It should come as no surprise to the pros here that many only build as a hobby. One can ask any question and gets great advice. I find myself wondering about the things I might be doing wrong but don't know any better. So I thought I'd ask the pros.....what are the things you normally see that clue you in that the rod wasn't built by a professional and/or craftsman? Assume we aren't talking about attempts to make works of art but simply functional fishing rods.

Not that I'm a pro but I'll kick it off with one that bothers me that I see often. I hate to see glue lines/runs on grips/handles/gimbals. With some painters tape and a paste epoxy it isn't that hard to be perfect.

I suspect I don't know how to burnish properly. I don't like NCP thread and would just as soon not use CP so I wonder if a pro would look at my guide wraps and think OMG, you can see the tag ends when he introduced that color for his inlay....how Tacky!!!! Good chance there are countless things many of us do that mark us as amateurs and we are blissfully ignorant of them. Hoping for some good discussion and a lot of learning on this topic. Thanks in advance.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Poor fit and finish, i.e. ill fitting parts, adhesive seep, inconsistent finish, rough cork, thread gaps, etc. None of which are likely to undermine the function of the rod, but they don't exactly contribute to commanding top dollar on the sales front.

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

Hi Russ,
In addition to Tom's comments I'd add wavy finish ends and problems associated with applying it.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

After a few minutes reflection, I remembered a comment you made about microwave guides some time ago. Basically you were saying, "why wouldn't you want to take advantage of the ability to offer a customer something no production rod campany could offer"?

It made me think that as long as I am using the same standard parts that all the production rods use, I haven't done anything to set my work apart from theirs. I suppose I'll have to give myself a demerit in that area. In my defense I can only say the offshore salt water crowd is resistant to change. I can get some to admit an acid wrap is the better choice but none (that i have conversed with) would buy one.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Too much tension on the thread that will make the wraps too tight. Not practicing your techniques before applying them to a rod for yourself or a customer.

Other than what has been said, a good rod builder-hobby or pro-should build the best rod for the technique or type of fishing the client wants to do. I have seen some fishermen with custom rods that they have paid top dollar for but not suited for the type of fishing that they do.

Incorrect sizing of components (ie. guides, reel seats, handle length) and odd spacing of guides that it obvious that a proper static test was not performed. Gaps in the thread art. Bubbles in the finish. I have been building rods for a long time, but I can honestly say that I have done all of these at one point in time. :)

The biggest mistake a new rod builder can do is not leaning how to do a Static guide distribution test as this is the most important thing to learn and all new rod builders should learn how to do this before they even build a rod. I see this all the time with the new rod builders as they seem to think that they can just go to the Batson rods web-site and download a rod recipe and use it on there rod build and they get stuck on building all there rods this way. While it is true that you can download the rod specs off of the Batson.com web-site that matches the same Batson blank A blank made by a different maker like Lamiglas will not work with those same specs that you downloaded off the Batson Web-site as all makers are different. Another thing is using to heavy a tension on there thread as loose tension is better so that you can adjust the guides later and when it comes a strong guide wrap that is were the epoxy does it's job it is not the thread that makes it strong. One tip on getting a nice finish on you guide wraps is take your time and learn to use a light finish like Pro Kote and do only one guide at a time it will give much better results when done.

Glenn McMurrian



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/11/2013 04:01AM by Glenn McMurrian.

Man,
I'm basically a hobby builder. I have sold a few. Now I have made some stupid mistakes. I like to position what I do as more like a custom shoe. What I mean is that I try to make different handles and grips. I like to focus on how you hold your rod. The length and type of handle, in my humble opinion, should be a very personal item. It should be comfortable as well as functional. Now I'm not a Jedi cork turner. But I am not afraid to try something new. Some of you do some awesome work and I would love to be as creative.

One of the hottest selling builders out here doesn't do crosswraps, marbling or super detailed grips or thread work. Guys are lining up to buy his rods across the nation.

EVA grips with X flock, ALPS seats, black thread with a single color trim band. And dude is KILLING IT.

Moral? - Get good at something and find the customer base for it. You don't have to know every technique in rod building to sell rods like a pro.

Since it is most all about price What is he charging I read a post that some ( who don't need the money ) sell for parts invested

Bill - willierods.com

Likely the most common mistake is building a rod, that doesn't work for the user through any of many different possibilities.