Roger, It's been a while, bro. I now have a solid carbon UL 7 footer that I tapered from a 1/4 inch diameter 8 foot solid non-taqpered rod I got at ACP for 24 bucks. It's a really unique tool. It's weird having to build up a blank to make grips work. You can basically feel a fish fart on your bait. I took it to the Jordan Lake/Haw River tailrace Saturday. What is really cool i
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Chuck; Brother, I promise you, if you put even a moderately small amount of thread on your rods, you'll never feel foolish over that investment, it's a basic impossibility if you build any rods at all. I've always been a poor boy carpenter, and as I said below, I built my wrapper. There's not a lot to it. We're a creative bunch, and none of us should have any trouble coming up with something t
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Oh yeah, I've had much experience in sanding blanks, glass and carbon. I am also aware of the approximate 270 degree temp where the resin begins to break down. I've experienced a couple of warped and broken tip sections due to excess heat build-up. I use one of those big old 1950's whole-house pulling attic fans to blow on the whole process. Keeps things as cool as possible and also moves the dus
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Roger; Thanks for a very informative reply. I'm not sure what it is, but I have something in me going on about solid carbon. I'm stuck on the Clemens Apogee theory for some reason which I perceive to be meaningful and for some sort of purpose. Do you ever "fish" for those words that just kinda pop up and lead you somewhere? Anyway, I'm toying with the heaviest ice blanks that Jann's of
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There are some companies out there offering solid carbon rods. Has anyone tried these? I know their a bit weighty, (5 1/2 ounces finished for the one I looked at) but the weight loading/unloading effective casting range is phenomenal. The durability is amazing on the pieces of solid carbon I've toyed with. It's near unbreakable. I mean, it can't oval and crush. I'm thinking Hatteras shark and bi
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Like the one guy said, I did one rod and said "this just @#$%&." My fingers were tired and cramped. Of course, I do some pretty extensive wraps and long butt wraps as a rule, and we won't even begin to compare the wrapper at 1000 RPM burning down underwraps for butt wraps and two-footed guides. Even guides too. There's no comparison. Rod building is a time-consuming endeavor; we only li
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Yes, I've built several for customers of mine. They love them. They have a myriad of actions and lengths, and the prices are good. The "owner-transferable lifetime warranty" is wonderful, even though you would have to re-build the rod. At least the blank is free; you strip the guides, and buy a seat and butt cap (and I've actually salvaged those!) All you have to do is ship them the two
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I have some of these old junk blanks with a wooden arbor which is an 1 1/2 hole saw punch-out with the hole drilled/reamed until the blank fit right. Hold good in my chucks, and durable.
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I use 20-lb braid on the connections on my surf and pier shark/ray rods, where weight is not a major issue. It has always proven trustworthy, as I landed a 300 lb. stingray on an old Okuma Sentara spinning combo composite blank at Hatteras in October. (cheap blank too) It is a 10 foot, 2-8 oz. I built it into a 'caster with an aluminum Stuart double locking seat and Fuji Hardloys. I have an Avet
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I saw the East Texas thing. I stayed in the Paris area on 82 Hwy. which is where my parents, and more distant family is all from. It sounds like you have a fan-operated heater installed. Doesn't that thing draw in a lot of dust? I have problems with trash in my finish a lot.
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Frank, I built my machine around 4 years ago, and after some tweaking, it works great. Here's how it goes.... * I built supports by taking 2X8 blocks, attaching 2 casters on the top end of it, (about 1/8 inch from touching) and attaching a square block base to the bottom. I then bolted, with a wing nut and washers; a top pivoting 2X2 block that swings down with another caster that holds the blan
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Hello Rex, I used to paint virtually all of my blanks, until I decided that the naturally finished, clear coated carbon look was attractive. When I completely cover them, I use the Krylon Fusion as well. Hold the can out far and waste some paint for a professional looking, evenly coated job. 2 coats usually does it for me. The important part is to hit it with 0000 steel wool. (maybe 500-600 paper
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I have certainly never heard of the Elmer's as a CP. That's a trip. BTW, do you know how to get in contact with Dale Clemens these days? Thanks; Chris ACT rods.
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Hello, Raymond. It's been a while since this post. I would like to inform everyone that I'm beginning my first prototype blank tomorrow that will be drawing on that technology, if my shipment of materials comes in tomorrow. (Saturday) At the latest next week. I know it will be quite a journey; also a manufacturing, business, and deeper physics learning experience, but I know this idea is somethin
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