I need a handle for a pretty heavy 7' spinner. It will be used only in salt water. Any suggestions for a pre-formed unit? Thanks.

Just about every supplier carries pre made cork handles. It's just a matter of clicking on one of the sponsor links and search for handles or handle kits.

I bought a 14"er from Donart (link to the left) at the show for a Muskie rod I'm building-great price and nice handle!

DR

Duane Richards (DR) Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I bought a 14"er from Donart (link to the left) at
> the show for a Muskie rod I'm building-great price
> and nice handle!
>
> DR

That 14" grip looks nice w/ 1 1/4" od. How are you planning to finish the butt end? Do you think there would be any problem cutting off 2"? Lastly, what are you using for a foregrip? Thanks.

Jason,

I am going to cut off 2" from the reel seat end.

I have painted 4" of the butt of the grip flat black, inlaid a 3" Pewter Muskie Pin that I got at the show into the black butt painted end. I have 3-4 coats of threadmaster already over the muskie pin and it's looking GREAT-its spinning now! One more coat of finish and the inlay is done. I also used the finish over the entire end of the grip for strength and abuse. Next I'll throw it on a mandrel, chop off the 2" from the seat end, leaving a nice tendon for the shaved 20mm casting seat thats already ready. My forgrip will be epoxy, marbled. Spiral wrap some Baston Zirconium's on it (tich foot/blue ring) and do a little marbling on those to match the epoxy ramp.

Then it's time to give the rod away. I'm building it for a friend of mine that takes me Muskie fishing once in a while, and on my 1st Muskie trip of this year he took me to a 45"er! Got my state citation just day this Saturday in the mail. So this will be my way of saying "Thanks!" to him.

I'll post a few pic's once I'm done-probably be a week or two since this is a "when I have time" type of project.

DR

Duane Richards (DR) Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Jason,
>
> I am going to cut off 2" from the reel seat end.
>
> I have painted 4" of the butt of the grip flat
> black, inlaid a 3" Pewter Muskie Pin that I got at
> the show into the black butt painted end. I have
> 3-4 coats of threadmaster already over the muskie
> pin and it's looking GREAT-its spinning now! One
> more coat of finish and the inlay is done. I also
> used the finish over the entire end of the grip
> for strength and abuse. Next I'll throw it on a
> mandrel, chop off the 2" from the seat end,
> leaving a nice tendon for the shaved 20mm casting
> seat thats already ready. My forgrip will be
> epoxy, marbled. Spiral wrap some Baston
> Zirconium's on it (tich foot/blue ring) and do a
> little marbling on those to match the epoxy ramp.
>
> Then it's time to give the rod away. I'm building
> it for a friend of mine that takes me Muskie
> fishing once in a while, and on my 1st Muskie trip
> of this year he took me to a 45"er! Got my state
> citation just day this Saturday in the mail. So
> this will be my way of saying "Thanks!" to him.
>
> I'll post a few pic's once I'm done-probably be a
> week or two since this is a "when I have time"
> type of project.
>
> DR

Wow!, sounds cool.
Mine is gonna be a simple inshore bay rod for my Dad, will be my first attempt at a decorative fish wrap butt. Thanks for the reply.

Here ya go Jason......this is just the inlay

[www.rodbuilding.org]

DR