Guys:

Been checking out the board for a bit. I've recently realized I have too much time and money (lol) and I need a new hobby. I want to get into rod building but don't really know where to start. Preliminarily, I'm interested in building on high end blanks to build my own collection and save a little $ on off the rack rods. Once I become a little more proficient, I figure I'll get into decorative stuff and gifts - I imagine that's a pretty standard progression.

In any event, I have too many questions to put into a single post, so I'll limit it to three for today.

First question - Is there a good book for beginners that I won't outgrow in the first few rods?
Second question - on the off the rack GL3's, lots have two brackets on the grip rather than a reel seat so you can move the reel around and tape it in place where you want it. What are these called? What is this type of grip called?
Third question - if a blank tip is 4.5/64ths of an inch in diameter, what size tip do you use for it? (as you can see, I really need a book).

Sorry if I annoy anyone with my uber-rookie questions. You guys are good at what you do and it seems like an addictive lifelong hobby.

Welcome Kyle,
Get Tom Kirkmans book or Ken Prestons both will answer your questions but most important get a subscrption to Rodmaker magazine to get in on all the up and coming techniques in the field. the grip you are talking about is a Tennesee handle and if you are fishing fresh water you dont even need the rings. Re enforced packing tape is the bomb.The tip top is a 4.5 tube/ 4, or 5 or 6 or 8 size ring. good luck with your new addiction.

Jason Kesckes. Aint no fish'n like bass fish'n

Welcome to the obsession, Kyle!!

#1 Rodbuilding Guide by Tom Kirkman is available from most of the vendors on the left. It will be the best $15 you can spend. Go to the vendors/mfr's on the left and request catalogs. Mudhole has a gigantic catalog that is an education in itself! Use the SEARCH feature here for info and select ALL DATES. Check the Library, Glossary and FAQ pages at the top.

#2 Those are generally referred to as Tennessee grips and have been around forever.

#3 Tips are listed as two numbers a 6-4.5 tip would be a size #6 ring and a 4.5/64th's tube.

Saving money is debatable. The advantage of a custom rod is that you match a blank that is optimal for the species/technique that you like with components/materials that aren't available on the same factory rod. You build grips the length/diameter/style that suits you best and you can use guide sizes/configuration that will make YOUR rod better than anything that you can buy off the rack. Keep in mind that the best blank may not be a "high End" one. There are a lot of great blanks that you probably wouldn't recognize because they don't sell rods

Have a ball and ask all the questions you like. You will get plenty of help

Typing at the same time, Jason!!!!

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 03/25/2009 08:31PM by Mike Barkley.

Kyle,
Of course Jason is right, I bought Tom Kirkman's book on the urging of this entire board it seems and I am very happy with the purchase. Even though it sounds like you are not overly concerned with price copies of Tom's book can be had on Amazon for extremely cheap. Also, I really think that you will find that building your own rods will not save you money from off the rack rods, or at least I have found that you spend quite a bit more in general unless you usually buy G Loomis's or something. Also, good thing you have a bunch of extra money because this is an extremely expensive craft. Jason is also very correct in suggesting that you subscribe to the magazine because it contains new ideas that you will not find in the books and besides everybody on this forum talks about nothing but the articles in the newest issue for the two weeks following delivery of the next issue. Don't buy anything until you do plenty of research and ask someone on here who knows as you will waste a lot of time and money if you don't. Personally I have found that many of the more experienced builders will be happy to take you under their wing and help you out.
Also I found that talking to one of these guys over the phone so that you can get immediate answers to your questions can help and the owner of Custom Tackle, Bob is happy to take your call and answer all your newvb questions, believe me I know, even if you are not buying anything. Look up Custom Tackle on the left, the site is out of date as far as what they carry but the number works and that is what you need.

Where are you writing to us from?
James

Richard, I am quoting Bob at Custom Tackle who has personally told me time and time again exactly what I said, so it should bother you that you can't believe that a business is still capable of such customer service that used to be a regular thing.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/25/2009 09:36PM by James Willard.

Thanks for all the help guys. I'm on a budget like everyone else. My uncle once said, "if you want to get a pool installed, it means you either have too much money or too much time on your hands. Which do you have?" I thought it was a funny quote and seems to apply to this craft as well.

I'm in Fayetteville, Arkansas. For the first few projects, I'll probably stick with less expensive blanks and materials to get the feel of things. I have quite a collection of store-boughts already, and I'm pretty partial to Loomis rods. Maybe it's cliche among the building community...don't know. I sure do love that fast action with lots of backbone packed into a nearly weightless bass rod. The majority of my fishing is creek-smallmouth fishing, White River and Little Red trout fishing, small lake canoe fishing, fly fishing (multi-species and conditions) and some big heavy dirty water stuff a little farther south. I'm prone to run around the big lakes as well, but I don't fish tournaments with any regularity. I'm sure there are lots of threads on blanks, but if anyone has any suggestions on supreme quality blanks comparable with the GL3 and GLX series, I'm all ears.

I'm going to order the book as soon as I post this. Thanks for all the input, and please don't be afraid to correct any misconceptions I have. I take criticism well!

The post by James Willard concerns me more than a little. I know we are all looking for the best bargains and prices but in the interim we may find custom rod building going the way of WalMart. This is all my opinion so others are free to disagree with it. I am not attempting to hijack the thread but wanted to remind people of something that may be important.

If you call a company like Custom Tackle Supply, or any other company, and pick their brains for advice, you should have the courtesy to spend some money with them. Time is money and if you keep them on the phone for even fifteen minutes you may have just cost them a couple hundred bucks in time that could have been spent selling product to somebody else. It is all too easy to forget that they must turn a certain amount of product over every day if they are to stay in business. I know, because I am in the sales business as well and the time I spend answering customer questions costs me plenty. When they pick my brain for what can run into a good half hour and then do not buy anything, I wish them well and silently curse under my breath as I hang the phone up. They just took valuable time from me and left without compensating me in any way.

Why would anyone buy a rod building book from Amazon.com? To save a couple dollars on what is already a very inexpensive book? Why not buy it from the companies that offer advice and service and put a few dollars back into the pockets of the companies that make the rod building craft what it is. Keep sending that money to Amazon and the next time you call Custom Tackle or another sponsor for advice you find that they are no longer in business. Then you can call Amazon and ask them about your next rod building project. Good luck with that.

This is just my .02 and that does not count for much, but if you want to keep these service oriented businesses around so they will be there to offer help when you need it, then you better consider spending your rod building dollars with them.

Dang Rich, tell 'em how you really feel. I'm in sales as well and feel it is my job to educate and grow a relationship that will bear monitery fruit in the short and long term. But then again, I account for 42% of my employers profit last year.
I started with a couple of DVDs as visual suits my learning style better. The folks at Mudhole have always been more than helpful. Not taking anything away from other suppliers but they have always had what I needed and haven't felt the need to shop around.

Richard,

Think of it this way, that person that you just spent a half hour on the phone with today for nothing, may be the one who calls in a couple hundred dollar order tomorrow. Or NOT, depending on the way they were treated the day before!! Make sense?????

Bill in WV

You are way, way behind the curve if you think I do not know that. But you are also way, way behind the curve if you think everybody does that. And I never said to treat anyone badly. Just the contrary.

I have found very often that those who spend the most time picking your brain for information are those who end up spending the least, buying nothing or going elsewhere if they think they can save a buck. I would bet that many of the people who own the companies in the sponsor column here will tell you the exact same thing. Make sense???



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/25/2009 02:51PM by Richard Kuhne.

These are all good points but are getting far away from the questions asked by the original builder. Let's try to get back on track. Thanks.


.................

Kyle if you dont understand anything ASK nobody on here takes any plesure in mocking newbies we all had to start somewhere And I`m sure even tom K would agree that although he is a mind blowing guru even he scratches his head sometimes and has to revert to a learning process.
The only stupid question is the question that you dont ask and screw something up by not asking ( plus mistakes while a good aid to learning can be costly )
one piece of advice though.
Dont practice on straight poles try and use an old blank and get used to the taper straight away.
You dont need expensive equipment to start with just do a search on the photos page for simple equipment that you can make or find.
(you will be surprised how quick you build up a decent "toolkit")
as for the original question
a tip that is a nice sliding fit (if you get a tiptop gauge then you should be able to get it right fairly quickly. as for size of tip ring .... personally i try and go for either the same size or the next size down from the first guide behind it
IE a first guide of 8mm diameter tiptop either 8mm or 6 mm depending on what sort of rod.
(but thats just my way others may say differnet have a look at a few gudie spacing charts and they give you a good starting point)