Hey All,

Looking for a bit of input regarding some winding check finishing on one of my first builds. It's an ice fishing rod being built on the MHX CIB-36MH-MHX blank, intended for use as a Lake Trout ice rod. For this rod, I decided to go "all out" with a carbon fiber split handle setup. The grip components I used are as follows, all ordered from Mudhole, listed from the butt forwards:

-CFX FB150 - 1.5" Fighting Butt, with ECC-22 EVA butt cap
-Split
-CFX FG150 - 1.5" Tapered Foregrip
-Fuji SKSS size 16 spinning body
-CFX size 16 carbon fiber reel seat insert
-Fuji SKPSN size 16 threaded barrel
-Fuji KSKSS size 16 graphite hood
-CFX SFG16 1.75" stubby foregrip

I also used Fuji graphite arbors, and this is where my problem comes in. The ID of the cores of the CFX components were too large for this rod blank, as the blank has only a ~6.5mm diameter at the butt (0.249"). So, I reamed out the components that I needed to in order to fit the arbors into them. That went fairly well (next time I have a few tweaks to get the alignment a little more perfectly centered, but I'm happy with the alignment for now), and I glued the arbors into the components. After that set up, I reamed the arbors to fit where I want everything to line up, and that went fairly well also.

However, boring out the components to fit the arbors created an issue for the winding checks. The one in front of the fighting butt needs a 6.5mm ID, as does the one behind the FG150 that I'm using behind the reel seat. The one that will go in front of the stubby foregrip needs a 5.5 mm ID. I found that the Alps Dimpled Aluminum Winding Checks come in these ID's, as well as the dark titanium smoke color that will match my gunsmoke guides nicely. Ordered them up from Get Bit and they just arrived today. They look great, however, because they're so small, the OD doesn't quite cover the diameter that I had to bore out for the arbors on the fighting butt, the rear grip, or even the stock hole on the SFG16 foregrip.

So, what are my options? The gaps aren't that large overall, probably only 1.5mm at the most. My first thought is that I could mix up the paste epoxy that I'll be using to glue up the handle components with a bit of black pigment of some sort then use a bit of it to fill the gap as I'm gluing everything up, but I'm doubtful that I'd be able to finish it nice and smooth to cover that gap and still look good, based on how gluing up another handle on a rod for my dad went, and the general thickness of the paste epoxy; I also don't want to have to worry about making it look nice while I'm gluing up and trying to align everything straight, I'd much rather just be able to glue up, align, wipe off excess, and leave it sit to dry. Second thought is that I could mix up some thread finish epoxy with black pigment, pretreat the areas I need covered and let dry, then proceed to glue up all of the components. Third thought would be to order some larger winding checks or trim bands that I could double up with these, but I don't necessarily want to do that, let alone spend more money and have to wait again. Fourth thought is that I could glue everything up, then use some black colored thread finish epoxy to finely "paint" what is needed to cover the gaps while it's rotating on the drying machine. One last option 5 would be similar to option 2, except I would use paste epoxy for a "higher build", then sand smooth to a shape that will work, then apply permagloss to all of the handle components so it all looks glossy and well-finished, but I kind of want to avoid that because I like the matte look and feel of the stock CFX components.

Kind of thinking that options 2 or 4 might be my best bet. Thoughts? Any other suggestions for how to deal with this? Probably overthinking this, just want to have some expertise chime in on it.

Thanks in advance,

Ed



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/27/2019 02:11PM by Ed Welch.

I like the look of the black flexible checks, but not when left exposed as opposed to totally covered with wrap epoxy.. When finished with a generous amount of wrap epoxy right over the check, a nice filet is formed that looks good, and the check is totally encapsulated. No flexible black check of the ID you need will likely cover the gap, so you need to do something about that. I would use paste epoxy with black pigment (or paint black with Testors after) to fill the gap, using a finger to form a smooth surface as it rotates. Then, with the flexible check pushed up against that surface and epoxied into place you should be able when using the wrap epoxy to form that filet over both the flexible and the painted or black epoxy surface.

Black at the ends of butts, grips, reel seats, provides nice, simple, contrast to your wraps, and filet has a nice shape. If you have a scrap piece of blank, try it to see if you can achieve what you want. While many like the fancy dimpled aluminum/colored checks, a simple black one, properly finished, has a great classy look.

Please keep us updated on how you handle it and how it turns out.

Mud hole did have some flexible checks in color ,

William Sidney
AK

Thanks guys, but I'm looking to keep it as simple as possible with the dimpled aluminum checks I've already got as the only "flair" on the rod. No decorative wraps and simple wraps for the guides. That being said, sounds like using paste which and smoothing it out like you say Michael could work with what I've got. Planning on trying to get these couple of rods finished up in the next week or so as time allows, so I'll definitely update and likely post pics of how it turns out.

Overall I'm gonna treat this one as a learning experience regardless, so I just figured I'd ask for ideas to experiment with.

You could put a soft one that is wide under the dimple one , push it down wrap a 1/4 to 1/2 inch wrap to hold it down. if need be use D size thread , then epoxy over it all , job finished ,

William Sidney
AK



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/28/2019 12:39AM by Bill Sidney.

10-4 on the comment by Bill.

I have done a similar thing with a similar type rod build and it worked out very well.

Bill Sidney Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You could put a soft one that is wide under the
> dimple one , push it down wrap a 1/4 to 1/2 inch
> wrap to hold it down. if need be use D size
> thread , then epoxy over it all , job finished
> ,

Hmm. Good suggestion Bill, thanks. That would definitely work for the checks against the fighting butt and the rear grip which will stay stationary, but not really for the stubby fore grip on the KSKSS hood, since that still needs to rotate freely.

As a side note, I put together my dad's rod with a VSS seat with a KSKSS hood/nut in the fore grip position, but that doesn't have the problem of the CFX fore grip because the cork cover for the hood has much smaller ID that I don't feel the need to cover the gap to the blank with a check or anything. The CFX piece has a much larger hole than the cork cover for a KSKSS hood, so with the blank I'm using being so small it looks weird, and at the very least I need to figure out gluing that check to the carbon piece, converting the gap, allowing it to freely rotate, and still making it look good.

I'm thinking that if I want to keep all of these looking consistent that I might as well try something with some black tinted epoxy. Like I said, this is all a learning experience for the most part. Of course I want it to turn out as good as possible, but it's still one of my first rods, and regardless of how it ends up looking, I know it will fish well for its intended purpose.

Build an arbor for the end of the hood/nut and ream it so it slides easily on the blank and use the tinted epoxy to then fill the gap between the winding check and the Id of your hood

Made a lot of work for your self! Didn’t need to ream the the grips to fit graphite foam arbors, could have used a layer or two of dry wall tape to form a bushing on the blank. It would have easily given you a snug and very light bushing, which would have been covered by a winding check with no modifications. The hidden thread hood with the carbon fiber sleeve are not normally used with a winding check, because it would require a specialized grommet-like winding check with a neck or collar that is glued into the hole. These type of winding checks are not currently available, except for the Fuji perfect fit end cap with is too large for your use.
Norm

do let us know what you do on your build , it is your build an what goes is all up to you, an what you like , no 2 people will have the same answer for your problem ,
# 1 it is not there problem ,
# 2 the builder will use what ever they have on hand to finish the build an look good , as I see it ,

William Sidney
AK