We're happy to bring Rod Builders a problem solving product that allows the application of a decorative shell veneers to a rod blank without the need for heat, soaking or boiling. These 5"X9" sheets are available in Abalone, Awabi, Mother Of Pearl and Paua. Take a look! --> []

As always, Thanks for your support!

Mark Griffin
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C&M Custom Tackle
San Dimas, California

So these sheets do not crack is that correct? Would I need to wrap the piece with thread until the adhesive is set?
Thanks
Billy

Fire Warrior Custom Rods

To answer your questions I think Owen Dare would be the best man for the job. He has played with this stuff quite a bit and it really seems to be be fun stuff. He sent me some to play with but I havent had time to play with it(still tending to Dad). It is very flexable and bendable. The stuff he sent me doesnt have sticky on the back but that should be easy enough to prepare. It feels like plastic abalone shell. Hopefully Owen will come out with some type of turorial showing how he has been applying it. I think he was waiting til Mark got it in stock so people can get their hands on it. I think it will open new opportunities to dress things up easier than spending hours winding thread around a rod and maybe give us guys losing some of our site and option to make some unusual wraps.

They won't crack like a traditional sheet of "shell". The shell veneer itself is only about .002" thick and is encased in PVC. When wrapped around a small radius the cracking is more like "crazing", but since the shell itself is so thin and is encased in a material that doesn't crack itself, any cracking/crazing is almost undetectable. In fact, after rolling a sheet of the transparent Paua around the shaft of a screwdriver, it had some very fine cracks through the shell layer that I could only see holding it up to a light. That very sheet is on our site in a picture titled "Back Lit Transparent Paua". If you click on that picture and enlarge it, you'll see what I'm talking about. Keep in mind, that sheet was wrapped around an object approximately 1/4" in diameter, with no heat or soaking. Wrapped around a 1/2" diameter blank, it doesn't do it at all.

Wrapping it with thread depends on the adhesive used. I'd recommend it on a "wet" adhesive, but it's not needed when using double stick tape on the opaque sheets.

Mark Griffin
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C&M Custom Tackle
San Dimas, California

Ok, sounds like a good product to try, thanks for the input.

Fire Warrior Custom Rods