Norman Miller Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I always build on the straightest axis with the > tip pointing up. Gravity and the guides with cause > the blank to straighten. Not only does this make > the rod look better, but also increases the dead > lift power of the rod. I just don’t like having > the tip veering off to one side or the o
Forum: rodboard

Temperature also plays a role. My cores come out better in warmer rather than cooler temps. There is a bit of an experimentation process to dial in on what works best for you. ...................
Forum: rodboard

The original article on the technique specified US Composites 8lb density foam. It seems to work well under a wide variety of conditions. Air bubbles and voids can also be the result of over-mixing which tends to create bubbles. Captive molds may not release bubbles as well as open type container-molds as specified in the original article. .................
Forum: rodboard

If you build on the spine you're more than apt to have a bend to one side or the other. The question is, are we talking about a bend or a sharp, sudden crook? What to do depends on what you have in this regard, ...............
Forum: rodboard

I was under the impression that they may have folded so you may be looking at older models. They had a very good reputation at the time. No idea if CUI is indeed gone, or not. Perhaps one of their customers can chime in with more information. ..............
Forum: rodboard

One of the major causes of rod breakage is "high sticking." This not only tends to bend the rod past 90 degrees, but causes a bow-string effect between the guides. This is typically why high sticking causes a rod to break. The point about not bending a rod past 90 degrees lies in the fact that once you have flexed it beyond that point you are not applying any additional pressure to t
Forum: rodboard

Yellowing is normal, both in the bottle and on the rod, but the "floating white stuff" would only be normal in the resin (early crystallization) not the hardener. I'm sure Mud Hole will take care of you if you contact them about it. ...............
Forum: rodboard

A rod blank is a rod blank. The reason you often see fly rods flexed so deeply is due to their general length - upon landing a fish, the angler often points the rod blank to the sky and then reels the fish up close. This action results in the tip of the rod having to flex all the way to 180 degrees. It's deadly with bamboo and not helpful in carbon. It's bad fish landing technique and does indeed
Forum: rodboard

Check the photo page under "tools and equipment." There are numerous drum dryer designs shown there. Should be able to get some good ideas. ..............
Forum: rodboard

This has all been covered before. ..............
Forum: rodboard

It depends on the amount of space you need to take up. For very small differences, it's possible to bore any of the rigid foam arbors to very fine tolerances, although this is best done by boring on a lathe. Otherwise, you can use fiberglass drywall tape and gel epoxy. That latter works quite well and is easy to do. For larger spaces, the rigid foam arbors are hard to beat. ..............
Forum: rodboard

You stated who you bought them from in your first post. Because it is the first point of sale, the tax is charged on the price that you paid, not the MSRP or whatever. ...............
Forum: rodboard

Yes, you were overcharged if that is the case. The tax is figured at the first point of sale, which would be between the manufacturer and the distributor and which would be less than you paid for the blank. For instance, let's say the manufacturer charged the distributor $40 for the blank. The tax would be $4. This is why many don't show the tax as a separate listing on the invoice - doing so wou
Forum: rodboard

Spencer Phipps Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Pretty much, if your buying retail, even on a sale > you are paying the excise tax up front. If your > buying wholesale you are not, and you must get the > tax from the customer at the sale, and send it to > the government. Even buying wholesale you are paying the tax. You pay the tax regardl
Forum: rodboard

I know some that wipe the tag end of the wrapping thread with super glue and then just make one revolution, cut it and let it set. .........
Forum: rodboard

More than a few rod builders have gone belly up replacing rods for certain segments of the market that tend to think rods should be unbreakable. Here are some ideas to consider: 1. Stay away from segments of the market where breaking rods seems to be a habit rather than an occasional occurrence. 2. Factor in some sort of presumptive warranty fee to each rod you build. Say, $25 per rod, whic
Forum: rodboard

Use some sort of " block" to steady your hand and you should be able to get a clean, crisp epoxy edge as you rotate the rod while holding the brush steady. ............
Forum: rodboard

Yes you can add another guide, or even two. The weight will make a difference. It will also reduce the response (speed) of the rod, if you can live with that. ..............
Forum: rodboard

The weight of the guide has a greater effect than the guide's ability to flex with the rod. But flexibility is desirable from other standpoints. And no, stiffer guides do not stiffen a rod - all guides end up softening the rod due to the added weight. .......
Forum: rodboard

I can only assume that as the fore grip piece is brought down over the reel foot, it is expanding and thus also expanding the cork piece on top of it. .............
Forum: rodboard

I believe the U40 Color Lock and Flex Coat CP are essentially the same formulas. Color preserver that has been frozen becomes unusable. Older CP that may have lost some solvent (water) to evaporation can also be damaged. Buy small bottles and keep a fresh supply. AL's CP is a different animal but many like it. Something else to try. ...........
Forum: rodboard

The Renzetti is universally approve and the Custom Power Wrap from Angler's Resources just unveiled some new motor and dryer upgrades for that machine at the recent Expo. Beyond these two, the nice wrapping machines from American Tackle, Batson Enterprises/ALPS and Pacific Bay are best sellers and used by legions of serious rod builders. The only thing I would say is that regardless of make y
Forum: rodboard

St. Croix and Axiom (Rodgeeks) are in partnership. At some point it makes little sense to maintain two separate manufacturing, marketing and sales departments to sell virtually the same product. One can do it more efficiently and at less cost. ................
Forum: rodboard

Good technique. .............
Forum: rodboard

You'll want to fit and adhere a thin wall internal sleeve inside the male ferrule. You'll have to do this from the butt so it'll take a bit of care and precision measuring. First find a scrap section of carbon rod blank and insert that up through the butt and on through the male end (remove the rubber plug if there is one in place. Then mark the end of the scrap section where it protrudes from th
Forum: rodboard

Often they are undersized on purpose, thinking that the builder will not do a perfect job of mounting them, thus leaving room for error. Being precise, you might as well go on with the #17 arbors. ............
Forum: rodboard

When flocking, you use an adhesive that is colored to match the flocking material. When skinning a grip with carbon or glass, the core won't show through unless your skin is too small and you've had to stretch it open slightly to get it over the core. Always better to have a skin that is slightly oversize and then slide it on and pull the ends to pull it down tight on the core. ...........
Forum: rodboard

Would be the same process with the same difficulty if you sanded them. But you may not need to sand them. ...........
Forum: rodboard

You can try boring a hole in the seat and pumping in some liquid epoxy. It is possible that it will penetrate the cord or reset any loose areas. Worth a try before you go to the trouble of tearing the seat off. ...............
Forum: rodboard

Here's a photo from 2006: ..............
Forum: rodboard