hey guys im about to start off my next build in a few weeks by ordering some parts and i have a few questions.

the build will be a GUSA B70LXF 7' Ex-Fast Light 2-10 1/32-5/16 4.5 .46 1.67

i will be runnign anything from 4-10lb PE braid through it

1. Guide Setup.

Will i be better off building it with Fuji Sic guides 25,16,10 TATSG then runnign 6's TLSG's and either fly guide tip or sic tip.

OR,

Fuji TATSG 25 stripper then recoil guides same as above then SIC tip.


2. Grip

A) i want to have a custom grip on this rod and would like it to be super hard black eva with light green inlays built on a FUJI IPS reel seat but,

B) how do you cut the grip to make it fit into the reel seat snugly with no gaps??

C) also, would anyone in AUS be willing to make me up some of the Foam cored grips with that carbon fiber skin?? and would they be any lighter than cork or EVA. i want this rod to be super responsive so the lighter the grip the better in my opinion. is it possible to have that carbon fiber skin over curved surfaces?

and another.

D) i want to build the IPS upside down so you have the locking grip below is that just as simple as turnign it upside down?

sorry for the numerous questions but thought id ask it all here.

Hi Tom.

Good choice of blank for bream spinning ( I presume).

Using REC Recoils would be lightest, with the TATSG's and TLSG's second. With the Recoils most suggest using a SiC tip as well as the TATSG butt guide. Full set of Ti framed ceramics would look better in my books.

As for hard EVA, I dunno mate, it varies in consistency from suppliers. The simplest inlays are just thin rings glued and sandwiched in the EVA, and turned down. Easy if you have a lathe, and start from square stock.

Reversing the IPS seat is easy, but you'll need the foregrip and nut assembly. Then it's just as simple as putting it on upside down. To cut the grip to fit the seat, Ray Jorgensen (Classic Custom Wood on the left) has a picture tutorial on his website. You'll need a bandsaw or jigsaw, in addition to having the EVA bored out to the right size.

I hope someone can help you with the foam cores and carbon skins. I am also very interested in it.

sweet thanks a heap.

i have access to band saw lathe etc etc at my school.

thanks

Double check on how the Recoils handle braid. I had a vendor tell me once they were susceptible to grooving so you might want to stay with SIC. You know Fuji makes LSG3.5s which would be really light. You might have to go with a 4 or 5 ring top, but I would think that would be even lighter. One more thing, I would think you could step your guides down more quickly; say 25, 16/12 then running, or even 20, 10/8 then running.

I agree with Marty there too. Tom, you may want to check out MO Tackle. Their catalogue is online and also in many newsagents in print form.

thanks for the input guys.

i think i will go with straight through Sic's

25/20, 16/12 TATSG, then running TLSG 4's or 5's or even 3.5's

What size reel? Try 20,12, 8L, fly6, then smaller ones out to the tip, or 25, 16, 10, fly8 then smaller to tip. Your e-mail is hidden. Would be good to bounce ideas around, as those line class rods are pretty much what I concentrate one (and put to the sword!).

The rule of thumb is that the first guide should be 0.5x the spool diameter and that the first running guide should be 27x the spool diameter away from the spool (e.g. a spool of 50mm in diameter would call for a 25 stripper and the first running guide would be 1350mm away from the face of the spool).

Having said all that, guide heights and line path might change exactly what you use between the spool and the first running guide; and braid is also compatible with smaller guides than mono; and when using 10# and under braid (really small stuff) I use a Shimano Sahara 2000 or 750, which have spool diameters around 37mm and 43mm respectively.

For a rod like you're building, where you want it light in the hand and big fun with small fish, I would use the smallest braid-friendly ceramics you can as running guides (Fuji Alconites are perfectly fine for braid and saltwater, but they may not be available in all the same sizes as the SIC). I'm not sure what's available in Australia, but I imagine Fuji is accessible if nothing else. I would buy BYAG/YSG 25, 20, 16, 12, 10 and 8; and I'll bet you can use the 20 for the first guide unless you are using a bigger reel than what I envision. You won't need all those guides, but you won't know which ones work until you put the blank on a table and begin to lay out your New Concept setup, and having to make another order is more trouble than it's worth. If it were I, I would try to get away with BYAG/YSG 20, whatever worked for the second guide and then right to my running guides.

I'm strictly a novice builder so lots of other guys here have more experience, but I've putting together several of these type rods for panfish in local farm ponds and for fishing UL in the suds at the beach, and I've found myself using fewer and smaller guides prior to my running guides, especially when using braid. I just ordered a batch of size 3.0 and 4.0 ceramic fly guides from Bob McKamey at Custom Tackle for just these kinds of setups.

That's what I was hinting at Marty, but the rod's 7 ft long, and the "choke point" location (27X) may be further up the blank than just 3 guides, will allow, based on reel size, handle length, etc. I agree with getting the range of Y guides from 25 to 8.

wow thanks for the input guys.

i already own one 1-2kg samurai S100X which i use for finesse aplications matched to a shimano Stradic FI 1000,

so this will be a slightly heavier rod i can still use for bream etc etc as i plan to become a tournament fisherman very soon fishing Australian Bream Tournament series, but can also double up to handle snapper and small kings etc etc.

to make things easier in ABT competitions i will require 2 rods (one for hardbody presentations and one for Soft plastic presentations) which is what this rod will become.

i plan to match it to a Daiwa Sol 2000 or Luvias 2000 OR Shimano Stradic 2500

so,

Guide setup, i think i will order 25,20,26,12 and 8 In either BYAG/TATSG

then running 4-6ish?? fly guides with a one up tip size. either the alconites or sic


Grip, it will be a split grip handle desgin with an upside down IPS seat configuration, built out of either cork or foam with inlays sandwhiched in at random angles.


I sincerly thank you for your words of wisdom as i am only very new to rodbuilding and every bit of information i get i store in my little brain so that i can keep getting better at making rods.

so thank you very much.

oh and by the way in about 2 weeks i will have my own shop set up in my garage and my own little business running repairs and custom builds.

woo

thanks guys

Tom

Tom,
All that sounds great; but just to make sure I'm not being confusing - BUY all those guide sizes, but DON'T USE all those guide sizes. You will need different sizes at most to step down on a rod that size, and with braid I might even tweak the setup a bit to try and get away with two sizes before running guides. Even if you go with a BYAG25 for the first guide, you should need nor more than two additional guides to get down to the size of the running guides.
Think about it this way - the Fuji LC surf guides, which I understand are designed for braided line in surf applications, don't come any smaller than a 20 ring (though it may be a high one). Get all the guide sizes and experiment casting with different guide configurations taped on. You might also refer to Tom Kirkman's article in Rodmaker a fews years back in which he lays out how to build a light smallmouth bass rod.
Have fun.
Marty

Hey Tom, how's the action on the Samurai S001X? I find most of the Samurais a bit underrated. Would you rate it as fast, mod-fast, or medium? True to the line class?

yeah marty i wont use all ill try to aim for 2 then the ones i dont use my dad will.

Ted, um i rate if very highly for a small hardbait rod. the action i would call it fast/mod and i have caught some big fish on it. i love it so much, its only about 6 months old and will be getting rebuilt in about another 6 months becasue i am ot fond of the grip set up on it at the moment. but as far as the blank goes i rate it very highly for only 90 aussie dollars.

i hav built up a S200X for a mate and its an exellent soft plastic rod, nice and crisp perfect for those delicate twitches.

another question.

how do you guys rate the new TITAN ring lock fly guides.

are they as good as the Sic's?? and do they have matching high frame single foots??

I have just finished building a bunch of light rods like you are building.
I have used Fuji Alconite guides in 25, 16, 10, 8 - low, 7 bridge, 6 fly, 6 fly, and 6 tip.

The setup is perfect, the line runs true and the distance is great.

The alconite work just fine for braid, and are much less expensive than si guides.

Take care
Roger

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I did some test casting with other guide sizes - both smaller and larger and found that these sizes worked out very well with no hassle and clean running line.