All, thanks for your advice in this thread: [www.rodbuilding.org]

I cut off the offending guides, rewrapped, and then refinished. Still not a master's work, but I'm happy for my first rod.

Some notes:

- My reel seat insert is too long for my G Loomis Venture 5 reel foot. The uplocking ring is nearly off the threads when I have it good and snug. My solution so far is to wrap the reel foot with a couple turns of masking tape so it snugs up more quickly. Downsides are that the tape is ugly and adds more weight to an already heavy-ish reel.

- I used lite build epoxy for all the wraps and still had some issues with high spots after the second coat. Any ideas on how to fix this?

- My wraps on the single foot guides are way too long, IMHO. Having 1/4" of decorative wrap only on the rod and not the guide foot is cool and all, but does it really add to the functionality/strength of the total wrap?

In any case, I'm already starting on my second rod and will appreciate any feedback/ideas/dos and don'ts you all can spare.

Thanks a bunch!
Brian









Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/20/2007 12:22PM by Brian.Watson.

thread finish... just put on thinner coats. it takes practice to learn what is thin enough to create what you like. you'll get it down by the third rod... ;-)

by the way, nice looking rod. did you specifically choose that reel seat? it's a very popular one out there, pretty standard in rod building kits i think.

as for the reel foot, you could try putting tape on the bottom only of the reel foot to address ugliness. the added weight shouldn't be too much, it's not "swing weight" at the reel's location like it would be at the tip of the rod. you could even try epoxying a small piece of inner tube to the bottom of the reel's foot to take up space. there's also that rubbery material available for taking off stuck jar lids, even offered as shelving liner. its flexible, somewhat soft/pliable and perforated in a honeycomb pattern and available in several colors. that might work too.

eric
fresno, ca.

Brian,
It pays to test the reel seat / reel seat insert fit before you glue things together. An insert is at it's best length when the hood just comes even with insert with the barrel nut fully tightened. This gives full display of the insert but leaves some threads if they become necessary to use. Inserts come in many sizes so it pays to check lengths ahead of time.

I only wrap about three wraps off the guide feet to minimize weight on fly rods. Extra wraps off the foot serve no practical function. If I do put a cosmetic trim on it will only be a two wrap contrasting ring applied after the main wrap is complete.

Stan Grace
Helena, MT
"Our best is none too good"

I had an issue with a reelseat being just a tad too long. Use the suggestion of putting a spacer built up of multiple (if needed) layers of masking tape on the underside of the reelfoot....I did and it worked perfectly!