I just submitted some pictures of a rod that I just assembled. Since I have not been able to manufacture a graphite blank I visited the St Croix plant and got a 9 ft, 2 piece steelhead blank. I added some single foot alconite fly eyes and some double foot casting eyes. I used an exposed blank Fugi reel seat and wrapped them in a spiral wrap using some manufactured metallic thread in bronze, silver and black. I used what I think is called a never ending chevron pattern on the forend and on the butt. Then I found some old pieces of arbor vitae and some corian counter top and assembled some walnut and maple in a checkerboard pattern and gued it all up and lathed it down in a split grip. The finish is 3 coats of permagloss. I didn't have a tip available so I assembled one from another single foot alconite fly eye. Final finish of the wrap was done with 2 coats of LS Supreme thread epoxy. Simple thing any one can assemble. I have an Okuma AL-100 reel loaded with 6 lb. mono on it. I plan to throw 1/4 to 3/8 oz jigs and crank baits for river small mouth and browns with it. Sure hope all this assembling doesn't fall apart.

Great looking rod, if you ever want a faster actioned blank for throwing the same stuff, the IST 993 Rainshadow is a dandy.

Thank you for your reply. I started this thread and the photos as a tongue in cheek approach to the thread of a few days ago about building rods was getting to be so easy that maybe it was not a craft and we are becoming only assemblers of parts.

LOL - great tongue in cheek :-)