Hey everyone,

I just ordered my first rod blank. Its a 9 foot 6wt blank that weighs 1.31 oz.... I am looking to buy the lightest possible parts to build a rod under 3oz.

If anyone can post links to the lightest hardware, Thread, and everything I need it would be appreciated.

I am probably going to go with black pearl REC guides. Are these the lightest?

Looking to buy everything from MUDHole..

Thanks for your help.

Some sort of graphite/nylon seat mounted on two 1/2-inch long foam arbors at either end. Carbon-skinned, foam-core grip, or all natural cork. REC or PB Minima guides. 00 or A thread with no more than 3 coats of Permagloss or Lumaseal. Keep the wraps short - start the wraps just a millimeter off the guide foot end.

I just walked back and weighed the components as listed above (Minimas guides as I have some of those) and the total component weight came to 1.46 ounces. This was with a nylon seat, carbon skinned foam grip and 9 guide set up with a size 16 dbl, 8 dlb and seven size 5 running guides. The thread and finish would add a little bit more, but not much. I'd guess the total for everything wrapped and finished would still be under 1.7 ounces. This would keep you at or just under your desired weight figure.

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

Hey,
Just wondering what blank you found that weighs 1.31oz?

Thanks

Even the Orvis Helios weighs in at 1.5 oz.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/09/2012 06:51PM by Larry Damore.

I too am curious about your blank. Curious minds want to know!

Greg

chances are, it should be a blank from mudhole as well ?

my 2wt and 5 wt came in 3.07 oz (TFO Finesse 2wt 7'3) and 3.4 oz (TFO BVK 5wt 8'6) respectively..the REC SF guides I used were in the sizes of RSF/RSFX 1,2 3 and strippers of Fuji CLSG10/REC RSG12 and the wraps were short and grips were all cork with a burl cork right after the recessed reel seat (2nd cork ring from bottom), I believe most of the weight might be at the reel seat. (I used Struble U3 / PacBay CL7RC)

2wt : RSF1 x 5, RSF2 x 2, RSF 3 x 1, Fuji CLSG10 - Struble U3
5wt : RSFX1 x 5, RSFX2 x 3, RSNX4 x 1, RSG12 - PacBay CL7RC

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Give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day..
Teach a man to fish, he'll be broke!

Curious to reasoning behind having to be at or under 3oz. My preference is to not put a graphite/nylon seat on a fly rod- just don't care for the look. Have used Batsons RA7 skeletons with a graphite inserts but don't see in my build notes what the weight came in at. Same with Struble. Sure if you called Batson's they could help you find the right set up.

Using TFO as an example, their 9' 6wt factory built is at 3oz.. they used carbon fibre reel seat

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Give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day..
Teach a man to fish, he'll be broke!

Christopher, Did you actually weigh a factory TFO 9' 6wt? If your 8'-6" is 3.4 how is 3oz possible. The channel lock weighs more than an A7 with graphite insert but? Recoil guides too.

no sir.. i dont have access to a TFO 6wt 9'.. i'm just quoting the weight from their website..

i may have forgotten to mention its a BVK that i was using as an example..

Blank weight : 1.8 oz
Factory spec rod : 3 oz

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Give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day..
Teach a man to fish, he'll be broke!