Cocobolo handle and foregrip, my version of spiral butt wrap. White,orange and colbalt blue thread wraps.
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St. Croix 4C rod, Gloss Colbalt Blue finish with blue label printed on Photo Paper using MSWord/Label/Address.
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I've done quite a bit of experimenting with labels before, see my pic in the misc. photo section, search: label, or July 1, 2006, or Larry Erickson. This label is ink jet on premium photo paper. I previously posted my technique for that label and have also since "tweaked" that method. I have a couple of rods to start working on and plan on trying the CD Label material at the s
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Great idea using Alum tape - surprised I didn't think of it as I have several rolls of it and it sure would beat painting a dark blank when overwrapping with white thread or any other light colored thread. larry in MN
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Greetngs all. I was making CD labels today and got an idea about trying them on a rod. Has anyone tried this yet? They are photo qualiy paper and have sticky backs. Almost seems a natural. larry in MN
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Yup, I had unsatisfactory results with the description as I tried to understand it, so as usual I came up with my own metod that looked good to me and I feel locks the guide more securely as long as the threads aren't cut in which case all bets are off. Sometimes I don't have a handle on the terminology used which makes it very hard to understand at first brush, even with pictures. I'm a sho
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Try looking for an Industrial Supplier too or go to the 3M web site. I recently used contact cement on a practice label and was satisified with how that worked and it was resistant to the epoxy and didn't lift the label off. I've used CA but you have to be VERY careful with it. I explained my procedure previously and have since taken a different attitude to CA because it can seriously mess up
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HI, Check out Sears for a 3-jaw chuck-the most handly item I have. I also bought a 4-jaw from them but don't use it much. 1"-8TPI. For small turning items Harbour Freight has a neat mini 3-jaw with # 2MT for under $40. le
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Hi, You could try this on a sample piece. Lightly sand the finish with a very fine grit(1000 wet/dry) paper and polish to suit with a good car wax. Fine cut rubbing compounds, 1200 or better will work also. I use 3M polishes with good results. larry
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Label photo should be in Misc. Cat. under Larry Erickson.
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If you're just looking for text for a label MSWord is adequate or even do it in Excel which I find easier to manulipate. Type in what you want, play with the font, colors, etc. print it out and make changes to suit. I have been using MSWord/.label-address creator but you really don't need it. With Excel you can print your label anywhere on the page reducing waste on photo paper and you can
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Rich, I've tried sending my pic to your em, couldn't figure out how to post a pic here. Maybe someone can clue me in. One step I forgot in my blurb above is that I wipe the label edge with a marker matching the color of my background. Wipe light and fast so as not to saturate the paper with ink. Felt markers will wick ot quite a lot of ink if held motionless on the photo paper edge ru
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I've tried lots of wheel materials and am now using the rubber wheels from cheap casters from a local home store. I also try to remember to put some painters tape on the blank where the wheels ride to avoid any kind of wear blemish. larry
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Hi Ken, Unfortunately I haven't seen the Rodmaker ink jet printer article and have been making my own labels on my Epson printer using an aftermarket ink cartridge filled with a dye rather than Epson's pigment inks. Anyway, I just recently had pretty good results doing this. Design and print the label on MSWord/Label/Address. Hate the software but........ Once I get an acceptable print
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Another chuck possibility. I bought a 3-jaw from Harbour Freight for under $30. Comes with a screw off #2 taper shaft. I use it mainly on my homemade rod wrapper but it's a nice addition to the big hogger sears 3-jaw on my wood lathe. The only problem I found on the rod wrapper application is you can't tell how tight it gets and it can crush the blank. To solve this I made slip on soli
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Don, I use two eye bolts. Buy them with as big an eye as rod or handle you will be testing. Space bolts as needed or appropriatefor rod. Assuming the bolt stems, threaded portion, are level and centered to each other, insert rod and turn bolt until it touches the rod. It self centers the rod. No screwing around. Hope this helps. If not let me know and I'll try to get a picture t
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Two cents for Common Cents on holding rod for CC measurement. I use two eye bolts on a horizontal slide mount . Set the bolts up for level, insert rod, turn bolt and it self centers. Get an eye big enough for the handle and it still fits the bland rod. Works slick. larry
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Scott, Harbor Freight has a neat little grinder/polisher with a variable speed motor driving it and I think a flex shaft drive adapter. If I didn't already have a nice DC motor I would have bought this one. Use it for many things. Relatively cheap also. larr
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Gene, Don't know if this will help but my distributor told me some of their customers would hang the rod vertically and apply heat to the blank in the curved area to straighten it out. This was usually done to the St. Croix seconds they use to sell and these blanks almost always had a curved tip section. I haven't tried this technique yet and don't really know how much heat to apply but
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I've used 50 caliber ball shot from most any sporting goods store and not expensive. Haven't had a problem with contamination. le
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Another method I use is a hair dryer and put my hand behind the blank. When it's too hot to keep your hand there scrape with a fingernail. It's tempting to use something sharper but you will only scrape the finish off; then you have to find a way to touch up that mistake up. I try to do it all the time and haven't suceeded yet. :-) Slow learner. le
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Gentlemen, This is a brand new rod I'm making for a customer. I caught the tip with my arm and it shattered instantly, 5-1/2" down, between the 1st and 2nd guides. At $45 to get a new fitted tip plus I have the cost of mailing it and stripping of the guides vs. getting a whole new rod at the dist. for $49 dollar it seems to me the option is obivious. Service "0", new
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Ouch, "Larry, We should be able to make a replacement blank section, but would need the rod sent to us to fit the section. The cost including return shipping is $44.90 We will return the original rod to you. Thanks, " Michael Neumann St. Croix Customer Service 856 4th Avenue North P.O. Box 279 Park Falls, WI 54552 www.stcroixrods.com -----Original Message-----
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Matthew, I frequently use wood - most anything laying around. Most of my rods have had wood handles and foregrips and I just extend the pieces to include an arbor. I don't totally fill the whole space, in a reel seat for example, maybe come in 3/4" or so on each end. For a handle I bore the hole to fit the rod butt at the base, put an intermediate piece in the middle and another ar
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Well, I sent a note to St. Croix Service Dept. Any one in particular I could/should call? Should have thought about contacting St. Croix but I'm still in a MOOD. larry
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Earlier I inquired about guides for a SC3, 9ft. 7wt. Today I broke the tip at about 6" from the end just as I was finishing off the wraps. Of course I have to get a new one for the customer but what can I do with the broken rod. Repair doesn't seem likely, A shorter rod, maybe. Scrounge a new tip section, Iffy. Trouble is, I've never fly fished so I don't have any use for it e
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And another PVC method. I found light weight PVC at a plumbing supply house that is used for house vacuum systems. It comes in 10 ft. lenths and costs about $5.00 a lenth wholesale. Caps available to fit. Not interchangeable with regular PVC piping. The small diameter and light weight can also help save a few bucks at the post office if you have to mail it. If you want a kin
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Eric, I have run into the same issue and have been doing it this way, right or wrong. I start with a width of 3M painter tape sticky down, each end. Then I wrap that with 3M transfer adhesive. It's really sticky and holds lots of thread before you fill it up or it loses tackiness due to touching it. If it quits holding thread I add another layer, etc., until I'm done. Then I have act
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Hhmmmmmmmmmm. I Epoxied over Cocobolo and had no problems. Turned out great. I also used Watco oil and Carnuba(sp) wax and that was fine also. 2 cents worth lae
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Wow, Lots of ideas on what to do. Thanks. Now, I saw some posts for a size 12 or so stripper, maybe a 10 next, and then down to 3's the rest of the way. Seemingly the progressive size reduction is a method that looks good and is done that way because "thats the way it was done". I think one of those posts was from Tom. I admit I haven't a clue but will look at the suggestion
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