Those type of listing on web sites are easy to miss. Another good place for fly rod guide spacing on various weight rods is on the Epic Fly Rod web page. Of course their recommendation is specific to their rods, but is an overall good reference point. For fly rods, which I build, I appreciate when the spacing for a 4-piece rods places one of the running guides just above a ferrule, so you ca
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I have used at least 4 different thread epoxies over the years and never had an issue with clicking or loosening guides. I only make fly rods, and I have used single foot snake, double foot snake, single foot without Forhan wrap, and single foot with Forhan wrap, as well as larger double foot strippers. I now do all my single foots with Forhan. I think Herb and Mick are on target. Thread sh
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I have used NFC's chart's listed guide points on several fly rods and they have turned out quite well. Yes, on web site.
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Someone correct me if I am wrong, but the objective of thread epoxy is not really to "bond" the thread or the guide to the rod in the manner that bonding epoxy bonds a real seat to the blank, but rather to coat, protect and and solidify the thread which is really holding the guide to the blank. I think of it more functioning like a shrink wrap than a solid bonding epoxy. It is softer
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I have used Gen 4 on my last 4 fly rod builds on both single foot and double foot guides. I have applied 3 thin coats. I have had zero issues and the dried epoxy is quite hard, very clear and certainly does not move in any way. Have you ensured a good mix (somewhere near 50/50)? I don't think it should matter, but I typically let my first coat dry for two days. Are you thinning the mix wit
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I'd scrap the idea of dulling them and go with different guides. Dulling them may be setting you up for further problems down the line.
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Welcome back to rod making! The choice for fly guides is now a wide one. Decision number 1) Do you want traditional double foot snake guides or single foot guides? Main benefit to single foot is less wraps. Some love, some hate the aesthetics. Or you can go with micro guides. Decision number 2) What material or color of guides to you want? Traditional steel or chrome look? Black? O
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Well, I for am surprised there is not a minimal delta due to off-gassing or evaporation of some sort. As I am the dope who posed the theory, which Mick has proved was tomfoolery on my part. Liberal arts buy vs engineer. Bet with the engineer! I guess they have the formulas down after many years. My comments were referring to common bonding epoxy used on the reel seat and not to thread epox
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I was probably too emphatic in using he word "clearly." I would think clearly there is not a weight increase, but I would think any loss would less than 10%, probably less than 5%. But I would be curious to find out. I am not schooled in the chemical reaction of epoxy, but I am presuming there must be a tad of outgassing or evaporation, but not much.. Overall, I believe the epoxy
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I build only fly rods and have used both masking tape and a foam arbor to properly seat the reel seat. I'll use a little tape build up as well if the cork grip has a gap here or there after reaming. I'd rather a nice tight cork or real seat fit with tape than using gobs of epoxy instead. Of course on a reel seat with wooden spacer either nothing or a minimal amount of tape is required. Neit
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As to weight exactitude: Who knows if the resin and catalyst are the same weight by volume? One is potentially lighter than the other.
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This is getting a little silly and complicating and debating an easy procedure. Just use a syringe. And use at least 1 cc per syringe, preferably 1.5 cc per each syringe, and you will be safely within the margin of error for the target of a 50/50 mix 100% of the time. I have never had a thread coat fail or not dry when using this approach. Yes, you may wind up with a bit of leftover epoxy.
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Frank: Your first coat was much too thin if thread is exposed. Don't worry at all about apply more epoxy on any subsequent first coat. Or on your second coat. Almost all are pretty good at self leveling. First coat needs to fully cover all thread to the point where you could sand it a bit or cut off fuzzy or protruding thread ends with a razor blade. As you can see from the above posts
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Typically you can apply subsequent coats after a 24 hour drying period. No prepping needed, though you may want to ensure there is no dust on the hardened epoxy. Sometimes I wait 48 hours after the first coat, and if it is multiple days pass between coats it does not matter. Did you rotate the rod during the first 4 or 5 hours of drying, or do you have a rod drying/rotating machine? It
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The current web site video says solid titanium alloy snake guides on the new two piece Prime. So no idea about the old. The good thing of course is a lot of snake guides look very similar. If the guide has a slight grey color and seems bendable, then it could be a Recoil snake guide. What color are the guides you are looking at? Or have you not even seen the rod yet? You may just wa
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Underside next time, and only you are ever going to notice.
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You could contact Lemke. Or try Custom Fly Rod Crafters in Albuquerque. Call them. Great guy. He may be able to make it happen.
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I find it best to use syringes, one for each epoxy bottle, and draw at least 1.5 cc's per syringe to ensure a good 50/50 mix. If you draw less than that you risk missing 50/50. Yes, with a 3 cc total final mix you likely will have a fair amount left over, at least on a fly rod, but you will know you have a good mix.
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An option you can see videos of on YouTube are to use Clear Gorilla Glue. No mixing. Have not tried it. Search you tube. But must get the clear stuff.
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Basically two choices: 1) strip it down, which means a total guide and wrap rebuild, which @#$%&; 2) wait another day or two and put on a light coat of U-40 (or epoxy you know is good and and mixed at the right ratio). I would not trust what you have. Kind of can't lose with number 2 option, as if it does not work you will be back at no 2. How old is the epoxy you used? Either it
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I would surmise they create a tighter seal between the reel seat locking nuts. If you would like to replace them you could heat the reel seat butt cap in boiling water and loosen its epoxy bond, spin off the nut and try and find an o ring to fit it. Replace O ring and then re-epoxy on the butt cap.
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For the novice non-sanded blanks pose a challenge. You are likely better off putting one or two thin coats of thread epoxy in the are you want to inscribe and then apply ink over that and then put on another coat or two.
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The Payload is known as a fast and powerful blank. I built an NFC LMX 9ft 8wt and I think it is a very good rod. It is fairly fast action but not too much so. I would not say its tip is soft, but it bends plenty. I was catching 15" rooster fish in Mexico in the salt from the beach and it cast well and flexed/bent just fine. I would not trim off the butt. If you want a fuller flexin
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First, welcome to rod building, as we have all made really stupid mistakes over the years. Scraping hard epoxy is difficult. It's best to try and soften it, and the good news is the butt section is the strongest and thickets part of the blank. You could try a heat gun and apply lightly until it softens enough to more easily scrape off. Boiling can also work.
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Agree with Mike above. Recently did an 9' 8wt. 16 and 12, then your choice to taper or just go to size 2 running guides. Some like the look of a taper, there is no real reason for it, though. If you want to taper go 16-12-5--4-3 then all 2s.
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Proof sells blanks, Epic sells blanks but often they are not in stock, Hook & Hackle has sold cane blanks but their website is a mess being redone, so you could call them, Gray Wolf Rods sells blanks.
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Place two or three of the micro guide bands on the foot to really hold it down tight. as you wrap up the foot push the forward band back a bit, as you wrap more, cut off the forward band, once you have half the foot wrapped or more you can cut off the final band.
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Yes, heat if not applied properly can cause micro-bubbles or other issues. With my alc burner or more commonly used heat gun I have the system down pretty well.
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I buy the mixing cups, stir sticks and aluminum cups from MudHole. Mix gently in the cup for a good deal of time and let it sit one or two minutes at least. Pour gently into the shallow aluminum cup/pan and breathe your warm air onto it, or let it sit a moment and give it quick hit with a heat gun. With FlexCoat or Gen 4 I have not had bubble issues with this method. The mixing cups and stir
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I have the same issue on an 8-wt rod I made. Essentially the end of the reel foot is fully pressed against each end of the hood, but it still wiggles a bit, as the foot's slope or height is less than that of the for and aft reel seat hood. I have yet to address the issue, but was thinking of either: 1) elevating the reel foot via a light, adhesive material; 2) placing a small amount of gasket
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