I'm just getting started at this, so need a table for winding, etc. I was going to use an 8' piece of laminate countertop that you can pick up at Lowe's, etc. My intention is to use a couple of file cabinets, or Walmart sells these black modular cubes that are 15x15x15 with either two drawers, open on one side, or divided with a shelf. Most two drawer file cabinets are around 25-26" high. The question is how high do most of you feel is the "right" height for working, taking into account the height the rod will actually be when wrapping it, etc? I am a small guy...5'8" tall and would like to sit in a chair as much as possible to do the work. Two of the modular cubes from Walmart would be 30", putting the table top at about 31-32". The two file cabinets would put the working surface at about 27".

My space is limited, as I have to fit this into my "office", which is a small bedroom that already has a cabinet, a computer desk, a stand alone book shelf, and a three door file cabinet with a printer on top. The good thing is that the table will be in front of two 5' windows, so I'll have good natural light in the daytime hours. There is room to do this, but I can't go nuts with the table, so a 2' x 8' laminated countertop is about as deep as I can go.

Rod Building is something I've always wanted to do, and now that I'm retired I will have the time to do it, and it will give me something to do to occupy my time, hands, and mind. I'm meticulous by nature, so figured I could build a couple of rods for myself, and perhaps build 4 or so a month to sell to local Bass Tournament fishermen around here. I don't want to buy stuff but once, so I think my best bet is to go ahead and purchase a decent power winder/dryer like the aluminum base Pacific Bay type, a set of reamers, etc. I will likely be buying handle "kits", so won't be turning handles, etc.

I'm thinking I'll have about $500 in initial necessary equipment to get started...is that a reasonable expectation? Mostly I want to build quality blanks with the best guides, reel seats, etc. Nothing fancy, just very functional.

I used two of those 2 drawer cabinets built a box for under each cabinet. build them high enough to raise the bench top to where you want it. Made the top from MDF 4X8 cut to 24X 96 edged with 1x3

[www.rodbuilding.org]



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/30/2013 04:17PM by Barry Thomas Sr.

I've spent a great deal of time tinkering with and building my new wrapping station. I'm now considering raising my entire work station quite a bit so I can work from either an elevated seat or from a standing position. While I am considering this in an attempt to overcome some personal physical limitations, I can imagine some benefits in this arrangement over a more traditional lower bench most of us use, especially if you use your wrapper as a lathe (I do not). You may wish to consider doing this also.

Terry,
Another option is to use a 5 foot folding table and put the counter top on top of it. Inexpensive, portable and about the right height when sitting.

Most wrappers have rod rests that are about 5 inches above the work surface, so you need to take that into consideration.

Basically, if you sit at a table, and are basically erect - find a comfortable to have your arms and hands. I use a rolling chair, and like to be able to rest my elbows on the arm rest when wrapping.

Good luck

$500 initial but it can go beyond that if your not careful. Like some said before - I hope my wife doesn't sell my stuff after I die for what I told her I spent.

My work table top is at just under 30". I'm 5'7".
It's 3/4" Birch faced plywood cut down to 31 1/2" X 96" mounted on a steel kitchen style shelving rack on one end and a small chest of drawers of equal height on the other.

At my right side I set 96" x 24" similar table top for a computer and other things. It sits at 27 1/4" height on two similar steel shelf units which provide great storage.
The steel shelves were about $20 @ at Walmart.

Good lighting is critical.
I will be adding a 4' florescent light fixture over the wrapping table with a deflector to prevent glare from affecting TV viewing.
I highly recommend a Baush and Lomb Optivisor headset magnifier. Not sure if I got the 2X or 3X but I'd be lost without it.

My favorite tools include:
-Surgical scalpel with #11 blades. (last much longer than razor or xacto blades)
-1" X 30" belt sander from Harbor Freight

Tight wraps!

Try wrapping some guides on the dinning room table ( tell the wife ya got to try for the work table )
Then you should from there get an idea of how high to make it
You can always add to and make it higher Making it lower may be a pain LOL

Bill - willierods.com

My set up is: 28" high 8' long table, with a custom hand wrapper that is 9' high for a total of 37" in height. I sit on a 24" high stool, which puts the wrapper just below nipple level. very comfortable and not at all tiring!.

You don't mention the average length of the rods you intend to build. What you propose could work for a six foot rod, get iffy for a seven foot one, and not work at all for an eight footer.

I also think how the thread comes to the blank will determine if you want to be sitting or standing. If the thread comes over the top of the blank from the backside I'm more comfortable standing. So you might want to look for a wrapping solution that allows the thread to fed under the blank and allows you to wrap from the front side. In short try some experimenting to find what works best for you before you purchase. Also find out how you will deal with both sides of a double foot guide. Some folks simply have to wrap left to right and in one direction of rotation only. It never mattered too much to me but it might for you.

I guess I'm trying to say, in a round about way, that I think it would be a huge mistake to buy something before you wrap a few rods and see what works best for you. A couple of pieces of 1" by 4" with a V notch......and a spool of thread in a cup run between the pages of a phone book..... is enough to start with.

Defining quality blanks and best guides isn't so cut and dry. Also handles are one of the best places to customize so you might want to rethink that part. I would certainly look at making carbon skinned grips as you won't need a lathe. Also look into a business license so you can buy wholesale.


I'd rather see you spend that first $500 on equvilant blanks from a few of the makers of your "quality blank list". I could think of at least five brands on my "must try list" for bass rods so $500 won't go far. Build them for yourself so that you can tell a customer with conviction and knowledge which is the best for their needs. It is nice to have something to put in their hands.....or let them use on a fishing trip together.

Oh, and I don't build for profit, but if I was going to....I wouldn't overlook fly rods. Faster and easier to build with better profit margins considering what factory rods sell for....and it is a blast to catch bass on them not to mention very productive.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

All great tips, and I thank all of you. But of course, it always brings up other questions. I do not plan on building rods over 8 feet long, if that. More in the 6.5 to 7.5 range, unless it's a flipping/pitching rod, but even those are generally 8 feet or less. So, explain to me why the power winder shown on the Mudhole site, like this one [www.mudhole.com] , which is on a sectional 8 foot aluminum base would not work for those rods and an 8 foot table that has some space on the end for the tip to "hang over" if necessary. In other words, the wall is more than 8' long...more like 10'...but I cannot have the table 10' long as there is a closet door that must be opened on occasion. Plus, when you start talking about a table that is 9' long (which could fit), you get into having to have something custom made, as sheets of plywood are 8' long and most ready made countertops come in 6', 8', and 10' lengths for "standard" sizes.

If building Fly Rods, I would assume you work those in sections, as the fly rods I would likely build would be a minimum of 3 pieces, if not 5.

Am I missing something or simply too dumb/naive to not fully understand what I actually need?

My thinking is this: I can build a guy a rod that has a blank as good as any $250-$500 rod (MHX, MHX HM, Rainshadow RX8, RX8+) such as a G Loomis IMX, GLX, etc. for at least $150 less than the person would pay in a store like BPS, Cabelas, etc. Or is that wishful thinking on my part. Most of those "off the shelf" rods are not fancy with regards to winding, handles, etc. They are just functional rods with very good blanks, guides, and reel seats. I would build technique specific rods, like Spinnerbait, Crankbait (shallow and deep) Worm/Jig, Swimbaits, Jerkbaits, Topwater, etc. I personally use rods as short as 5 1/2 feet for certain situations. My Spinnerbait rod is 6 feet because 9 times out of 10 I'm throwing into heavy cover and need accuracy/control and not distance.

The fishing here down South is a lot of shallow water....less than 15 feet most of the time, with the occasional need to fish 20-30 feet, but in VERY few lakes/rivers would anyone be likely to be fishing even that deep. Generally speaking, Bass can be found year round here in 10 feet or less of water, even in the heat of summer or the cold of winter. Much of the water in the river systems and creeks feeding them have Cyprus Trees, laydowns, Willow trees overhanging the water, creek mouths, cuts, etc.. Some of the larger reservoirs like Guntersville are wide open, but even then you are fishing grass, or river ledges that are at most 20 feet deep. So the need for a 9 or 10 foot rod is virtually nonexistent, and if one wanted something like long, it would likely be a two piece, just for ease of traveling with it.

You guys are the experts here, I'm the ignorant one, so 'splain it to me, as Ricky would say...

The business model where you build and sell custom for less than mass high end retail is not as easy as one would initially think.

Since your market is the Bass guys you cannot build a rod over 8' for tournement fishing. Pretty hard to beat the mass market boys at their own game. You have to build a better rod for a fair price.

Rolly Beenen
Rovic Custom Rods