Made this from raw sheets of birch bark. Trimmed with burl redwood accents.
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This is a combo of JC, french partridge, peacock, yellow and green macaw
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This is my first custom handle made from scratch. It is Flame Box Elder and Redheart with aluminum and black accents. The seat insert is made from the same piece of wood.
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Haven't posted or built anything for awhile due to a new job. Finally knocked this one out. This is a new one for me. It is an 11', 4wt for euro-nymphing techniques.
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First try at a weave. Done a scrap blank for practice.
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This was the handle installed during a rebuild. I didn't build this grip/seat though. I had a friend do it who's work I have seen in the past (and drooled over). The rebuild was a surprise for a friend who thought he was just getting 2 guides repaired.
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I didn't quite get a clean close on this wrap. Last 2 threads of black background had to be overlapped at the junction around the diamond. But still a lot closer than previous attempts. This was a strip and rebuild for a friend.
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Here is my first go at a tiger wrap. Actually I pulled off the first 4 attempts but this one turned out pretty well. Not real happy with the color selection but it was an addition to a previously completed rod so I used the same color scheme. Base wrap is black and metallic silver with royal blue overwrap.
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Here is a closer look at my latest wrap. I thought I had it packed pretty well before CP but had gaps after. Is it OK to pack after CP is applied?
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This was my second cross wrap. Trying to improve so comments/tips/notes/observations are all appreciated.
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I applied low heat with an electric candle warmer and the threadmarks came out in about an hour. Turned rod 180 and di the other side just the same.
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Finished a buttwrap and found these threadmarks in the rod finish after the cutoff.
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First attempt at a cross wrap. Second build overall. Thanks to Billy V. for the personal coaching. Used the green shadepack from NERBs site. Faded light to dark back to light.
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This is a 2wt, 6.5', 2pc. Diameter was just under 5mm at center of wrap. Did the single thread spiral inlay on each of the guides. Fun little build.
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This is a tribal dragon I picked from a tattoo site. This is first weave I have done as a complete work (practiced on some other works). I used green and gold variegated as an experiment. Not sure if I like it but it gave an interesting effect. next time I will use a heavier wrapping thread. I was coached by some of you to do this but I used what I had since it was going on a repair freebie.
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This is a tribal dragon I picked from a tattoo site. This is first weave I have done as a complete work (practiced on some other works). I used green and gold variegated as an experiment. Not sure if I like it but it gave an interesting effect. next time I will use a heavier wrapping thread. I was coached by some of you to do this but I used what I had since it was going on a repair freebie.
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I needed to see how this white would look with finish on it and I wanted to learn how to do this style of fade so it was a chance to kill 2 birds with one stone. Just done on scrap blank.
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Built this for a friend's gal. She likes pink and flowers so did both on a 7.5', 3wt. This is Billy's Rose pattern done with 6 repeats for a dozen roses.
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I modified the pattern slightly by adding 2 extra threads to the last pass of the rose. Made the rosebud a little more closed.
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This is a pretty obnoxious color but it worked with the rest of the pink rod.
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I did a candy apple effect on single foot guides of this pink 3 wt.
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Did this wrap on a donation rod for a non-profit trout org I belong to. I was beginning to think a clean close was a myth but finally got it on my 6th rod. I feel like I spotted Bigfoot. BillyV told me I could fit 6 passes and I see now he was right. I cut off my first 6 pass attempt and re-did it at 5 passes. I figured out a lot on this wrap. Even taught myself olive branch technique. I need to
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Sparkler wrap done on a donation rod. Wasn't sure I would like the colors at the start but really like the finished results. Look forward to seing this one with epoxy.
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What is your preferred finish if making grips from hardwood? I normally prefer to only use stabilized wood. I turned a grip from walnut with pecan inlays but it is not stabilized. It is already turned so I don't want to send it out to be stabilized now. Do you have any products/methods you've found to provide good, long-term protection?
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Mix ratios are almost always given as volume:volume. To mix by weight you just need to find the weight per volume which can then be converted. Manufacturers are required to make available the MSDS for their products. It will list the Specific Gravity of the product(s). Multiply the SG by 8.34 (weight of 1 gallon of water) to get the weight per gallon of product then convert (Google unit converter
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Yeah, Terry. I was thinking the same thing. Robert - I will give the Phenix serious consideration. Trying to learn whether to go with a slower, more parabolic or a fast action with a softer tip to get that nice whip into the light jig. Decisions, decisions, decisions...
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A friend wants me to build a spinning rod for him. He will use it for flipping lightweight jigs around/under docks for springtime crappie. Does anyone have a recommendation for a little 5 footer that would fit this application (prefer made in USA but not mandatory)?
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Good stuff. Thanks guys.
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I am building my first spinning rod for a friend's wife. He wants to use SiC guides. I don't know enough about sizing guides for such a light spinning rod and don't want to mess up on such an expensive guide set. It is a 6.5' NFC blank (FW 602-1). I looked at the MH site and the recommended size for the YSG guides starts at a size 30 which seems large to me. It also recommends to finsh with the
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There are different grades of TiO2. They're not necessarily pure white. And it's a dry powder that you would need to grind into the resin base. Try experimenting with the tinting concentrates at the paint store. Tell them you want to put it into the epoxy so they know what to give you.
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