With the monotony of staying at home to practice social distancing and to change-up the typical topics on our site, allow me to offer what hopefully will be a little fun for all.
WHAT ARE THE MOST STAND-OUT, PROFOUND ASPECTS OF RODBUILDING YOU HAVE ENCOUNTERED?
“Aspect” is wide open, whether a material, method, technique, tool = whatever. For me;
1.) Spiral Wraps. I had never heard of, let alone seen, a spiral wrapped rod before joining this site. I still have never seen one (being used) out here on the Left Coast except for those I built. The performance enhancement is so profound, all my personal conventional reel rods over 15lb will employ the overwhelming benefits of the “Acid Wrap”.
2.) Tiger Wraps. Performed properly, the Moire’ affect produces a wrap with a 3D appearance which moves when viewed from different angles. It is very intriguing and I know of no other thread wrap which produces a similar characteristic. While I admire the intricate and involved cross wraps from those such as Billy Vivona and others, dragon scales from those such as Bill Falconer, feather inlays from those such as Mike Garone and others, EVA grip art from those such as Bill Marchisella and certainly Nuno Paulino’s overall creativity, I have to give top billing to Scott Throop and his Tiger Wrap.
3.) Birch Bark Handles. While a tuna rod is probably not the best application for such a handle, just about any other rod will benefit when adorned with the beauty of a birch bark handle. While extremely labor intensive, the end result is simple yet intriguing elegant, very nice feel-in-hand, while fairly lightweight and durable. Thank you Antti Kymalainen.
4.) Wall Mart Children’s Art Brushes. Thank you Roger Wilson for informing me of these brushes. While they may have fewer bristles and are overall inferior to the standard Flex Coat epoxy application brushes, they are considerably cheaper yet get the job done. When required for certain applications, I may still use the better quality Flex Coat brushes.
5.) Obtainable Information and Guidance on This Site. I suppose this could have been #1 but wanted to save the most important for last. I have thanked all of you numerous times before and I doing so again simply because I sincerely mean and appreciate it. While I read virtually all the posts and continue to learn from each and every one, it should be understandable more knowledge has been gained from those replying more often. That said and at the risk of not including someone influential, allow me to recognize those who have helped me the most in no real particular order. Roger Wilson was the first to befriend me when I joined. He has answered numerous of my newbie questions and was instrumental in designing the electrical circuitry for my recent power wrapper upgrade as per my specific requirements. He is indeed an asset to this site. I have consulted with Norman Miller more than anyone else on this site on a vast array of topics. In general, his views parallel mine quite closely and the rod building knowledge gained from him is immeasurable and flattened my learning curve immensely. He is also an asset to this site. I have to mention Phil Ewanicki even though we may be considered competing for the “Habitual Over-Thinker” of the site LOL. While some of his comments are “out there”, I always enjoy reading his posts and comments, even if struggling to understand sometimes. But then, the inverse could be possible as well. While not consulting him at length, this list should include Jim Isling as well for his commitment to supporting the fishing world in general, rod building in particular. His communication with Fuji produces products against which all others are measured. It is rare that I stray away from the confidence of utilizing Fuji products. Of course, no such list, at least here, would be complete without including Tom Kirkman. Though he can be a bit abrasive at times, after all he built this site for us to use, enjoy and benefit from along with RodMaker Magazine as well. I only wish he would cut me a little slack once in a while.
Attempting to include everyone who has helped me in the above list would only dilute how special each is to me. You know who you are and thank you so much. Please do not be offended, or feel slighted in the slightest.
So, as usual, I have been long-winded although the request was simple. I hope veterans, newbies and everyone in between will respond so we all can enjoy and have a little fun in this dire time of the Covid 19 issue.
Be safe, aware and healthy!!!

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

The most profound aspect of rodbuilding to me is the feeling I get when I first hold the completed rod in my hand.

When I catch my first trout with it.

When I hear that the person just loves the rod and is catching fish.

I only build rods for my own enjoyment and never really made any $$$ on any of them. When I’m building one for myself, I already know what I expect it to be like. The part I like about building for others is they have no idea how nice it will actually be when they use it. They’re always amazed at the initial appearance but then they put it to use and I hear how much they liked actually using it, that’s what makes the time I spent worthwhile.

I built my first rod in 1958, self-taught, learning as I went. It worked. The components and techniques of rod building today are pretty much the same now as they were then but, the components are much improved.

The most amazing and probably the most important thing I have learned from rod building, (and it's all because of the members of this site) is how much difference the guide train makes in the performance of a rod.

Rod crafting is like any endeavor it has its rewards and its disappointments. For me the rewards are much, much greater than the disappointments. I have built many rods that have proved to be exceptional in both appearance and performance and I have had a few that did not meet expectations, and to this I chalk up to lessons learned. The most satisfaction I get is when I receive positive feedback from folks on how well the rod behaves and how much they enjoy using it, it kind of puffs up my ego, but in the long run it is the satisfaction I get in crafting a custom rod.

For me rod crafting is relaxing and therapeutic, Mark, if I may with your permission, I would like to take license and add “Rod crafting is also not an escape from life but a deeper immersion into it”.
Have Fun

Here's a few of mine.

1) My first build.
2) Catching a fish on that build.
3) 1st Sale
4) Wow's from customers
5) Number of referrals and repeats
6) Sale to one family for 7 Christmas gift rods. 2019

Thank you for the replies thus far. I had not really considered self gratification as an “aspect” but many of you have and that is certainly OK. I also obtain immense satisfaction and gratification from rod building and fabricating equipment to do so as well. John D. was probably the most honest and I concur “… it kind of puffs my ego…” By the way John, touché on your last remark and fell free to run with it.
Hopefully the replies will continue. Are we having fun yet?

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

1.The vast well of information and experienced advice available within the rod building community.
2. Learning from my mistakes and more to the point, how to recover from a mistake when it happens.
3. Crafting my own grips on a lathe that I built myself from a design in my head.
4. Stacked leather and birch bark grips, I mean how cool is that!
5. The vibration and harmony of fishing a well built, fine tuned custom rod that you built.
6. Lastly- Building a rod for someone and knowing you brought them joy and gave them a product that is personal to them and cant be bought in a box store.

Ditto on building my own equipment, Christopher. For example, I have a drier built with a barbecue spit motor, vacuum cleaner drive belts, shower stall bearings and races, and various diameter plastic fish-line spools as pulley shives painted with rubber contact cement for traction. I had almost as much fun and satisfaction building the equipment to make rods as I had building the rods themselves, but using them is still tops.

I think the thing we all have in common and enjoy is:

We enjoy making and using the thing that we put together with our own hands and as in the bible" he saw it was good".

When we get conformation of this through the eyes of others either by use or just seeing it, that it is good.

It gives us purpose beyond the mundane lives that we live.

It is an escape for maybe a not so mundane life.

We do it out of necessity because we just can’t find what we are looking for at the store.

If I apply myself I can equal or better the best non-customs out there. Not to mention the cost.

I have built a grand total of 3 rods. My first rod was from a Mudhole kit for Father’s Day and I built it with nothing but the instructions , a lot of mistakes but it is functional, I’m proud of it. Then I found you guys an I am amazed at the flattening of the learning curve. From what I learned here made it so much better. I am thankful for you guys! An added bonus a good bourbon and rod building go hand in hand!

I just enjoy the art of rodbuilding, the thing I like best about it is the joy of building a rod that I though thru, design, fished with it and caught fish with it . just a great hobby

1. Being able to add lightness.
2. Enhanced casting distance.
3. Developing your own personal style.
4. Splitting the cost of a nice rod into multiple "parcels".

Mark, great discussion-starting post given the times we are in. We’ve got my entire family in the house so I spend a little time each day in my rod shack in reflection on a lot of things. The answer for me to the most profound aspect of rod building is easy….its the journey. My dad was a dentist. Both my grandfathers worked with their hands, one a carpenter and the other a farmer in central Texas. With all the building projects at my house over the years, the journey starts with an idea. Whether it be a piece of lumber for a new table-top, a patch in the yard for a veg garden, a cabinet remodel idea for my wife or a rod blank that I have interest in, that is the start of the journey. If it’s a rod blank, I do the homework. Then I might add to the idea to try a new set of grips, which might include building the equip I need to shape and apply them. Then the guide spacing and selection. Maybe tweaking or rebuilding my wrap equip or my hand tools. Then mix in some colors to achieve a “pop” in the visual appeal of the guide wraps and butt wraps with the help from my daughter and things start to come together. But typically along the rod build journey there are screw ups and unplanned events followed by: 1) posts and searches to this rod forum for help, advice and lessons-learned to many of the names Mark mentioned and 2) the knowledge and camaraderie that is generously shared by members every day whom most of us have never met and probably won’t. Most of my builds are for family and friends. I have more rods that I can every use and I continue to search for and try to build that magical “go-to” rod that meets all my wade fishing needs down here on the Tx coast. I’m probably up to 6 or so of those “go-tos” with no end in sight. My sons are grateful. My journey from the blank selection to that first practice cast in the backyard and the feel for how the rod loads, how the line peels off the reel and flies thru the guides make it all worthwhile. And then there’s the actual fishing with it. But as they say in New Orleans, that’s lagniappe.

Thanks guys and be safe

Larry Berkovsky

Considering I am still considered a newbie in the art of rod building, I would say that catching my first fish on the rod is a definite highlight. Now that I am learning more, I am interested in getting better at the design and functionality of the rod. Learning to create new wraps is my current highlight. The first time I got a chevron to come out looking good was a great sense of accomplishment. Next on my list is to get a St Johns cross to actually look like a cross. Two failed attempts thus far as my thread alignment and packing left areas of improvement.

One of the cooler things was that yesterday I was able to test out my first fly rod build. It casts great(in the hands of a complete novice) and looks pretty neat. No fish yet, hoping soon...

Phil I think I got you beat on the dryer. 5 rpm gear motor salvaged from a revolving wrist watch display case during the closing of a local dept. store in the mid 1970's. Had 2 of them, down to 1 now, fingers crossed.