Rick... It's odd how the face of a brookie going after one of my yeller hammers wound up on that big old rod... R/ Vance
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I'm looking for a source for lightweight (aluminum) slip rings to be used with cork reel seats. Thanks in advance, Gents... Regards, Vance
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James... There are excellent 6'6" and 7' blanks and some beautiful little reels for that type of fishing. Consider a three weight (or even a two weight) for your next build. I figure you need just one good brookie trip with a two weight on top of the experience your friend provided and your spinning gear will be sold at your next yard sale. Regards, Vance
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Steve... The spring-loaded reels are considered obsolete by many folks, though you can still buy them. You can certainly fish with them and have a lot of fun. One of the salient disadvantages is that they weigh four, five, six times as much as a modern conventional reel. I have two, both Martins. The black one is paired up with an ancient Shakespeare "Wonderrod" (circa mid-sixties, whi
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Maas creme metal polish (about seven dollars for a tube that will last a long, long time). An alternative would be some jeweler's rouge on a buffing wheel. R/ Vance
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I use the Dremel tool in a Craftsman rotary tool workstation. (Dremel makes a workstation just like Craftsman's... or is it the other way around?). The workstation allows you to use the Dremel as both a mini-bench grinder and a drill press. After rough shaping with the Dremel, I use a combination of an inexpensive jewelers file and Klingspor cloth-baked abrasive glued to a tongue depressor for fi
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Walt... Corkstore.com... 1-800-959-0995... Regards, Vance
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Buzz... Looks like it might have come off one of Ernest Hemingway's rods... R/ Vance
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Schneider's Rod Shop is my preferred source for rod building supplies. Ron Schneider treats hobby builders like myself just like they were high-volume customers. Ron provides excellent advice along with top-notch customer service. If he doesn't have what you need on the shelf, he will get it for you (and fast.) I also noticed Schneider's was "on and off" the sponsor list in the last few
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Ted... I've thought about using the thicker cork tiles ( I even have a few set aside to try.) The cork particles in the roll cork are held together with a soft almost rubber-like adhesive. This makes the grips really comfortable. As noted they turn very nicely and finish out beautifully. I personally like the look of traditional solid cork rings, but the durability and clean, consistent look of t
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Chuck... I don't know anything about "syncork" but I have recently built some grips using the rolls of cork you can buy at office supply and craft stores. I used a pipe with a sharpened edge to stamp cut the rings and a hole punch to cut the center hole. Build up on a mandrel is the same as if using regular rings, you're just using a lot more of them. I use Titebond III and a foam brush
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Bob... If you are at all uncertain about that blank I recommend you return it. I returned a Rainshadow RX7 that had a kink in the final four inches of the tip section. I got a new blank in about three days with a nice note and a follow-up phone call from Batson Enterprises making sure that I was completely satisfied. What a great outfit they truly are! Regards, Vance
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Aaron... I've been going back and forth between brushes and spatulas. I have a handful of natural fiber brushes, none of which cost more than five dollars. My current "spatula" consists of a spear-point shaped piece of a .73mm thick Tortex guitar pick held in an Xacto knife handle. I dressed the edges with sandpaper and scratch wool. It works great. Regards, Vance
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Scott... The surgical knife with number 11 blades is a mainstay for me, too. In addition to cutting thread it's an excellent tool for removing old wraps (or bad ones that are going to be re-done). The pointed end slips under the old wraps allowing you to quickly and neatly peel away the old finish. I've also used this tool on countless other projects (cutting fly tying materials, popper
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Todd... Some thoughts on reel seat installation based on building freshwater fly rods... Basic two-part rod builder's epoxy (Flex Coat or similar products) and masking tape are excellent for installing reel seats for most rods. (Just ask anyone who has tried to remove a reel seat installed with these products.) They're inexpensive, readily available, and clean up is easy with rubbing alcohol. Ma
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John... Spend some time "dry fitting" your reel seat and grip to the blank, and be sure to heed Ted's advice on compensating for the reel seat cap. This means putting the grip, seat, and end cap on the blank without using any glue. This will allow you to appreciate how everything will fit together when you're ready for final installation. First, slide the cork grip into place. Then, wi
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William... Thanks for your reply on the Lamiglas blanks... Any thoughts on reel seats? Best, Vance
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I'd like to exchange Email w/ someone who has built the Lamiglas FL783-3 (6'6") 3 WT and/or the FL843-3 (7') 3 WT... These are the in the Lamiglas Fly Series (3 piece, slow action, spigot ferrules)... I'm looking for stripping / running guide recommendations, guide spacing, reel seat and thread color recommendations... Regards, Vance
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Tony... The Stanley Flush Cut Saw Model No. 20-331 (4 3/4 inch, 23 points per inch) sells at Lowes / Home Depot for about 12 bucks... Works great with the aluminum jigs. Stanley also sells a replacement blade for this saw, though Lowes never has them. ( I Emailed the Stanley HQTRS for the blade stock number.) I also have the Shark saw... bought mine at Woodcraft and use it for a lot of things. A
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Eric... The gel super glue has been my choice for this, so there is more control (no spreading). I'm hoping to identify a friendlier fast-curing glue (something other than CA "super" glue) that can be used for single thread wraps... Maybe someone will answer up with a candidate glue. I just finished a 6'6" 2 weight dark green H&H blank with green thread (no CP) an
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Darby... The CA glue will sully the finish on the blank, so I advise against the "saturation" method. The approach I suggested works with metallic thread... Best, Vance
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Darby... CA ("Super Glue") works for single thread wraps... Use a hat pin, large needle, or fly tying bodkin to put a very small (smaller than a pin head) drop of glue on the rod and then push the thread end into it with the needle point. Hold for a minute until the glue sets. Put another drop of glue on top of the original and wind your thread around, laying it into the glue. Let it se
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Spencer... I am adding the single turn accents to the ends of the wraps on fly rod snake guides. I am using lighter color accent thread and want to avoid the "show through" of the lighter thread ends under the wrap (the problem Wayne mentions). Wayne... That's exactly what I'm trying to avoid. Should've added that to my original post. Thanks! Thanks to both of you gentlem
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I like the understated look of single thread accent wraps. My current wrapping method involves using a bodkin needle and superglue to first tack down one end, and after a short wait, apply another pin-head amount of superglue to the same spot and wrap the thread around the blank laying it into the tiny spot of glue. I wait a few minutes and cut the tag end with cuticle scissors. The results are t
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Phil... I was stationed at Yokosuka '83-'85... and spent an additional eight years on Okinawa... I know your frustration level is HIGH! WEST has a Japan contact number and they will probably work with you to get what you need (0066-33-801108). I maintained an inventory of 36 inflatable and rigid-hulled inflatable (RHIB) boats + 70 outboard motors on Oki and had to buy most supplies from local v
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I use a homemade wrapper that features two of the common inexpensive thread tension devices ( the $6.95 models sold by many of the sponsors). I recently disassembled the devices and polished the surfaces that actually come in contact with the thread (the two "discs"). I used a series of sandpaper starting with 600, then 1200, 1500, 1800 and ending with 2000. The paper was affixed to a
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Steve... Anything that swims in the state of Virginia.... More seriously, this is going to be a bluegill / crappie rod... Regards, Vance
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I want to build a casting rod for a six year old (a friend's son). Probably trick the rod out with a push-button closed-face reel. I'm a die-hard fly fisherman and have been building fly rods exclusively for about four years, so I confess, I'm lost on choosing a blank and components for this young man's rod and would like some recommendations. Probably want to spend no more than $50.
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Dave... I'm "piling on" the excellent advice the other gentlemen gave you... if it's just a small isolated area, carefully shave off the flaw with a double edge razor blade. Be very careful not to cut the thread (use the razor blade almost parallel to the finish.) You will create a small divit, but that's okay. If it's a larger "drip" or an out-of-shape area, mask off the gui
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Simply outstanding! Thank you for sharing, David... Best Regards, Vance
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