guys many thanks, especially Thomas. I have several colours and may try a wrap on the butt before assembling the handle, but I ndo not have a massive array of colours at home. AS the green and black, I did consider a black reel seat and this combo would have gone well with that seat, but as the guides are not black i decided against it. Any further suggestions gratefully received Mark
Forum: rodboard

Hi I have just treated myself to a Sage TCX blank, Fuji Tlsg guides and gray struble u-15 reel seat. What I am pondering is what colour,or combination of colours to wrap the rod. Any recommendation will be greatly received. I don't know what colour that Sage use as standard, so if anyone can tell me that I would appreciate it. When recommending pse advise if you would use colour preserve
Forum: rodboard

Guys Many thanks, but I am none the wiser. As too line weight I currently use the FT907-4 and find that well matched to a 7 weight line - I carry quite a bit of line. So I expect to be throwing a 5 weight line with this rod. I am still confused. Mark
Forum: rodboard

Hi A question for those of you who have built on a dan craft FT905-4. What guides have you used.? I have a set of fuji SICs and a set of rec SFs and I don't know which to fit. I like the friction free SICs for shooting a long line, but also like a lightweight guide so as to not affect the action of the blank. Can anyone give me any feedback so as to help me decide? I am firmly of t
Forum: rodboard

Hi In the UK we get a 3 piece Loomis GLX distance rod. I am interested in getting a blank for the 10 ft 7 wt ( i believe the rod number is GLX-D-FR1207-3), but the Loomis numbering system confuses me. Do they sell the blank, and if so which one is it? Many thanks Mark
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Thanks all, I'ii definitely go with the Ti/SiC. Does anyone know if you can get a 6mm tip? Mark
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I've just built myself a 7wt with Fuji single foot Ti/SiC guides and I cannot believe the difference it makes when shooting a line over wire guides. I have a Dan craft FT 905-4 as my next project and I was wondering whether the same rings would weigh too much and spoil the action; I was going to use rec SFs, but now I am not so sure. Would 6mm Dia Ti/SiCs be right for a 5wt, or too small?
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Has anyone built a Dan Craft Five Rivers Signature 997-3 and got a good set of guide spacings? I am not very good at positioning rings myself, and the detail I can get elswhere seems rather generic (ie 10' 3 piece rod) Also, would you vary the spacings between Sic and recoils, or are they the same. I am leaning towards the lightweight titanium fujis. the other question I have got is - 16mm or
Forum: rodboard

I order from the UK, and H&H are my number one choice, yes, in the last year. I have had no problems and they have always supplied quality components at exceptional prices Mark
Forum: rodboard

Can anyone advise on reel seats? Last time I made up 2 rods, I used Struble U-20 and U-15 reel fittings. I was very disappointed to find that my Greys GTX and Sage 2560 reels would not sit properly in them, both reel fiitings being to large and the reels rotate quite a few degrees side-to-side; I thought that all reel fittings were to a standard size nowadays. As I cannot buy decent reel s
Forum: rodboard

I have managed to get an XP590-4 blank and want to make it using top quality componenets, but shying away froma wood reel seat. Can anyone recommend a high quality, uplocking reel seat that has a carbon weave - perhaps olive gren like the blank? In the UK it is almost impossible to find such componenets Thanks Mark
Forum: rodboard

I don't think it was a sage. He has had it for about a year. I suspect that it is made from a reasonably high modulus carbon as the recovery rate seems to be very good. To me the give away was the thinness of the butt. Unfortunately I didn't have a tape with me, but I suspecthat it would be somewhere near .350" Mark
Forum: rodboard

But Anglers' workshop have no XP blanks on their website! Can anyone else suggest a supplier? Mark
Forum: rodboard

Does anyone know of someone selling the discounted sage XP blanks who would be prepared to ship to England? Mark
Forum: rodboard

Just fishing with this one! I borrowed a rod from a friend today - it had no markings on. It was built as a saltwater rod, a glossy blue in colour, 9' 8wt, and what struck me was it was a very fast action and at the butt very thin. Does this give anyone a clue as to what it might be? He didn't know, just picked it up from a custom builder with no details as to what the blank was Mark
Forum: rodboard

Guys Thanks for all the observations. I am afraid that I cannot get used to the idea of ceramics on a 6 weight trout rod. I must admit that my experience of ceramics is that they do not shoot as well as snakes, but that was with some old fujis many years ago. Looks to me like I should be using the majority of guides as size 1 or 1/0. Thanks. Any more observations, I am soaking up this
Forum: rodboard

I have decided to make myself a Dan Craft Signature V 966-4 using Hopkins and Holloway Single leg wire guides. It is the first rod I have built since I was a teenager! (30 Years). What I am struggling with is what size tip and intermediates do I use for a 6 weight. I will be doing much of my fishing on UK stillwaters, so will be using a WF floater for most of my fishing. Any recommendations
Forum: rodboard