This is probably a really dumb question and I think the answer is probably "whatever looks good to you", but, I guess I'll ask anyway. Is there any need to have a winding check on a rod? I'm going to start putting together my first rod in the next couple of weeks and I just can't figure out why you would need it. My first rod is a 6'6" flyrod and the cork grip is tight against the blank so there is no gap. I'm also going to tie on my hook keeper right in front of the grip and run my wraps all the way to the grip. Is the winding check (or in some cases the epoxy ramp) used to protect the front of the grip or does it serve some other purpose other than cosmetic?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/02/2007 11:14AM by Burton Short.

Cosmetic.
reaming cork often produces a jagged edge around the top of the foregrip and the winding check covers this. Other than that it provides a taper to the blank

No need. If you have a nice, tight fit with the cork and do the hook keeper, butt wrap up aginst the cork it will be fine. The winding check does make it a lot easier to get a neat transition between the epoxy and the cork. Without it you have the problem of how to keep the epoxy off the cork or how much of the cork to cover. I have built rods both ways. I like the winding check better, but don't always use it.

The winding check if sizable keeps the end of the foregrip from chipping out. You can get by without one, but I like to use them as an engineered transition and to keep a constant theme, say Chrome or stainless: guide frames, reel seat hoods, hook keeper, Tags ends on your guide wraps, WINDING CHECK, it completes the theme, making it look like some sort of advanced planning was involved matching at least what the production rods can achieve. Now if it was a chioce between a a small black vinyl winding check and nothing...your not missing much but a transition feature. Not using a decent lg. metal winding check that accents a theme, is an opprtunity missed.

Heres what I do with a winding check
[www.rodbuilding.org]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/02/2007 04:19PM by Chris Karp.

I almost always use them, but I just generally use the cheapo black rubber ones. I've done a few rods without them, but I don't do it often. Here's why. When applying the last coat of epoxy, the slope of the winding check (i.e. right up against the cork) provides a template for the epoxy to follow. So, it's much easier to get a nice smooth transition. Plus, I don't like the look of epoxy up against cork. It just kinda' looks sloppy to me.

i used one on cork and it was nice but on the rod im doing now im using eva and i tapered the eva at the top of the foregrip and im not going to use a winding check on it

sometimes it looks good sometimes not

I recentlly built a rod with a eva split grip tapered to the rod with no check. I marbled the area of the blank between the split grips and was disappointed when the epoxy seemed to wick or penetrate into the foam a bit. It's black and white swirl foam, except where the epoxy did its job which is now black and dark grey. I dont like the end result and will certainly use a check the next time i have a similar configuration.

Thanks everyone. I figured it was a "whatever you want to do" type of answer but now I think I'm aware of some of the pros and cons. Thnaks again for all of the help!!!

Yep Burton - you've got the right idea. On certain rods I use them and like them as a part of the overall "look" of the rod. Otherwise, they serve no real purpose. You will find as your reaming inproves, your need for checks to actually cover anything will disappear. One neat thing I like to do - picked up from someone here on the board, is to use a little piece of silver chain or similar to make a check. I use 5 minute epoxy to tack one end to the rod (do this on the bottom of the rod so that it is not in normal view) After it cures, I dry fit the chain around the blank and locate the link that will bump up against the one I tacked on - cut the chain there, then tack it in a few spots and at the other end around the blank with more 5 minute epoxy. If you do it carefully, you can't even tell where the joint is. Wrap up against it with a thread of your choosing, and you have a nice looking check - then when I put my finish epoxy on the rod, I encapsulate the chain, building a ramp of finish epoxy over the chain and butting against the grip. Looks nice. Here's a pic of a rod I did like this....

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Rick, The chain is a real nice touch. Good forethought.

Thanks Patrick for the nice compliment. I wish I could take credit for the idea, but I "borrowed" it from someone here on the site - can't remember who off the top of my head. Just another example of why this site is such a great resource!

Terry Henson would have been the bloke, his feather inlays and scrimshaw work is amazing.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/03/2007 04:51AM by Michael Shea.

Rich Handrick Wrote:
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> Here's a
> pic of a rod I did like this....
>
>


Rich that is really nice! Very creative as well. It never crossed my mind that some one might use something other than the standard checks available.

Some of the idea's that people on this board come up with are amazing. It's as much fun to visit this board to see the different ideas/experiments (good or bad) as it is to learn about all of the basics of building different types of rods. I hope that one day I have enough time to put into rodbuilding to experiment like some of you on the board.