Suggestions worked GREAT! All is now well in my world. Thanks all!
Forum: rodboard

Many thanks, Roger! I'm headed to the kitchen now to see whether I can remember where we put that old tea kettle.
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I don't often work with EVA and my inexperience has just bit me. I clamped the EVA butt cap of a rod I'm working on into the chuck on my lathe to dry some finish on the rod. When the finish dried I discovered that I had tightened the chuck much too tightly and had left deep impressions in the EVA where the chuck jaws had held the butt cap. Soaking in hot water has lessened the depth of the imp
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After a long and happy relationship with Fuji Concept guides I've been forced by a client to build a few rods with the "K"-series guides. I'm not at all happy with the way these things look with the Forhan wrap. I know that the gutter in the guide foot is supposed to eliminate the need for this but I've looked at the thing and just don't trust it. Does anyone out there have suggestio
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I used to use polyurethane (and before that Gudebrod Rod Varnish) even into the early days of rod epoxies. It worked just fine and the rods I finished with it, now over 30 years old, are still holding up just fine. The only major drawback was that you couldn't even THINK about using it over white thread. That said, beginning with Gene Bullard's Diamond II, the epoxies totally surpassed polyure
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Thanks All!! It had been a while and I had forgotten. Now I've got the link to the instructions bookmarked!
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I've been absent from this board for a while but got back on today. I signed on OK and was gratified to see that my profile still showed properly in the Control Center. I am, however, unable to view any photos. The system tells me that I must register to view the photos. Thinking that I might need to register separately I tried re-entering my same info I tried that and was informed that the n
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Charles, I believe he's in NSW.
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I've been corresponding with a fisherman in Australia who's looking to buy some good casting/spinning rods. Shipping costs for low quantities of long one-piece rods from here to there preclude me satisfying his needs but I thought readers of this board might be able to help me out in contacting some good, reputable builders more local to him. He's prepped to try rods built on CTS blanks. If yo
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I normally use FlexCoat CP on nylon wraps but I've been happier with Al's Color Rite (available from Angler's Workshop) on the rods I wrap with silk thread. It might just be my imagination but the colors look more brilliant to me. I allow a couple of hours between coats and overnight before finish.
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I'm sooooooo glad to see that old snaggletooth logo again. I didn't realize that there was a family connection to the revived Bullard International. I used to visit Gene in his apartment in Dallas and his several business locations. I've kept a copy of the 1987 15th Anniversary issue of his catalog and would never part with my snaggletooth belt buckle.........but I think I'll always miss jus
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I'm almost out of my supply of Andy Dear's burl cork and thought I'd get in touch with him to see who's selling the "real" stuff these days. No link here. No website. One of my suppliers (who no longer carries Andy's stuff) says he's sold the business. Can someone tell me who bought it or where I can get that cork these days? Someone out there has a chance to be my hero today. Tha
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I've successfully signed in and posted to a message thread today but I cannot see images. When I go there I'm told that I must register or sign in. I've even tried signing out and signing back in after being refused access to the images. When I do that I get a sign-in error. Am I doing something wrong here...........or does this thing just not like Macs?
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Ron, I've got a couple of die-hard UT fans myself. Use a neutral or black blank and wrap with Gudebrod #257 (Rust) and white. They should be happy with that.
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I'll agree with the above posters on starting with something cheaper for your first rod. I'd also recommend that you build your first rod on a heavier blank, too......maybe a 3- or 4-wt. I just finished building a couple of 1710-3 TXLs and, once you're ready to build on the TXL here's what I used and found to be an absolutely fantastic setup: REC AUSL reel seat w/ Maple burl spacer,
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I'm about to use silk thread for the first time in my life and, after 35+ years of rod building, again feel like a rank amateur. I'll be doing this on a Sage TXL 1-wt. so I want to get it right the first time. I've read whatever I could find here but still have a few questions: 1. I've seen that fraying can be a problem. My old home-made wrapping jig applies pressure to the spool but does pa
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I have a customer who I am helping over an addiction to the high-end Japanese rods. One of the things he has really liked has been Kevlar tubing or material on the blank forward of the foregrip (extending to the first guide) and between the split-grips. I've never heard of such and have several questions: 1. Is there any purpose (other than decorative) for this stuff? If so, what does it d
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I considered the Kelton jig but the tech folks at Craft Supplies talked me into the Oneway Wolverine. For someone who was turning the tips of my tools blue in an attempt to get a good grind it has been a lifesaver. I bought the basic system with the vari-grind and skew grinding jigs and am slowly returning my turning tools to a condition I'm not ashamed to have my friends see. At roughly the c
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A single coat of Tru-Oil will really enhance the colors of the cork and won't have much effect on the feel. Multiple coats will make the grip feel firmer and will tend to give it a bit of a sheen. Whether you like the change or not is a personal thing. I like it but some don't. Sacrifice a ring or two for an experiment and decide whether it works for you.
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If you don't have someone who can do the job locally (always nice of only for the convenience) you might check with Angler's Workshop. I've had them make rod bags up to the size needed to fit multi-piece surf rods. Nice folks there and always great results. If you have special size requirements just let them know the size of guides that will have to fit in the various sleeves.
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Andy, The heck with the big office space. When I started buying from Gene he was selling out of his kitchen. You stock the fridge and I'll find out just where Pipe Creek, TX is! Jim
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.........and, by the way, he was probably the most interesting guy in the business in the '70s and '80s.
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The author of the letter sounds like the same guy. He has a lot to be proud of!! Diamond II (rod finish) and CPX (color preserver) were the best on the market! The ThreadMaster finally measured up to the Diamond II but there is still no equivalent to CPX.
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I don’t know how many of you out there remember Gene Bullard’s Diamond II finish. It was the stuff that finally converted me from rod varnishes. I really loved it and miss it even now. It leveled well, dried with just the right amount of flexibility, and stayed clear for years (I still have a 15+ year-old rod in my boat with nice clear white trim wraps). Of course, living in the Dallas are
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Thanks to all for your replies. I'll start working my way down this much shorter list first thing in the morning. Jim Kirby
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One of my regular customers, on a recent fishing trip, became a fan of Thomas & Thomas fly rods. I've checked all the usual suspects (Angler's Workshop, Mudhole, Merrick, Custom Tackle Supply, etc.) but can't find anyone who carries their blanks. Does anyone out there know of a source.....preferably one who has a wholesale program....who carries the doggoned things? With the glacial speed
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Thanks Anthony, I'll be headed to town in the morning to begin my search for the lift-off tape
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Hey Scott, That idea sounds absolutely outstanding. My feelings about the Decal Connection are absolutely at the opposite end of the spectrum from my feelings about the St. Croix labels. I didn't know that Decal Connection (or anyone else) was permitted to reproduce that sort of stuff. I'll check this out and, perhaps, finally have a GOOD alternative to those %$#@%$#@ stick-on labels. Than
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I detest the St. Croix stick-on labels almost as much as I love their blanks. To date, after dozens of tries, I have yet to put one on a rod without leaving some small amount of evidence (fingerprint, forceps mark, etc.) of what I have used to lift the label from the sheet. Admittedly, most are small and barely noticeable....but I know they are there and it really bugs me. Does anyone have a f
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I've only built a few of these so far but colors that have worked well include Dark Blue (Gudebrod #246) or Garnet (Gudebrod #206). I've used both of these without color preserver and trimmed with either Pearl (#9003) or Silver (#9002). All look great.
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