I thought I would start a thread with a post listing one or two thing(s) to be used in rodbuilding that I wish were available that currently are not. It could be a rod component or maybe a tool, or a process. Given many manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers spend some time reading our posts here, maybe we could get some of wishes answered with new products.

What I wish for would be 1) a good swiveling roller tip for spiral wrapped rods with tight tolerances that can handle smaller sized wire lines, and 2) a larger selection of two piece rod blanks in the 7-8.5' range.

My wish was always for some sort of automatic guide foot grinder/preparer tool. Sort of like a pencil sharpener - stick the guide foot in, turn a handle a few times and out pops a perfectly prepped guide foot.

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

A larger room to do my rod building. and someone to keep it clean.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/24/2013 07:35PM by Randolph Ruwe.

A ROOM to do my building in A real lath also LOL

Bill - willierods.com

The wishes that the suppliers can't control have to be worked on by us. I can control the heating in the winter; I just bought an air conditioner to control summer temperature.
My ideal is 68°-70° F. I now think I am in Fahrenheit heaven! There is nothing that our suppliers can improve on, THEY ARE PERFECT!!

"It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble.It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." Mark Twain
John in Wethersfield, CT

Tom's got the right idea, in his case, something we don't have available to us that would make our life easier - an automatic guide foot grinder.

Bill, Randolph, while you may wish for a room, the idea is to list things we would like from a supplier, not something that is in our control like a bigger room or heat/AC, etc.

Perfect Suppliers?!?! Who and What?

I think the perfect product would be a one part or a two part rod finish that would provide PERFECT result every time. It wouldn't matter if the ratio was off by 20%, high humidity, low humidity, rods turning on an incline (not level), and never yellow.

I think everyone of us could benefit from at least one these desires.

Chester

May your line be tight and your beverages be cold!

I second Tom's wish! My least favorite task in rod building is preping guide feet. On second thought, how about guide feet that need no additional preparation!

How about a 5pc set of tapered rasps (conical) 18" long for reaming out EVA/halpon grips, chuckable too!

Dennis J. Danku
(Sayreville,NJ)

Heavy duty single foot guides that could be used on musky rods and saltwater rods. Fuji used to have some single foot boat guides, but they seem to be gone, and I'd rather seem the from Batson or Pac Bay.

Reel Seats with arbors already installed.

More 2 pc. blanks in all models from 5' to 7' spinning.

Like Marc...I also like the heavy single foot guides. I was looking forward to doing some spirals with these...didn't even know they had gone off the market.

Some sort of fiber optic line to run from a post mounted in the reel seat to the tip top, to help line up guides.
(did that make sense?). As I get older lining up the guides seems to get more difficult.
Or a room I don't have to dust!

TJB

Thomas Bell Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Some sort of fiber optic line to run from a post
> mounted in the reel seat to the tip top, to help
> line up guides.
> (did that make sense?). As I get older lining up
> the guides seems to get more difficult.
> Or a room I don't have to dust!


I agree, some kind of Guide Alignment Tool would be fantastic!

I'll make it a combo of others as it seems we have common dislikes and wishes.

How about blanks coming with a straight line on them for guide alignment purposes (please don't mention spine). Think of a chalk line, that easily wipes off with the right substance, but is durable otherwise. Couple that with guides that have a peel and stick backing. The product on the backside of the guides would tack them in place, yet allow some movement, while doing away with the need for any prep on the backside of the guide. It would be something that, once encapsulated with epoxy, would set up in the absence of air. There are thread and gasket sealants that work like this. I think it would be possible to get a tough, yet flexible, bond to the blank. Think of something that cushions the blank to guide interface while filling in all the gaps and provides optimum flexible adhesion.

Don't be stealing my ideas now.....lol!.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Titanium Microwave Guides, and a list from suppliers with winding check measurements similar to the mhx size sheets for other Blank brands.

Cheers

Mark Newcombe
Old Bar NSW
Australia
markscustomfishing.com
American Tackle Pro-Staff

Hello All.

I would like to find a laser mounted on a reel foot that I could use to line-up guides.(anyone got one?).

Take it easy everyone.

Bob,

New Bern, NC.

Thomas, Craig, Robert,

The laser idea seems doable, but am not sure about something, are you talking about a single beam point-able down the blank or a laser that would throw a line (spinning beam) down and just above the blank? Which way do you envision and how would you use it exactly?

The laser is a great idea, but would be difficult to implement...maybe.

Unless you have a way to throw it between the rings (not sure how that would help in alignment anyway) you would have to line up the guides by spotting the guide foot. This could theoretically be done by lining the guides starting from the tip and working toward the seat, but there are potential issues there as well.

1) You need to be sure the laser mount is steady in the seat. Many times you can "shift" a reel foot even when tightened down in the reel seat.

2) You would have crooked blanks to contend with.

3) You really would only be able to align the guides during tape-up, but not after binding. You'd still have to re-align by eye before finish.

I'm of course only thinking of single beam lasers. If there's other technology that would be useful, please share it!

I actually goofed around using a laser level but several problems ended the experiment quickly.
Laser located above reel seat. Problem one is my wrapper (3 piece model) isn't straight, 2: rod isn't straight, 3: butt guides blocked beam, and last the laser beam was wider than the guides I was using - BLAG 4's. Never thought about trying from the tip but that sounds like a better idea.
That's why I was thinking of a fiber optic line that you could put through the guides and bend the rod a little (kinda like a static guide placement test only bend the rod up). If the line was bright enough and at the top of the guides then the line should be straight looking down from the top? And I could do it at night, seems lining guides using room lighting and lining up using sunlight have different outcomes!!

TJB