My third effort. Just a simple open pattern over an underwrap. Not up to the the other stuff being posted here, but I'm happy with it.
Forum: rodboard

Maybe it's just me, but I get more wind knots throwing Power Pro at the surf with a 15-plus knot wind in my face than when I throw mono. And for mono at the surf, hard to beat Suffix Tritanium Plus. Freshwater bass fishing, I'll use Trilene XL mono.
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Everyone's eyes are different, but the Optivisor with a #3 lens works for me. I wear them over my "computer glasses", because that happens to work best for me. Very happy with the fine detail I can see.
Forum: rodboard

Just curiosity: what kind of location do you have? And, if you know, how much of your business is due to people "noticing" you, as opposed to advertising, word-of-mouth or repeat business? And BTW, congrats!
Forum: rodboard

I've not put the butt on from the end for the "ooops" reason, but often enough to replace damaged butts. Not usually a problem, you can shim the smaller diameter segment with thread if necessary.
Forum: rodboard

Excellent! Keep this up and you will be my "full service" online source. Any plans to stock ready-to-catch Red Drum?
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Another factor is what surface will the guy fish from: bank or boat; if boat, what kind of boat. If he has a true bass boat with a platform, then a 7' rod may be best all around. But if from the banks or froman unmodified jon boat, for example, then you cannot effectively pitch with a longer rod, without using a sidearm motion. Guido Hibron uses a 5'8" rod for pitching and skipping plastics
Forum: rodboard

It all depends on the customer, how he's built, how he fishes, and where. In the Potomac River where I used to fish for bass, many guys would prefer medium power, just as many medium-heavy. A few would use other powers. The length of rod would vary also, with 6.5 and 7 foot rods about equally popular. The rod length depends not only on the size of the guy, but also on the fishing style: long cas
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Hey Mary Lou: How's the bass fishin'? Something to consider: Even with all due care and caution, using the excellent methods above, you can't always be absolutely sure you haven't damaged or stressed the blank under the tip, which would lead to failure after the new tip is on. You can simply cut through the blank (a dremel tool is good for this) just below the tip-top. The resulting blank wi
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Got a copy of what's supposed to be Bill Vivona's book. Very nice, but he didn't write it. Not a single "teh" in it.
Forum: rodboard

I used to do that a lot with my factory rods. Not difficult, as long as you set no time limit and remember: easy off, impossible back on.
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Do as Goldilocks would, "Not too tight, not too loose, but just right." Be aware that during final assembly the Rod Bond or oher adhesive will act as a lubricant, but if too tight, you risk splitting the cork. Also, try to judge where along the inside of the handle it is tightest/loosest and concentrate on reaming the tighest areas. All comes with experience, but that experience comes
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There seems to be no direct way to self-edit entries in the directory. I know of several that are out of date, incorrect location, email, etc.
Forum: rodboard

Bill: Actually, there are more than a few chirality issues when building rods. One of the more obvious is the handedness of the client/user and how you orient any decals. Except for some casting gear which force the angler to hold the rod in the left hand, reel with the right, it is customary for a person to hold the rod in the dominant hand, reel with the other. So, for a left-hander (me), you
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Dave makes a good point, I had forgotten that drag is set well below breaking strength. Is Pavel from Russia still around? He builds rods for some really big critters. As for spinning gear, there are a few, a very few, spinning reels that are rated to handle up to 30# line.
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That sounds a lot like fishing for stripers at the Outer Banks with 6 oz plugs (about 170 g). Except that the rods would typically be 9 or 10 feet., or even longer. 17# line with a 40# leader or 20# with 50# would handle the drag requirements, and any rod that can handle 6 oz lures can handle that line/drag. Can be built as either casting or spinning rods, ask the client. Some of the Rainshado
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Robert, beware, I might take you up on that drive by.
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Jim: LOL, let's work even harder. This means that differnet motions will be required in manual use, depending on which hand you are reaming with. ( I'm a lefty.) Sorry, I was a chemist specializing in chirality in my other life, meaning I studied the mirror-image properties of molecules. Working still harder: Come to think of it, reaming by hand, I tend to rotate the hand holding the cork.
Forum: rodboard

Fuji makes one style of tip-top, their BMNAT, that has a foot extending past the rest of sleeve, which can be wrapped over for security. Great for heavy duty surf rods. The "B" stands for black, their chrome CMNAT doesn't have the foot, according to the catalog pictures.
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Where does one get this product, Ultimate Gel? And, how long does it take to dry, and what are its durability characteristics when dry?
Forum: rodboard

Clockwise (CW) and Counterclockwise (CCW) can be mis-interpreted, depends on whether you are looking away or towards the drill. Forward and Reverse are a little better, though not perfect. Since Batson equates CW with Forward, It's virtually certain they mean CW looking away.
Forum: rodboard

Herb: The lure spinning twists the line doesn't it? I second what Dave does (close by hand and tug) right at the end of every cast, becomes second nature. And go ahead use a swivel, I use a small #10, ten inches above the lure, especially with plastic worms, grubs, craws, etc. Bonus with using the swivel is if you snag and have to break off, the break will usually happen at the swivel, saving l
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Thanks all!
Forum: rodboard

Mike: If you search - cork tape - without quotes, you get all messages with the word cork, and the word tape, those two words, but anywhere in the title or message. Too many hits, just like you got. I want hits with the two words together only, not possibly separated, that's what the quotes are supposed to be for.
Forum: rodboard

The Search Function is supposed to allow quotes (") so as to search for an exact phrase. But it doesn't seem to be working. Just as an example, Searching for "web site" (with those quotes) gives zero hits. As an actual matter, I was searching for "cork tape"; I got exactly one hit and that was for a post that had those two words already in quotes.
Forum: rodboard

Going to build my first surf rod shortly. Going to use cork tape for the grips, have never used it. Any pointers welcome, including pointing to info already available. Some things on my mind: (1) Is it completely self adhesive? (2) Is it forgiving, or do you have to lay it exactly right from the get-go? (3) Finishing off the edges: I can use EVA sections and have those, but are there other opt
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I personally like that razor blade method Cliff describes above, but it's only an option if oyu are putting more than one coat of epoxy on.
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Putter, Darby: Those St. Croix blanks, the old green SCVs anyway, almost any solvent, including isopopyl alcohol, will take some of the green off. As to denatured v. isopropyl, they are both relatively strong solvents, but will affect different things differently. Like was said above, TEST. Asking here will get you informed opinion, testing will get you the truth.
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I have not used these blanks for that specific application, but there are several St. Croix SCII blanks, 7'6" and 8' in their Inshore Saltwater series that are fast action (good sensitivity) and are rated for 1/2-1 1/2 and 1/2-2 ounces. Should be perfect.
Forum: rodboard

You didn't say what it was for, what kind of fishing. No matter, at 11 he's ready for a real rod, one that he will grow into, sooner than you realize. Get a good but inexpensive blank, and build him a rod you wouldn't mind fishing yourself. Spend as much time on it as you want, it's for your son.
Forum: rodboard