Only my second rod-the first got loaned out without my knowledge while I was out of town, and walked on by a toddler.

I often carry a short ultralight rod in my truck to go to those near-the-road creeks and sinkhole ponds in my area of the world. Since the reel got stepped on as well, I'll be doing the whole combo over again.

Schneider's Rod Shop had a very good deal on blanks and parts in their Hot Deals section, so I wasted no time in making a call and talking to them about getting what I wanted. Last time, I used a recovered fiberglass blank that I got from a pawn job for 3$, that had a broken handle and a few missing guides. It worked perfectly fine for its job, but at 49" was a bit short. I had to cut the tip off to take care of some delaminating glass, and I used the large sack of cork rings that were left over from a long forgotten rod rebuild of my grandfather's back in the 80's to make the handle.

This time, I purchased a Batson RX7 IS660 blank, and Mr. Schneider was kind enough to help by finding a reel seat, a short cork handle (I like the short handle on my creek rods) and a very nice set of guides to suit. I have on hand already Fuji size A wrapping thread, U40 paste epoxy, and I just ordered some U40 LS Duragloss as my bottle of perma-gloss is now solid.

I cannot express how easy Schneider's was to deal with and how pleased I am at what was delivered.

Nice! I'm always looking for ways to resto-mod my pile of various rods I've collected over the last few decades. I'd loved to have seen the look on the"loaners" face when he told you what happened.

Got out my guides today. I have:

1pc XBYTLG 16
1pc XBYTLG 10
1pc BVSLG 08
3pc BVSLG 06
The matching tiptop for my blank

As soon as the epoxy on the handle sets and cures, I'll know the intersect point of the spool center and the rod. This is the "choke" right?

Jacob, I respectfully suggest you do some more reading on guide layout before proceeding. While what you have will certainly work, there may be better options. You're gonna like that blank. [www.rodbuilding.org]

With those guides you would want to follow the instructions for the "New Guide Concept" in the library. Be sure to also read the "Static Guide Placement" article too.

I have a 5'6" Fenwick UL that I bought back in the 70's when I was in Tenn. Still have it and now that I have moved back down to south Florida, it has caught quite the variety of fresh and saltwater fish. So I totally understand your love for such a rod.

If you want to go a bit more upscale next time around NFC has a number of 2-piece blanks in the fresh water section. I have four of them and they are all nice. The FW 702-2 seems particularly sweet.

Ain't nobody allowed to loan my rods, reels, and guns to anyone without my permission.


P.S. while it has more line capacity than you need I just picked up a pair of Daiwa Fuego's. Uber light and oh so smooth.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/2022 06:57PM by Russell Brunt.

Russ,

I'm actually hunting a Daiwa 1000X or Regal D1000 to go on this rod. I have most all of the nn00X series and the nn0X series, but none of the Regal version. The only differences in a 1000X and the later D1000 is the Regal series is black instead of silver, and the anti-reverse is silent in a Regal D-series.

There are a few available right now on the big watery website, so I may wind up with one soon.

FWIW

[www.tacklehaven.com]

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Found the reel I want to use, verified that it has a common spool lip size, and started with the Library article about the NGC method for spinning rods.

For my reels of the size I want to use with this rod, the spool lip is 38.5mm diameter. According to the article, that means that my choker guide should be 27*38.5mm as measured from the spool lip to the guide, or 1039.5mm up the rod. That's right around 40 15/16".

I think, that in 41 inches, I should have two guides in the reduction train according to the guidelines in the article, but I'll double check that when I get the handle on and the rod and reel all together. This reel needs a serious cleaning, the seller sold it as new but it's clearly been lightly used and someone's tried to service it. It's got some sand in it, the drag has been reassembled incorrectly, and it's been sprayed with oil over the old grease, instead of re-greased.

I'll have to do some travelling this weekend, going to see my brother graduate college, so it'll be Monday afternoon before I can get the handle fitted and glued, and start laying out guides.

Well, this ended in disaster.

I was tying the very last guide, when an incident occurred and long story short, the last 10 3/8" of the tip broke off right at the second-to-last guide. I was so angry with all parties involved in the incident that I just had to get up and leave the building.

It still catches fish but it doesn't cast worth a damn, the line flows through the guides nicely but the rod can't be loaded properly to cast. Might as well be a straight fiberglass stick, as far as casting goes.

I was told not to throw it out, but instead find another short ultralight blank and re-make this rod into a 2-piece rod. Does anyone have any tips/information on how to do this?

Hello Jacob.

Here is a little something you can read, but your best bet would be to start a new thread on page one (a lot of people don't go past page 1.

[www.rodbuilding.org]


Tight Wraps & Tighter Lines.

Bob,

New Bern, NC.