This afternoon I built arbors for the tube with masking tape and then used black cord to make a simple wrap around the blank that extends 1/2 inch past where the winding check that fits the tube ends. The blank plus one layer of cord wrap fit the check hole perfectly. I have everything glued up and I am quite pleased with how it looks. I will epoxy the cord as if it were an accent wrap on a foreg
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Lots of good help here people. Thank you. This rod is headed toward being a tool to throw finesse jig heads and short plastics on 10# braid with a 6# leader. Its function and feel is modeled after an old Charlie Brewer rod by Falcon I once owned.
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I have made several rods over the last few decades, but only for my own use and hardly enough to qualify as a good assistant for most of you. I also do not know anything about turning parts on lathes etc. Therefore before I begin my next project, I thought I would consult the group for advice and for a specific problem that has already cropped up. I ordered a MHX 722 blank (6' medium light rat
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I tied a casting rod with a simple spiral and micros on the 902. If no one else provides information I will give you the spacing I used as a starting point.
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I made two 7'6" walleye trolling rods for use on Tablerock Lake in the Ozarks. I used the L902-MHX , Light Saltwater 7'6" 1pc. 8-15lb B0.535 T5.5. I use them for long line trolling with 10# braid and for bottom bouncing and Lindy rigging with weights from 1/4 ounce to 2 ounces. I have been very satisfied with the rod performance. Hope that helps.
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If you do a "simple spiral" as Terry decribes, perform your static test with the guides on the under side of the rod. Then move the butt guide to the top. That avoids using too many guides. Once you have the butt guide on top, run the test again and mark where the line touches the blank while stressed. That location will be the best for the bumper guide as it will allow the straightest
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On a fishing forum I frequent the A Rig issue has hit 285 posts and is still going strong. Arkansas permits it. Missouri allows it but 2 of the 5 baits must be hookless. The tourney circuit people - as opposed to the Fish and Game departments - are deciding yea or nay on an individual basis. Personally, I think we need to ban them as they cause global warming.
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Fairly heavy blank. Intended as a jig rod or a swimbait rod? Size 4 Micros sit low to the rod. To keep the line off the blank may require additional guides with a traditional build. Consider using a spiral and making all your under guides 4's. Use an 8 on top and one or more 5's for the transition/bumper.
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plus one more on the spiral
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I recently built a fairly light (though not as light as your customer requests) casting rod with the Fuji SK2 reel seat. I put a Revo MGX (about the same profile) on the rod and the small, low profile reel combined with the open blank for a very comfortable and sensitive palming hold on the retrieve/drift. It was also a very light and well balanced set up when built without a fore grip. See if th
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Look at the MHX MB782 - 6'6", med power, fast action, 8-14 line, 3/16 - 5/8 lure OR CB783 - 6'6", med power, mod fast action, same line and lure rating I find lure weight does not directly correlate to the bottom bouncer weight a rod will work effectively. Finding a moderate action, 1 ounce lure rated, 6'6" blank may prove a challenge. Good luck
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These guys do a wicked version of Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal.
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I have a 7'6' medium power, moderate action rod under construction with #3 micros. I chose to simple spiral the guides and wound up with 9 plus a bumper. Under the same load, an on top build would have required more to keep the line off the blank.
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I have finished one and started two more SK2 casting rods. I like the grip and the area between the reel foot lockdowns is available for decoration.
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Derek - beware buying a quart of the self catalyzed such as Perma Gloss. From what I have read, once you open the jar/bottle, the challenge becomes how to keep what you have not used from hardening.
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Tom - I looked in the library without luck. Can you (or anyone) refer me to a do's and don't's article on Perma Gloss similar to the how to articles on two part epoxies. I would like to make a rod with a old school very light build, but I want to avoid a mucked up finish. Thanks in advance.
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Thanks Joe. Your final comments made sense to me.. I am looking for a balance point the shortest distance from a palm hold to fish. Naturally when I place my hand behind the reel to caast. I have changed to a grip farther back from the balance point - which is partly why I throw two handed overhand but wrist roll cast for short accuracy - which is a tip down move. Hmmm.
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Joe: I have not compared using a removable weight. Of course I trust your measurement. I am surprised you found your test bed rods needed a full ounce. I have read the Tackle Tour rod war statistics which include a measurement for the balance point and these indicate a full ounce would not be needed. Was that a reel on measurement or reel off?
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Kyle's question may stem from a wrap he did for me. While I was recovering from surgery, he completed a rod I had begun. I had installed the handle and as a part of that I used about 3/8 ounce of sinker epoxied inside the butt of the blank. I have used this method on my rods before and since. I find a small amount of weight shifts the bare rod balance point significantly without adding appreciabl
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I wrapped my first rod in the early 1970's. I have made many of my rods since plus one or two for friends. I have used a wooden V hand wrapper for a long time. I recently ordered a power wrapper. I saw a video of one being used for applying a thread finish and realized I could not duplicate the method by hand. Besides, my arthritic fingers will welcome the assistance for thread wrapping. I exp
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The SK2 is designed to leave the blank totally exposed on all sides between the rear and front pieces that hold the reel feet. This means the ends of the seat are exposed and a small crack (1/16th inch?) between the seat and the blank exists. The graphite winding checks are made to neatly cover that space more effectively and with more strength than the vinyl pieces traditionally used.
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I am building my second and third rod using the Fuji SK2 casting reel seat. On the first, I used the masking tape method for the arbor. I don't know why, but I decided to use the foam core arbors for rods two and three. I epoxied them into the reel seat and then reamed them to correct size. Because I am working on 7'6" blanks the arbor material was very thin before I obtained the correct fit
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Pro Wrap Metallic has a burgundy as well as several purples for a color color choice. As an alternative, you could go pale gold.
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