods, but you wouldn't be able to use the name "Revolver Rod" for advertising or sales purposes without an agreement with Rich. If that sort of thing is even within the bounds of what you wanted to know.


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Denny,

You would be surprised at how few would even offer to send me things. I can count on one hand and half the fingers on the other. They know who they are and know that I am extremely appreciative of what they have given me. Only three in particular have amounted to more than a couple items. I offered to repay them and replace what they sent me. But they said that they would need something one day, and I'll be there for them. I hope and pray that you or anyone else ever has to go through what i've been through in the past year. Those ones who have been through it know exactly what I mean. That's all I will say on this issue.

Tom,

I had nor have any intention of selling anything. I'm in this for repairs and something to take up my spare time. The only rods I probably will build will be for me, family and friends. But, if I were approached with a proposal to build someone a rod, I would want to be able to provide the best in my power for them. I just get really frustrated, it seems that every post I've made for information, someone has referred me to RodMaker Magazine when I've posted many times that I don't have any income and can't subsribe or purchase back issues. On another forum that I frequently visit, an offer was made by one poster, to pass around a video that he had finished with. Now why couldn't someone offer something like that here? It's not like he's stealing anything, he paid for it and wants to share it. Why can't preople do that with articles. They paid for it. As long as they aren't charging for it, what's the harm in scanning it an emailing it to someone. I'm not naive, I know that there are people in this world that do crokked things, But I sir, am not one. I only wanted to further my rodbuilding education!! Sorry about the long rant!! I apologize if this is misconstrued as disrespect or ungratefulness, I mean neither!!!


Bill in WV

It is a violation of federal copyright laws to scan/duplicate ANY copyrighted material without written permission. When you purchase a magazine/video, etc you don't purchase the right to duplicate anything in it

Mike

I think everyone has missunderstood Bill.
Hang in there Bill, you have guts mate.

William
Check out the mag site. You can get back issues for next to nothing. This way you do not need to get all of them, just the articals that you want to read

The reason they can't do it with articles, is that those articles cost money and time to bring together. Once they start sending them around electronically, fewer need to subscribe, costs are not recovered, RodMaker goes out of business and this site shuts down. Where does that leave you then? Message boards are fine, but they can never contain the kind of in-depth information that you will find in a researched and well presented magazine article. So much of what you read and enjoy here on this site starts with one of those magazine articles.

There is certainly an element of "stealing" in what you're saying, although I know most don't see it that way. They fail to realize the investment it takes to bring this sort of information to the public. I often hear how it's "for the good of the rod builders" and yet when I tell my printer that, he still sends me a $40,000 bill for each magazine. When I have to update the software on this site or I add another feature, the webmaster still bills me, even though I'm doing it "for the good of the rod builders."

Message boards are great for getting a snippit of info here and there to get you over a rough spot, but they were never intended and really cannot offer the amount and kind of information that a publication does. And publishing a magazine is a very expensive endeavor.

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When I go to buy food, they tell me the same thing??

" wow"
i sure am glad i dont ask questions?
stix

I think you'll find that people who ask questions here get plenty of good answers. Occasionally a topic will get a bit off the mark as may have happened here, but they always remain civil in nature (or they are promptly removed).

Bill I don't think you see very far down the road. Let's look a little further down at how things happen. Sure, I'll scan and e-mail any Rodmaker article you want to see. And I'm sure about a hundred or more people will also want me to send them the articles too. So after awhile there really isn't any need to subscribe to the magazine because somebody will be happy to scan and send them to you for free. What a great set up! All the rod building info you'll ever need for free!!!

Of course that also means that at some point Tom can't afford to publish the magazine any longer and he has to shut it down. At that point the flow of the high quality articles that appear in Rodmaker stops and there are no more. Then we're back to all these forums that while very good can in no way compare to the information in a true rod building publication. Rodmaker is very much the birthplace of most of these topics. If it wasn't for Rodmaker I'm pretty sure no one would be using the Common Cents System, we wouldn't be flocking our own grips, we wouldn't have access to information on how to make multipiece rods or how to repair various breakages, we couldn't find full coverage info on every aspect of building surf, musky, spey, great lakes and other rod types. The list goes on and on.

Look around on the various rod building forums and really think about how much original information comes from any of them including this one. Nearly every topic and tidbit of info was born in a Rodmaker magazine article. Once the info gets out there it's only then that it turns up on the boards and builders begin sharing their own takes and ideas on the topics. But it usually started in the magazine or with a builder who offered it in the magazine as a way to get it to the greatest number of people in the best way. Rodmaker is the vehicle that builders who innovate and invent use to present their information to you. Take it away and most good ideas will stay secrets. I don't believe any message board will ever substitute for a true magazine.

What I objected to in your posts was your attitude. You ask for things and if you don't get the response you want you act almost as if you've been done an injustice. Sure many people will refer you to Rodmaker articles for info you request because that's where the best info can be found. How could anyone give you all the details of the Revolver Rod in a message board post?....... It would take several pages and plenty of photos!!!..... I agree with others that the purpose of these boards is to fill in with snippets of info or help with specific problems. They can't substitute for published magazine articles.

Sorry you're down on your luck. I've been there for 23 years now and don't have much money either. But I budget for things that are important to me and those that I can't afford well I just can't afford them and pass them by. It's called life..... At least this site offers a bunch of free info and does have some free articles you can learn from. But keep in mind that if it ever goes away you will be back to paying for almost every tidbit of rod building information that you need. You will not find another site with the variety and quality of free resources this one has. If this one ever goes away you'll quickly realize just how good you actually had things......If you goe to the well too often you run the risk of running it dry.

Not taking sides and not wanting to give anybody a hard time but we all need to keep in mind that Tom could just as easily institute a $25 fee to access this site and its assorted informational features and then make it pass word protected so that those who don't pay, can't play!

At least one other site has already done this and their info isn't nearly as vast or as good. Go to any of the other free sites like this one and about all you'll find is a message phorum. What other rod building site has all the free informational features that this one does??

I guess what I'm saying is not to look a gift horse in the mouth! Be thankful for what you can get there for free and understand why at some point you have to spend a little $$ to get the rest.

"You would be surprised at how few would even offer to send me things. I can count on one hand and half the fingers on the other. They know who they are and know that I am extremely appreciative of what they have given me. Only three in particular have amounted to more than a couple items."

Are you kidding me? You're on the boards asking for free stuff, then trying to run a guilt trip on everyone who didn't oblige with yor many requests for freebies. This is also just downright insulting: "glean what I can from what's here".

I dunno, if I had no income I wouldn't be worried about building rods, I'd be looking for a way to make money however that may be. I don't know your situation, I don't care - I see enough people panhandling on a daily basis to know that it's a lot easier for some to beg than it is to work. Geez, all teh time you spend on te.org GLEANING info, - take an on-line course and figure out a way to make money designing web pages or something like that.