What are you working on? I am finishing up a 4 weight fly rod with carbon grips for my uncle. Starting on a new downrigger rod for myself. Got the grips turned and glued on this morning. Put the finish coat on a RHW carbon grip for a 5 weight rod i plan on taking to shasta with me in april, and started laying out the details for a loomis imx mb782 ive had laying around for a while. Thinking split carbon/blue glass grips with tlsg3.5 fujis all the way out not sure yet. I really wish i could go to the big show, but at least i can bury myself in rod work. LOL. Oh well i probably would have just purchased a whole bunch of stuff my wife says i dont need. LOL

I am with you Phil!
Since i cant go to the Big Show i dived in my work.
I am building a Snapper rod with 3,00m, a 11´ Spinning rod and a Jigging rod with 1,90m.
Its the only way i have to not think in what i am losing.
Abraço

Nuno

I am taking a look at several older rods that I use for my bass tournament fishing and re-evaluating the guides used. Now most of these rods were completed some 15 years ago and the guides used were very typical of the time. Switching to mostly micro guides and smaller double foot guides where applicable. Also on some decided to remove the long butt wraps I put on them. Can't believe how much lighter these rods are turning out from when they were first worked on. Can't wait to get out and use them.

I'm sittin around planning a couple of builds for my Florida peacock bass trip. and spending more money than I should in building stuff...should of went to the show...

OK

Ware to start - Well I got a return that the owner broke the tip of. He sent to Lami and they lost the first rod with the guides on the tip I was going to strip and replace.???? Now they sent me a new blank. Set price now got to make a complete rod. Making a quick lock fore grip on a Fuji ECS seat. Have to ream cork to fit the quick lock section. Shape the split grip and hopefully get it glued on.

Got a black fish rod that I am doing a spiral on. Guides on have to wrap. The sixth one from him

Got a 8/9 fly rod the guy started to put the guides on. Thought I could keep the first three on. Spacing wrong so I took them off and waiting for the new guides to come in to space and wrap.

Just finished three hook keepers on some for another guy. He has some more for me

O ya, got some eva strips and blocks to cut and play with.

My week end is full !

Bill - willierods.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/2011 10:59AM by bill boettcher.

Just finished four rods. I was planning to go to the show, but the $381 speeding ticket I got in Virginia at Christmas time changed that.
I am using some of the time to make award certificates for the first gathering of Ohio Rod Builders.
We are a group of mostly hobby rod builders that meet monthly.
We are taking it to the next logical step. A public gathering with door prizes, food, a couple of seminars and most importantly, good conversation.
Many thanks to Tom for giving us mention in RodMaker.
We look forward to a good turnout and the opportunity to promote our passion.

Always learning,
Joe

Phil, must be a Calif thing. Main focus for me today is about 4 different carbon fiber grips. A set for a striper rod. Finish a split grip set on a Shikari bass rod. Set for a kokanee trolling rod and a set for a Rainshadow swimbait. Black, purple/black and blue/black are the colors.

Plus completing a big crosswrap. It'll hopefully drown out the disappointment of not being at the show.

Fred Hall in 2 weeks though! LOL

Dragged my camper to the coast and now washing the boat.
I've got 1 to wrap and a couple of grips to put on, if I can ever get the dang grips. I'm too lazy to buy rings and turn them so I wait.

Most of my current work load is centered around lures. I'm repainted a few for some guys in the local bass club and I've been working on a few custom lures for a guy in CA. I'm also looking over my lineup of musky rods. I'm planning a trip to upstate NY in May and I'm thinking of rebuilding a couple of my current sticks for the trip. I just bought a Curado 300DSV for my 3SW80HF that I built to throw bucktails and some of the smaller crankbaits that I make. The wind blew an opening in the ice on one of my ponds so I went down and took some casts with my new setup. Works great. I'm itching to get fishin'.

jeremy

No fishing rods today; I'm "helping" my son with his Pinewood Derby car, trying not to do much of the work for him.

George Forster
Fort Collins, CO

Must be something about rod builders, I'm also helping a fishing buddy and his son with their Pinewood Derby car, buddy lives in a condo, has no tools, guess who does? Rod Bond came in real handy for attaching weights to the back of the car.

Working on a Batson RX7 IP842 Popping rod for wade fishing on the Texas gulf coast, not in the gulf but mostly working around the edges and in the bays.. I've got everything on it except the butt cap which had to be back ordered, should be in and ole day now from MudHole. I'm also ordering a Lew's bait casting reel for it and can't do the static test until I get it. I use a castaway seat and Amtk micros doing an acid wrap. #3 runners.
I'm also working on a rod for use on a slide line rig ( some call it a trolley line) out on Bob Hall pier, shark, king mackerel, jack crevalle, tarpon or anything that jumps on the hook. It's on a Batson FSU56H with @#$%& acid rollers and a Stuart UB2 butt. I used a diamond cut foregrip and it looks and feels good. I put on the transparent abalone veneer today and I hate it. I will keep it the way it is so I can use it this spring but as soon as the Kings stop running I'll cut it off and contact Kevin Knox at Anglers Envy and see what he has. He's introducing a new veneer and process at the expo but obviously I'm not there so I'll have to wait like the rest of you. Anyway that's about the jest of it.
Bob

Bob Mankin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Phil, must be a Calif thing. Main focus for me
> today is about 4 different carbon fiber grips.

I put together a cork grip last week just because i hadnt done one in so long. All i have been working with are composite grips and i wanted to do something different. Well about half way through sanding it on the lathe i rememberd why i hate turning cork. My eyes were all itchy/red and my nose was all plugged up with dust. LOL That stinking cork makes me react something terrible. Im sticking to foam from now on unless i wear a respirator.

Just finished up a Carolina rig rod on a Lamiglas blank. Tried the Abalone for the first time. I'm 85% satisfied. Hopefully my next application will be better. It sure looks awesome.

Getting started on a shaky head rod next. How's that for opposites? The real problem here, is we're still three plus months from fishing anything important here in MN.

AC
FishinFreaks
Rogers, MN

Made a new mortising fixture...Put up some pics + a separate post.

Walt Natzke
Ripon, CA

Musky Fishing! :-)

DR