My thanks to everyone who responded to my questions. I very much appreciate you all taking the time to help out a new builder. Sometimes it gets a bit confusing to sort through the myriad of blanks and components that are available out there. Your suggestions will help me a great deal as I plan this new project. Thanks again. Rick
Forum: rodboard

Hi All: I am a new builder. Getting ready to order components for my second fly rod build. I want to build a small stream rod for dry fly and small nymph fishing on PA brook trout streams. I was thinking about ordering either a Rainshadow RX7, 7' 4 wt. or a Gatti G-4 blank in a 7', 4-5 wt. The Rainshadow is characterized as med-fast and the Gatti is described as a fast tip action. Do any o
Forum: rodboard

Andy, I know you won't compromise anything, and I don't want you to, but please hurry up with that Thread Master Light.
Forum: rodboard

Does anyone know if Thread Master Light is yet on the market? I thought Andy said by mid February or March. I haven't seen any announcement by Lamar or any of his distributers. When can we expect it? Rick
Forum: rodboard

Does anyone know which of the sponsors on the left carry Gudebrod Classic Twist, black/orange #0221 size A thread? I looked at several sites and it was not listed. Also, the Batson site lists the New RX7 fly blanks in an Olympic Green. Is this color the same as what used to be listed as olive? If not, what is the difference? Thanks for your help. Rick
Forum: rodboard

Thanks Tom for your detailed reply. Also being trained in the sciences I can appreciate an "obsessive nature" especially with something so technique dependant as applying finish. In past attempts with either brush or spatula (credit card section) I have come into direct contact with the thread or bare blank in the inscription area during distribution of the finish in an attempt to get
Forum: rodboard

Tom Doyle: Just curious what finish you use with your method? I'm aware there's no one miracle product that works perfectly for all. As a rookie builder I'm still struggling with applying finish and have a lot more experimenting to do. My results so far are not really that bad, but am still getting a few bubbles in an otherwise perfect wrap. These bubbles seem to orient primarily just off th
Forum: rodboard

Thanks guys for all the good advice. Next time if I have to wait before finishing, I'll definitely cover the rod.
Forum: rodboard

I finished the wraps on a D.C. 10' 8wt. Sig V about a week ago and have not had the time to apply any finish as yet. I probably should have, but neglected to cover the wraps when they were completed. Anyway, I now observed small amounts of dust clinging to the thread. Can I use an ordinary commercial type tack cloth to remove the dust prior to finishing, or am I asking for incompatibility prob
Forum: rodboard

I'm currently building my first fly rod. I'm using guides with what I'd call a dark titanium finish (not black). After grinding the quide feet prior to setting and wrapping them, the guide finish is of course removed on approximately 75% of the guide foot exposing first what appears to be a copper plating and beneath that the stainless steel base metal. Do any of you recoat the guide feet prio
Forum: rodboard