I have been out of touch for awhile and after 8 years I have decided to try and get back into fishing this summer... The one question I have today are builders still building spiral wrap ,Roberts wrap or have the builders went back to a straight traditional wrap...I've also noticed a change in spinning rods guide's..thanks for your time Ken
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On my rods, I use silver dimes ... On rods that are made for costumers I use new nickel or shinny new pennies
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The reason I didn't send it back was because as I examined the blank further, I found that the out of round portion was only on the bottom 18 inchsonly . The rest of the blank was as round as a 16 penny nail. To date I've built 22 MHX blanks and all been great Ken
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I broke the tip of a new build on a HM MHX rod and after cutting the next 4 in off the tip for mud hole to see, I was left with a six ft or less rod [ I',ve never measured it] ... I removed several guides, put on a new tip , respaced the guides I removed ,and made me the best 6 ft spinning rod I've ever seem .. Works great for skipping baits under tree limbs,docks, barges .You name it ... also
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Just a update to the forum on the out of round MHX blank i had. I went ahead and built the blank and it turned out to cast very well ,with no worries . Worked great......Made a very light and sensitive rod... I guess I made a bigger deal about it being out of round, than it actually was...As i examined the blank further I found that the only part of the blank out of round was the grip are
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I'm pretty sure the blank hasn’t been crushed. It's still solid and really straight... the high part of the oval is also the spine or really close to it..I guess I’ll call MH tomorrow..Ken
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Is it common for a blank to be slightly out of round ?? I have never noticed any blanks before being out of round, but to be honest I never looked before. I put the blank on the wrapper ,rigged me up a dial indicator type contraption with a pencil ...,and it is slightly oval. I think I’m going ahead and build with it and hope for the best.. Unless I hear that it’s a not good idea to do... T
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A friend brought in a crushed CB843 Loomis rod and wanted me to build him a replacement rod... I told him that I thought Loomis stopped selling blanks to the general public .. Does anyone have an opinion of a blank which might do as a substitute?? thanks for your help Ken
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Sorry to take so long to get the specs The guide spacing is 3 1/4 #4 guide 3 3/4 " 4 1/8 " 4 1/2 " 5 1/8 #5 guide 6 #6 guide 6 1/2 #7 guide 7 1/2 #8 guide 4 1/2 " 5 " simple spiral 19 1/4 to reel I'm beginning to think I ha
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casting- 3/8 oz weights guide-started w/8 Fuji ended w/4's- spiral wraps casting -201 E7 curado line-10 lb mono Hope this helps Ken
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I have built 5 MHX rods this year for myself and really feel that they are all excellant blanks at a good price.. The MB843-MHX I just finished is the one exception.I can't get the feel of this blank. Distance is not there .. , don't know why but it isn't. Anyone else have this problem??I'm going to take it to the shop and see about my guide spacing by static testing it again.Weight distribut
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I brought several of my older rods in to repair chiped epoxy , bent guides and just a general cleaning ..The epoxy is really yellowed and nasty looking. I guess the way to clean up the epoxy and wraps is to lightly scuff the wraps and reapplie epoxy over old wraps? Is there anyway to clean up the grips and rods other than using alcohol. TIA Ken Blevins
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Here's an update on my marbleing tech .I did away witn my 18 rpm drying motor and I went down to a 6 rpm motor. Installed a heater to bring up the room temp to about 75 drgrees from 55-60 degreed..Bought a good spatula kit instead of using cut up credit cards and McDonalds coffee stir stick...Also I have started to turn the rod by hand and wick off excessive amount. Sometimes though it will cha
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After reading all of the posts ,I've decided that the base coat that I'm putting on may be to thick. I'm going down to the basement to do another pool cue test and I'll post the results.... TIA Ken Blevins Ashland , Ky
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All right guys , I give up.I have done my last bumpy marbling job-... I am going to start from the beginning and try to figure out how and what I'm doing wrong.. While the people that I build rods for are happy with the colors and finish,I'm not... Its just not smooth like my guide finish...-I started with Testors paint ,drained solvent and used the remaining pigment. The color was ok but the f
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Tom -I just zapped the resin in the mircowave and its as good as new. thanks Ken
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I just opened a new kit of flexcoat and found that 1/3 of the resin has set up almost solid.. Some time ago I read a post that stated that you could heat the resin it in warm water and it would turn liquid again.It became less solid but was still set up. Next I tried setting it next to a heater and after 1 hr its begining to loosen up . If and when it becomes liquid again, will it be safe t
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I just finished a St. Croix 3C70 MM using Fuji guides BLNAG 12j-10j-BLAG 8j-6j- 5j xxxx top BMCAT4.5- sprial wrap that turned out great...Getting ready to start STC 3C70MFand was wondering if I used a Blag 6j-5j-4j-4j-xxxxx top or maybe even 3jxxxx to top, could I possibly do a sprial wrap that would work??? If anyone has any suggestions of what not to do or maybe something I should look
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What is the downside to using epoxy for grips and reel seats compared to Rod Bond???? The reason I ask is because the only time I have ever used rod bond it made such a mess that I went to using 2 hr epoxy. I read that a lot of you [ most ] use rod bond over epoxy and swear by it , so set me straight as to how to use rod bond without the mess and the benefits of rod bond over epoxy. I have
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A lot better than mine Ken
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How soon after the first coat of epoxy sets up[ slightly tacky to the touch -approx 4 hrs] can a secong coat be added w/o screwing sonething up? thanks Ken
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Hi Chris.. I have used several differant types[ Flex coat hi build- thread master and one other brand] also thinking that the epoxy might be the problem... Most of the time I mix my pigments as soon as I finish my guides and it dosen't take long to do the guides.I also try to mix the pigments in the same amounts so that I don't get some epoxy with more pigment than others.The epoxy w/pigments
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I have tried marbleing rods for about 6 months now and have the same problem with the finish that I've alwas had. The finish is slightly uneven or bumpy or not smooth. I'm getting the effect and blended colors that I want ,but not the finish product. I have watched several tutorial from members of this forum ,but I never was good at following directions,so I need help. The only thing I can figur
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sounds like I did mess up somewhere. I knew that something just wasn't right. I,ll start from square one and try again Ken
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Hi Jim The 27 inch distant is from the spool center of a shimano sedona 2000 to the first guide 16 byag. The spool size is almost 40 cm's.... Thanks Ken
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I just put guides on a MHX SJ 842 spinning rod and after I static tested to get correct guide spacing the first guide from the reel was setting at a woppin 27 inches. The guide I used for this is a 16J Fuji guide. Does this sound like it will work? I also have a blvag16J guide but guide just made it worst. I guess what I'm looking for is a little input - anyway, thanks for your time Ken
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Robert- I have 6 or 8 Lew's Fuji's casting pistol grip type that I'll never use .Send me a picture or stock number and I'll dig them out and see iof its what your looking for. Ken
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Thanks for all of the suggestions .I ordered a 3C70MM st Croix Fri. morning from mud hole .I also went ahead and ordered a Loomis CB 843 so I will build both and see which works the best for me. Being able to build whichever rod I want, when I want it, and how I want it, is the very best thing about rod building. The amount of help I've received form this site has been great. Thanks for your
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I guess what I'm looking for is in a crankbait rod -Blank weight is a consideration , medium or moderate power ..I seem to jerk the bait outta the fishs mouth when i'm fishing with a medium heavy - fast tip blank. Anyway - thanks for your time Ken
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I’m still looking to build the best 7 foot [6-6] casting rod possible. I've built several that I can cast a long ways but I always want more. I rarely use heavier than 12lb test and most of the cranks I throw is from 1/4 to 5/8 ... I have never built a St Croix blank and was leaning in that direction. Any suggestions would be appreciated thanks for your time Ken Blevins
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