<p><img src="documents" alt="Simple speed controlled DC motor" /></p> <p>I like to rotate my blanks very slowly while I apply finish to a wrap. I have designed very much more complicated motion control gear in the past but this is a minimalist DC gearmotor/speed controller that is withing the reach of the
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<p><img src="documents" alt="bobbin sled with tensioners" width="3" height="4" /><img src="Documents" alt="rod holder" width="3" height="4" /></p>
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<p><img src="Documents" alt="rod holder" width="3" height="4" /></p>
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I have some Flexcoat I bought 10 years ago. It's contained in a pair of syringes. It looks like it may have yellowed a bit but, not having some fresh stuff, perhaps that is its' normal color. I coated a test wrap and came out good. It had ~ 45 mins of working time. It leveled out good. Within eight hours it had dried enough that I couldn't make a finger print in it. I'm inclined to use it. Th
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Gary, did you do the rod design work for Cabella's back in the 80's? I bought a "Fish Eagle" graphite blank back then and put together a rod I dearly miss now - broke when I took a fall traipsing through the woods.
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Herb, Where did you get such small o-rings?
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So i went to a guide spacing chart on the flexcoat website This is the first thing that came up when I googled "fly rod guide spacing chart". I thought this would be a good start. I'm quite sure the 4th entry down for an 8+1/2 foot rod is erroneous. The spacing between the guides does not decrease contiguously. The 7th snake guide location is way off and is easily detected with t
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Good advice Michael and Herb. I do have the stripper at 32" on version 1. I Also had 9 guides total so I think I'm comfortably within your recommendations. I like the idea of the O-rings for both experimenting with spacing and the follow up of winding them on permanently. I used to use small pieces of tape which was a PITA.
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Perhaps this has been discussed before. What generalizations can we make about the quantity and spacing of guides on a fly rod based on: 1. length 2. action I've noticed many antique bamboo fly rods have fewer guides than modern glass/carbon. Maybe this is because a slow action rod bends evenly along its' length to a greater degree than a fast action rod and therefore the radius of the ben
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Cork is porous and has this tendency to accumulate dirt and grime with use. It's no big deal to clean them. If I really want them clean I'll lightly sand them. I'm wondering if something can be applied that will make them shed the dirt easier without affecting the feel. Do any of you folks ever seal a cork grip? With what?
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CTS has redeemed itself in my eyes. With the help of Herb they are replacing my cobbled tip after all these years. Thanks Herb.
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Here's an idea. - If you can't find the color you want in NCP, make your own. I'd like to build a dispensing system that would apply color preserver as you are wrapping. (quite the challenge). The impetus for this is I continue to have bad luck using conventional thread and adding CP after the wrap. It seems I always miss some spot around the guide foot. I theorize the underside of the thread do
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On one of the rods I built, I put it on the side, ie, 90 degrees to the reel. I regretted it. I often caught the line on it. It's best on the same side as the reel as Arron states.
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Herb, check your e-mail.
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Herb, I may be interested in replacing the tip section of my CTS Vintage. How do I get in touch with you?
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I agree Tom. That's what I have done with my Sage Pack rod.
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I believe the CTS was called "vintage'? I broke that rod hauling in a large lake trout. 9' rod with 9' leader, the fish was~ 18' away from the boat. I have a tendency not to real a knotted leader into the guides so I choked up on the rod trying to net the thing -snap!
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My first fly rod was fiberglass. It had a relatively slow action compared to the modern day graphite offerings. I got used to casting with that rod and now really don't care for any rod with a moderate or fast action. Seems I have to force a fast rod to get a decent loop/presentation. So now I own a few slow action graphite rods. I bought these rods based on the the measurement of the butt diam
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I broke the upper half of a two piece CTS rod reeling in a giant lake trout once. CTS replaced it for a relatively low price. The piece they sent me had quite the curvature in the very tip. I would up splicing my old tip onto the new section. I don't think I'd ever get a CTS rod again.
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My suspicion is no. I'm thinking if there's a curvature in the tip, it came that way. Opinions?
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If we are talking fly rods, I love my Diamond back 7wt. I drooled over these when I was younger but couldn't afford one. REC was right down the road from me in Vt. A couple of years ago I lucked out and the proprietor who took over the building acquired some blanks from the grandson of the original REC owner. I needed a heavier than usual rod for lakes so I got an 8wt. By my measurements it's a
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Here's the lingk to the Gorilla Glue method.
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Here's the lingk to the Gorilla Glue method.
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Another option is to not use epoxy. I had been redoing some bamboo rods lately using Spar Polyurethane. I just did a graphite rod using it and it came out nice. Spar Polyurethane meets the criteria, ie has UV inhibitors, and is somewhat flexible. I find it doesn't droop so long as you don't expect one heavy coat to do the job. I did three light/medium coats. It dries fast. I only waited an hour
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I don't thin the preserver and my wraps are packed but I may be guilty of not giving it enough drying time. Thanks for the input Tom and Jay.
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I've made a half dozen rods in my life. The first couple used color preserver but it came out splotchy. It 's as if I didn't apply it completely. The next three rods I didn't bother with the preserver and just put up with the dark wraps. It tried it again on my current build and sure enough got blotch results even with two careful coats. One of the wraps was real bad so I did it over and unfortu
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Indeed there are a ton of commercial "spinning rod" holders that won't work with fly rods whereby there is very little shaft beyond the real. I did find a commercial fly rod holder - $350.00 BTW, why make a fly rod for that matter....geesh? Scotty makes a holder for $27;00 that looks great accept you need to screw it down. Anyway, I was thinking there might be folks here in the sam
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A couple of times a year I travel over to the Adirondacks where a buddy and myself troll from johnboats. Typically, I just lay my rod up against the back seat with reel on the floor while rowing. Of course one needs both hands to row. Over time this puts wear marks on your rod and real not mention the risk of having a big strike take your pole right out of the boat. In fact that happened one year
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