Hi Everyone, new to the board as well as to rod building. I am looking to get started and was thinking of getting one of the Mudhole turnkey rod kits to get started. Anyone have any experience with these kits? I'm thinking of getting the 3 ice rod kit as the ice rods should be an easy project to get started and I can use them this winter! Also it seems it would get me started on all the tools I really need to get going on this addiction.
Any other tools I should absolutely think of getting?

Also Just curious if any Canadian rod builders here, where do you get your supplies? Any recommended Canadian retailers?

Thanks all for any help.

Mike

I am in the same boat as you. Just starting out. I bought 4 of the Mudhole Ice Rod kits as well as a GetBit 7'6" spinning rod kit. The Ice Rod kits seem nice. I have the handles all glued up but still need to get the guides wrapped on. After that I have a Anglers Roost bamboo fly rod kit to build. I already glued up the reel seat and grip and got the ferrules mounted.

I'm the last guy you want to ask about tools as I live by nothing is done until it is over done and I went head first with the tools. Alps power wrapper, all the attachments for the power wrapper, handle reamers, handle mandrels, tool rest, live center, epoxy mixer. LOL the whole nine yards as they say.

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will spend the mortgage money on fly rods and waders

Hans
Chester NH

Thanks for the reply! I actually am usually overdoing it on tools and such also! I was looking at going all in on tools but the budget just doesn't allow it. I was actually gonna not bother getting started cause i couldnt afford all the tools but have given my head a shake and pushing myself lol! The real killer for me is being in Canada the exchange is a killer! I would have been well over a grand just getting tools together. Someday down the road though as I get truly addicted I'm sure a power wrapper will find its way into my possesion lol!

Hey mike ,
I'm not from canada but did get started 3-4 years ago and bought a kit from mudhole to start. You will not go wrong calling mudhole or getbitoutdoors (there are others but those are who I frequently call and are VERY HELPFUL). Call them and they'll get you started. And then you'll need more and more. But keep it simple to start , and don't go crazy until after a few builds.Your at the right forum too for questions. There's a wealth of knowledge here.
Good luck , Mark

Ice rods may not be the best place to start. They look easy, nice and short, not many guides, etc. However, many ice blanks are so limber that keeping the blank under control while wrapping is quite difficult. Complete rods are so inexpensive, I don't build them because of this difficulty I have. Not worth the hassle. There are some really cool grip/handle designs now, though, so if you build you probably can do things you won't find in a store. Maybe not from a turnkey kit. I'd start with a regular bass rod, then follow up with ice. One cannot have too many rods.

Many have mastered it, and you may get some good tips here, but i'm just cautioning you that they can be tougher than a regular bass casting or spinning rod.

Michael isn't trying to turn you off to rod building with his comments. He's just trying to prepare you for one of the more difficult tasks in rod building, wrapping guides on limber small diameter areas of blanks. I haven't built that many rods 11 total in my three years of building, and I still have some difficulties wrapping the last three guides on spinning and casting rods. I don't struggle like I did in the beginning, but it's something that definitely takes some practice.

Don't loose faith though. It may test your patience, but if you take your time, you'll get it.

And I am sure that there will be many that will reply and offer tips. I know I'm going to be following this thread, because I'm sure I'll learn something from it too.

Enjoy ...... and it is an addiction. lol

Lance at Swampland has helped a lot of beginners with advice and what essential components are needed. Give him a call if you are not sure about something, he will be glad to help. He won't pressure you to buy anything and you can use the fine vendors to the left of the page for parts.

the yellow plastic burnishing tool that mudhole carries will come in handy for sure .

Thanks everyone for all the replies, gives me some things to thinks about. May just start with a spinning rod kit afterall. Really most of what I will be building is spinning rods up to float rods and fly rods. I did actually think it would be easier to start with ice rods!

Yes I understand its an addiction! I already tie flies so I understand that all too well! lol

My first build was a kit from Mudhole, it was a MHX spinning rod kit,with a concept guide system. I wholeheartedly recommend starting with something like that . For a first build it came out great. Welcome to the addiction. I recently built a rod for fishing striped bass with winn grips and micro guides,spiral wrapped,and fished it today and it performed flawlessly. It takes a lot of practice wrapping guides,working with epoxy etc. Start with something entry level and build your skills before tackling the more technical stuff.

Reading the comments reminded me what I had to have as the most important tool on my table. A desk light with a magnifying lens!!! LOL Those last couple of guides at the tip are a treat to wrap with my 54 year old eyes. That light and lens makes me 22 again. LOL

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will spend the mortgage money on fly rods and waders

Hans
Chester NH

To build a rod, if you start with pre finished grips are the following:
1-cardboard box that is about 2-3 feet long to support the rod while wrapping. Cut v's in the end so that the bottom of the v's are about 5 inches above the top of the table top.
A book to run thread through to supply tension to the thread.
A few single edged razor blades to cut the thread close to the blank.
A convenient sized scissor to do other cutting.
An old credit card to use to burnish the thread.
If you happen to have some braided fishing line of about 10 lb test and some small beads, tie up some pull loops about 4 inches long with the bead in the loop to use for pull loops. If not, you can use wrapping thread, but the fishing line is smaller and stronger than the thread.
Masking tape. Nice is you can also get some narrow masking tape line 1/4 and 1/8th inch wide tape, but if not, you can use the scissors to make the wide tape narrow to use for taping the guides in place.
Some children's nylon paint brushes that you can purchase from craft stores for about 10 cents each to use for applying thread finish.
Some pop cycle or craft sticks to use for mixing finish.
Some small plastic cups for mixing finish that you can get from your local deli or grocery store for free or for very little money. -- or get the small plastic mixing cups from the grocery store in the section with the paper plates and plastic silverware.
I like to have a couple pieces of piano wire about 8 inches long and about 1/16th in diameter that I have cut and ground to a long point. I use this pick all of the time when wrapping to move thread and to use when doing the final pull wrap. You can get these from a hobby store or sometimes a hardware store for 50 cents a wire. I form the point on my sander. But, if you don't have a sander you can form the point by just laying a piece of sand paper on a flat surface and rubbing the wire until you form the point.

So, I think that we have about $10 worth of tools listed above that will actually do a very nice job of building a rod.

This assumes that you have some patience and you can turn the rod by hand when drying the finish while watching a hockey game. Just don't spill a refreshment on the rod when your favorite team scores a goal!!

p.s.
The above post about a good light and a magnifying glass is a very good one. By the way, if you don't currently wear glasses, you can go to the drugstore and pick up a pair of 2x or 3x reading glasses for $5, and they will do a very nice job of magnifying your work when wrapping.

[www.amazon.com]

Dream reamers for the cork handles is a great help

Hans Shull Wrote:
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> Reading the comments reminded me what I had to
> have as the most important tool on my table. A
> desk light with a magnifying lens!!! LOL Those
> last couple of guides at the tip are a treat to
> wrap with my 54 year old eyes. That light and lens
> makes me 22 again. LOL

I feel you brother, I got two one at each end of the table. I would have to say though it makes me feel like 50 again!

I started with a turnkey kit, i use the hand wrapper now with the crb system.. I just got the aluminum base, and next Wednesday ill have the pro power wrapper
. i saw above there was a suggstion to get a MHX kit.. I also suggest that.. I started with a CRB turnkit.. The rods ok, but mhx are in my opinion alot better... Granted in not a huge fan of glass rods.. Ive only been building for about 6 months, but can tell you the turnkey kits will get you all the tools needed to start.. And i say good for the price.. I use rat tail files for reeming.. Cant see spending the money on the glass reemers yet.. Ive done somewhere around 18-20 rods now.. Its all i do.. Ive had to replace the tensioner, it doesnt hold up, its flimsy fiberglass.. And the 2nd is already going... I have 5 extra though..

Best suggestion i have for you is take your time... Feel free to email me with any questions.. If i dont have an answer, i can point you in the right direction..

Ive found doing restorations extremely satisfying, and honestly prefer to do them over new builds.. Thres something about breathing life back into something right on the edge of death..

You came to the right place though.. Extremely valueble information here.. I'd be lost on certain things without this board