Well, I've been farting around, lurking, reading up, etc for about a year now on building custom rods. Mostly because I'm bored (life's full of those 2 hour gaps that are a bit too short to go fishing, and a bit too long to just do nothing. Laundry doesn't really take that long) but also because no one makes rods with split tennessee handles except quantum and the ONE they make costs $200. I'm a graduate student/teacher so I'm poor and that's not going to change anytime soon (read: EVER). I know this can become a pretty expensive hobby but research has also shown it can be done reasonably too. With that in mind, I've decided to begin with the bare minimum in tools, and start off re-building, because I'm one of those guys who over a long career of fishing has accumulated a wealth of $40-$50 rods that just weren't QUITE right, but have decent components and no resale value. So, for starters, I'm going to take a 6'6" M IM6 trigger rod and a 6'6" MH IM8 spinning rod, and swap them (i.e. make the medium casting a spinning and the mh spinning a casting, also going to shorten the med. 2", to 6'4") I should be able to re-use the guides, which are in good shape, and the blanks once I strip them down. So here's a list of what I THINK I'll need to get my feet wet. Tell me if I'm wrong, or recommend other cheap options.

Tom Kirkman's Rod Building Guide
V-Blocks (I made these out of a really sturdy cardboard box)
Thread tensioner (phone book)
A coarse round file from the hardware store
some scotchbrite pads
a pack of new razor blades
assorted sandpaper
my dremel tool
Size A guidebrod thread
Flexcoat epoxy and high-build finish
hook-keepers
handle materials (I'm going with complete handle kits to start)


I should be able to get all this for ~$100. What am I missing?

If you can reuse all the guides, you should be fine.

You will probably brushes or spatula for applying finish, a clamp of some sort for grips(elastic bands will do) or a quick grip type from hardware store, denatured or isopropyl alcohol for adhesive/finish cleanup, flat file for dressing guides. I see you have a dremmel but would start with a flat file first on guide feet if youve never done it.

You could also get some coarse paper, some old blank pcs/ broken rod butt sections and contact cement and make a few tapered reamers for yourself. Makes the job simple for reaming grips

Some other builders should chime in here and give you their opinion on this one. I find this type of building ie rebuild, repair to be very challenging and it takes good sound skills and practice to get a good result. There are some very well priced blanks out there to get you started which IMO will let you enjoy your first few alot more.

You may need a drying motor set up and some reamers to ream out cork grips if you are using cork grips . Medium and Fine files for prepping guide feet (unless you are using your Dremel tool for that. You should have a reel seat Arbor material.
Good luck that is how I started out.

Good Wraps Bob

I'd get a burnishing tool, spatchala set, some plastic mixing cups, flex coat syringes, all of these can be purchase from most of the sponsors on the board. And you will need some kind of rod dryer. These are the main tools that would buy if I was to start back at square one.

Steve Bro
(BroCo Custom Rods)

To some extent my desire to re-build has to do with stewardship of resources. I have 15+ rods with nice blanks and high end guides but which either have poorly designed grips or are just not set up for the type of fishing I do (i.e. spinning instead of casting, etc) and I don't want them to just sit around for 25 years unused. I have a quiver of rods that I"m currently fishing happily with, so I'm in no hurry to slap-bang some rods together, if I can take my time stripping down the old ones properly. Plus, I've heard re-building is a great learning experience, and as a high school teacher, I'm a patient man :)

I guess my understanding was that if I was willing to sit there, I could hand turn my rods while they dried? Is this not the case? Also, I will likely order the flexcoat kit that comes with the syringes, brushes, mixing deals, etc. What's a burnishing tool? Also, my assumption was that the coarse round file was in lieu of the reamers. See, I'm a newb. I guess that's what message boards are for.

Yes, you can hand turn to dry. Be prepared to turn 180 degrees every few minutes for 30-40 mins. (turn the rod , not you!) then less often for a couple of hours. You'll see if the finish is sagging. Some folks will wait till it sags then wipe the drops off before turning again. A burnishing tool is used to flatten out thread wraps. Some have pointed ends to help with packing , or pushing threads together so they lay tight against each other. Yes, you can use a round file for grips. Reamers are a big time saver though. You can make your own, or buy several sizes from a sponsor. Too bad yoy started this, now you won't have any time to spare, never mind an extra two hours.

Yes, you can hand turn to dry. Be prepared to turn 180 degrees every few minutes for 30-40 mins. (turn the rod , not you!) then less often for a couple of hours. You'll see if the finish is sagging. Some folks will wait till it sags then wipe the drops off before turning again. A burnishing tool is used to flatten out thread wraps. Some have pointed ends to help with packing , or pushing threads together so they lay tight against each other. Yes, you can use a round file for grips. Reamers are a big time saver though. You can make your own, or buy several sizes from a sponsor. Too bad yoy started this, now you won't have any time to spare, never mind an extra two hours.

If you have a broken rod around you can make your own reamers. I saw a turtorial somewhere I'll try to find it and post it

If it takes me 6 months to finish 1 rod, I'm okay with that. I don't want to let it cut into my fishing time, but it'll give me something productive to do in the hour or so after the kids go to bed besides watch TV, which I think is the biggest waste of time ever. If I just wrap 2-3 guides a week or something, that's ok with me. I like to do things right the first time.

There is an article on making tapered reamers in the online library here.

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

Nathan,

Do yourself a favor and get a drying motor. I still use one that I made from a $5 garage sale rotisserie motor, you can use just about any slow motor. Email me if you want to see how it works. I also firmly beleive that once you start, you won't want to take that long to finish one... or the next one... or the next. Enjoy the addiction!

+1 on the reamers too

Steve

Nathan,

You'll need making tape and to save $$ just get 1/2in wide roll and you can cut 1/8 & 1/4in wide pieces.
Tiny to small rubber bands or rubber tubing that you can cut bands from.

All the above are used for securing guides to blank for testing & wrapping.

Tom's book will show you how & what you can get by with & without but you
already have it pretty much covered. As you learn you will discover for yourself
what you will need depending on the specfic methods you prefer.

Raymond Adams
Eventually, all things merge, and a river runs through it..

Nathan,

I feel your pain, being a broke grad student myself.

You are right on track. Check with your supplier to know whether or nor you will need to order reel seat arbors, as I don't think many grips sets come with one. I will echo the comments on the reamers. Either build them or buy them. I picked up a set of the Batson reamers a while back at a fair price and they are very nice.

Personally, I don't use a drying motor, and you can certainly get by without one. The finish will lay down very nicely if you follow Tom's instructions from his book.

This hobby can be as cheap or as expensive as you want it to be, and I'm sure you will not stop with a few rebuilds!

Joe

reel seat arbors can cheapy be made with masking tape. I have built many a rod using nothing but maskin tape to build up for real seats. Cheap and easy.

A shot glass for mixing epoxy, clean up with denatured alcohol, knitting needles as burnishing tool, paper towels for clean up, use the old credit cards as spatulas, braided fishing line as thread pullers, rod wrapping stand from scrap 1x2 lumber, felt strips and C-clamps.

If you use masking tape for seats, use 1/4" . And put just three sections on, one on each end and one in the middle. This way the glue adheres to the blank in between the tape. If you put tape completely on the blank and then glue the seat on the tape it will come loose.

Arbors are a lot better.

Bill - willierods.com

For me it was better to start with what you are starting with and then add thing as you can. You may not have the the best first rod but it will be one you bilt and I am sure it will work just fine for you. I t will not be the only one you will build. Cabelas has expoxy in packets that help when you start. Also can use perglass which is quick drying but take more coats. Good luck.

Edwin Kime

Some of billy V`s medication
an Ipod
along with a kettle and a BIG jar of coffee your off to a good start
DONT buy everything at once just toms book (or dale clemens if you can get it) other stuff you sort of aquire as you need it
but a roll of Masking tape is essential