I've wanted to start building my own fly rods for some time now. It's been only recently that I stumbled onto Rodmaker magazine and this site! Can anyone tell me what equipment I need to starting building my own rods and what initial cash outlay are we talking?

Thank you!

Jared

Jared,
First of all, welcome to the craft of rodbuilding. you've already found a good site for information and 'the gathering' through the internet for rodbuilders. Stay with RodMaker magazine for great information and also suggest a few books including the one by Kirkman; Rod Building Guide. There is also a few choice videos like the ones from Artie Hebert, one in particular about custom building fly rods is very helpful.

As to what is needed? You'll need a good basic wrapper to start. There are some good ones on the market, one in the Flex Coat hand wrapper at a decent price and quite versatile. You can make such devices and will work adequately, but the ready made ones include managable thread tensioning devices and perhaps an extension and adjustable rests for the blank.

Once you go through the reading material, you'll have a pretty good idea about the materials and small tools that will ensure success in your project. As for cash layout, it depends on whether you go deluxe and super-functional with power wrappers and the use of top end materials, but I would suggest that many of the suggestions through this forum will help you a great deal about choosing certain blanks, components, epoxies, handle materials, and so on to keep beginning costs reasonalbe and enjoyable.

The basic setup should not set you back too much, and if you figure you'll be using the tools and equipment for a long time building more rods it represents a good investment. For just building one rod, you may want to go with hand-made or the very basic as described in the informational materials.
Start with the books, videos, and magazine articles and go from there. The sponsors here and participants will be very helpful to you.
You may perhaps pick up on a beginning rodbuilding class near where you live as well if you're lucky.

I'll be glad to send you our new catalogue which includes some of the basic books and equipment to get you started. I'm sure some of the other sponsors will also do the same.

Rich
Richard's Rod & Reel

welcome jared,
my begining equipment consisted of a home-made wrapper,I built with real nice red oak for a whopping 10 bucks!
and a dryer made from a rotiserie motor that I got at a yard sale for a buck. I think part of the fun of rod building is inventing your own tools, if you have even very basic McGyver skills you can get yourself going very quickly and cheaply. A machinist freind of mine just built me a wonderful spine finder the other day for nothing! he was intrigued by the whole idea and wante to see how it worked. I guess my advice is go cheap and simple first, then i you like it, spoil yourself with a good power wrapper and what ever else you decide you "absolutely need".

Welcome aboardJared; I also built my own wrapper using the meat grinder attachment from a countertop Sunbeam mixer, with a Stren spool for a pully. I guess I was lucky, my local Vo-tech has a night course teaching Rod building. a 10 week, 3hrs a night Bi-weekly Class. I learned the basics, and have not stopped learning since. I learn something everytime I Come to this site

good luck

Try using rollerblade wheels for rollers