Mark Thread would make a great winding check. It shows that you took great care to keep the gap between the rod blank and the end of the fore grip very close. John
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Bruce No need to add a second coat if the first coat completely encapsulates the wrap and you are satisfied with the appearance. John
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Where in Fl.?
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Edward My only concern is if the abalone is wrapped 360 degrees around the blank and for what ever reason the abalone is not properly bonded to the blank, there is a strong possibility that in time the abalone may break free and the guide will rotate on the blank. John
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Jim A quick test to see if the guide foot is smooth is to run a Q-tip over the foot. A smooth guide will not pick up any cotton fuzz off the Q-tip. What works for me is, I use a Dremel tool with a stone wheel to grind the foot down then I hand dress the guide feet with aluminum oxide 320 grit paper and check for burrs. John
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John If the blanks are of unknown origin then whose to say what they were intended to be. At this point it seems you can make them anything you want provided they perform to your expectations. I would not worry about matching the line strength to the blank, I would be more concerned with the kind and type of fishing you will be doing and matching the blank to meet those needs. Since you
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Dan Go to a craft shop and buy the mini spring type clothes pins. They come in several sizes, I use them all the time. The large ones for the butt guide and smaller ones for the running guide. They hold the guide in place and allow the guide to be adjusted as needed. On micro guides the mini clip will leave just enough of the guide foot exposed in order to wrap several turns of thread to secur
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Don If the double guide gets damaged can one return it (proof a complete set was purchased) and pay for a replacement or does one get stuck and have to buy the complete set. John
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The way I read it is Aron used duplicator clear coat over a painted reel seat and the clear coat melted when it came in contact with soft plastic lures. I think Aron is asking for a clear coat impervious to soft plastic solvents. I would try Krylon clear and test it on a piece of scrap material.. John
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David Review your assembly process, If you used color preservative could it be possible that the preservative was not completely dry prior to applying the finish coat of epoxy? The surface may feel or seem dry but under the wrap the guide may be still be moist and over time could have caused the guide feet to oxidize.. After prepping the threads with preservative I let the rod sit over night
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Donald Normally when we speak of AC or DC "current" we referring to a type or state of electricity, BUT current is taken as a indication of capacity "amps". The difference between AC or DC "current" is the method the electricity is delivered or provided. Joe hit the nail on the head and I would like to add to his comments In alternating current (AC), the
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David The wrap secures the guides to the blank and in THEORY is all that is required, But In the real world the wrap is exposed such things as fraying, nicks, rubbing, exposure to solvents and other unfriendly fluids, ETC, if the wrap is to endure the demands or abuse placed on it, then protection is required and the top coat addresses this issue. The top coating 1) it solidifies the
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Lynn Follow Toms' advice to get the minimum length. Regardless of the method used there will always some or partial thread exposed when the hood moves to lock the reel foot in place. The final configuration will accept reels with the same or shorter length foot. Good luck John
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BoB I use Loctite 0151 (Hysol) to bond the grip to the blank. With excellent success. The first step of the manufacturer’s directions is... Step 1. “Before mixing, prepare surfaces to be, clean, dry and free of oil, grease or wax. Epoxi-patch bonds best when the surfaces are thoroughly roughened with an emery cloth or sand paper and cleaned with solvent prior to applying adhesive”.
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Steve Since casting is not an issue, this is what I would do if it were my project. I would take 4, 5 or more guides and tape them in place, step back about 10 feet and look at it. I would try a number of combinations until I found the set up that is the most pleasing to the eye. More guides would distribute the load more evenly along the blank. In the end I wind up with a good looking well bu
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Mike If the # 18 reel seat fits your hand comfortably then you have the ideal situation. Bonding the reel seat directly to the blank is the ideal condition. You have essentially direct contact between the two components, there will no "insulation"' or "barrier" to dampen or interfere with the transmisson of vibration from the blank to the reel seat. Tight fit is OK you w
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This is an interesting discussion, however, I have not learned anything regarding the building of a fishing rod. THANK YOU!
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Thanks for all your input. Very helpful
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Advice for butt guide size. Rod ultra light Tip to center of reel seat 56.5 inches Butt guide 20 inches from center of reel seat Guides Minima 4- CSV4CG series # guides 6 plus tip I think a size 20 for the butt guide will work with a mini spin reel. I plan to do 6-6-8-10-16-20 Comments please. thanks
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I like Pac Bay Minima 4 guides.
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Drew If you have a junk box I would save the guides just in case you or someone would need a guide replaced and if you are lucky you may have a guide that matches. Thr reel seats are not worth saving.
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The jar of liquid U-40 cork seal turned solid. Can it be revived with water or is it beyond saving. Thanks John
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Tyler Once the grip is removed, guides stripped off and the blank refinished it becomes aother fishing rod blank and its use is limited only by your imaganation. I have made a pan fish rod from a light fly rod and it turned out great. Have fun John
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Dan No problem shortening the blank by cutting it off the butt. If you want a stiffer blank cut it from the tip end. If you like the present stiffness cut it off the butt. I always cut some of the tip back on all my blanks. First to clean up the manufacturers end termination. Second to size it for the closest fit to the guide tip. This gives me satisfaction that the tip is structurally sound
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Any one have experience using minima 4 guides for salt water, PROS-CONS? THANKS, jOHN
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Rob I align the guides by eye, by time I get them aligned I am tired so I usually wait to the next day to final check the alignment. I check the alignment outside with natural light and any misalignment is easy to see. When I think I am done I ask the wife or friend to check the alignment. Works for me every time.
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Toluene is an excellent solvent for removing slilcones. However, Touelene is toxic and flammable and should be handled with care and with proper personal protection, gloves, goggles,etc. and used in a well ventilated area. All chemicals or solvents have a potential danger. Read, understand and follow the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) before using ANY chemical or solvent. Also, before usin
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Ridge The motor does not require a lot of torque to turn a rod ,motors as low as 4 watts can be used. I prefer a synchronous motor because it offers constant speed for drying and is very efficient. Speed is a personal preference and can range from 4.8 to 30rpm and above. I use a 6 rpm motor. The motor should be rated for continuous duty or be capable of running for 2 to 4 hours at a time.
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Anthony As a rule I always cut at least a 1/4 of an inch off the tip to make sure the tip is clean and structurally sound. In some cases I trim off enough of the end so the tip top guide fits snugly. To address your question, I would measure the diameter of the blank and see how the diameter changes up to and past the defect. If there is no significant change (less than 1/2 of a tip size .007
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If you use a timer with "ON" and "OFF" tabs then only use the "OFF" tab. Set the timer to the correct time place the "OFF" tab to the time you want it to stop and turn on the timer. When the timer shuts off it cant come on without the "ON" tab and will stay off.
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