Hey Y'all,

Just signed up a few days ago, brand new to rod building. In fact, i'm working on my first rod, and i think things are going pretty well. It's a 6'6" solid fiberglass casting rod that will be used for live bait for bull reds. I'm using cork grips with a long fore grip, and i got those reamed out (that took a while by hand) and glued on along with the reel seat (Fuji). I've got the tip top glued in place and the guides spaced and placed with masking tape. I'm using Pac Bay BRBHG Turbo guides and matching tip. First question is this - how big a difference will it make if the first guide is a 16 rather than the recommended 20? The 20 in that model is huge and looks out of place. So it's either a 20, a 16, and 4x12's or a 16 and 5x12's. What do y'all think?

Second question is about thread size. I'm going with A for the under wraps on the guides and D for the over wraps. I believe i understand that a general rule of thumb is A for freshwater and B for saltwater, but what about for the butt wrap? I'm going to try an underwrap of nylon with a chevron of contrasting nylon and metallic. What sizes should i use for those wraps?

I'll post up pics of the finished product, however good or bad it looks. Oh, i posted this same question on another board, but i haven't hung out here long enough to figure out how many folks frequent both sites. My apologies if you're reading this a second time.

Thanks,
kevin

That difference in guide size will not amount to much difference but as you learn more about custom building you will learn to disregard what you think looks right, based on years of seeing factory rods, and putting on components that are actually right based on the job they have to do.

You can use A thread on nearly anything outside of the largest saltwater rods. A solid glass blank does NOT need underwraps at all. But it's heavy enough that if you do add you aren't hurting anything. For easy, use A on bottom and D on top. But as you get better, you may dump underwraps altogether or learn to use A over A. On butt wraps A will tend to blend in and look smooth while D will still look like thread. For the underwrap I would definitely use A.

Hi Kevin,
Welcome to the wonderful world of rodbuilding, be prepared to become addicted. I'll second Ken's comments and add that I use "a" over "a" for everything, even heavy saltwater rods. A coat of cp on the underwrap will help for packing and keeping the overbind out of the grooves. Definitely use "a" for your butt wrap as it will look a lot better than"d"
Good luck on your first build.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

A just takes longer to wrap completely - Thinner

I don't think D looks that bad You already have a solid glass blank HEAVY AS IT IS SOLID
if you can try a Composite Lighter

Take a scrap blank wrap a guide with both make up your own mind

Bill - willierods.com

The size for your butt (first) guide would depend on how high the reel spool sits but I would bet the #16 will work fine instead of the #20.
The ring height is far more important than the ring diameter.

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

Hi Kevin ,

Welcome to the world of Rod Building, .If you are not Addicted to it yet you soon will be. This is the best site to get you'r info.or you'r fix when you get in bind. I to am a beginner (at it about 1 1/2 yrs . ).Check out RodMaker Magazine, Look to the left margin of this page,for web page The mag.is gold , worth every dime they ask for a subscription.

Get an old rod , strip it clean,take 2 spools 1 A and one D ,play with wrapping when you mess up you can roll the thread back and try again until you learn to do it right.,that's how I learned to make a double spiral wrap over a under wrap E thread. took me about 4 hrs. now I can do one in about 1 hr. I do love this art .good wraps.

Richard Curry

Maysville GA.

What is life without fishing ?