I've fished my share of single digit days, and never noticed a change in the blank. If you ever fish a rod with Recoil's in single digit weather, you will notice they have a funny habit of sagging and then returning back to their former shape when they warm up.
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My faithful 6" Mitutoyo dial calipers bit the dust a couple days ago after almost 30 years of rough service. I've been thinking about finally going digital, mainly because my eyesight ain't what it used to be, and the display is easier to see on the digital models I've used. With that being said, what do you have on your bench? What would you recommend or more importantly not recommend?
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Michael Danek Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Not sure what you mean by "can't use micros." For > me, 7's are too large. No need to be that big. > You can get KB's and KT's in size 6, if that size > seems better. I would do all KB/KT5.5's exc the > first guide. And maybe the second (90 degrees) > whose function is just to ke
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Thanks everyone. I can't use the micro's on this one, so I'm going with the kw 10, a pair of kw 7's for the transition and kt 7's for runners.
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I've recently been asked to build a spiral baitcaster. New territory for me as I mostly build centerpins and spinning rods. I get the theory, and most of the components were selected by the end-user, but I still need some input. How do I decide what size stripper guide to start with? Fuji makes a 16, 12m, 12, 10m and a size 10 in their titanium kw frame, but I REALLY don't want to purchase all 5
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Batson and CTS both offer 4-piece blanks. Those are hands down the 2 most popular float rod blank manufacturers on the market, I wouldn't be surprised if the market share is north of 90% for those 2 companies. I'm curious as to who you think should step up to the plate?
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I've owned several 3-piecers and never really ad any complaints. However, I hear you. The only request I've had for a 3-piece blank over the last 4 years was for a Sage, because it had to be a Sage. My current rod is a 13' 2-piece, which does require a bit of extra room to transport, but it's doable.
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Any steelhead blanks in the works?
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Jim, Mudhole lists a black titanium frame in the k series, but they're always out of stock. Will these be readily available anytime soon?
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Interesting. Sounds like facebook b.s. to me as the Affinity blanks are top shelf. I am curious, what does everyone seem to think you should have purchased?
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I've never built that particular blank, but 12-13 guides will be appropriate depending on your spacing. If you're wrapping a guide on the end instead of a tip-top, add 1 more running guide. Don't put 6's on it if you're going to use it when the temps dip below 32*, 7's are the minimum and 8's are very popular for hardcore steelheaders around the Great Lakes. Fuji Y-frames have been a mainstay for
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I always do a wrap at the tip, it looks like you didn't finish the job without it in my eyes. When I apply the finish, I run it up on the tube a little ways, just a cheap insurance policy in case the adhesive fails.
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Michael Danek Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Drill a couple small holes, inject structural > epoxy, not wrap epoxy. Some old less expensive > rods had cardboard shims. Make sure you can feel > the epoxy "grip" after you inject to be sure > you're on both sides of any shims in there. This works.
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I fish that very same blank. 4.5, 9.5, 15, 21, 28, 36, 45, 55.25, 67, 79.75, 93.25, 108, 123.25
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I just finished a pair of their st1302-im blanks. I would say they're spot on calling it a moderate blank. I wouldn't personally consider it a 6-10 lb. rod, but we all know how opinions seem to differ from one manufacturer to the next. One blank was pretty straight, the second one took a lot of eyeballing to get an acceptable looking rod. Not my favorite finish job if you're doing elaborate wrap
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I use turning mandrels and ream afterwards. I like tite-bond three to glue my rings together and rod-bond to attach my grips and seat/arbor/insert to the blank. I find it really hard to use both adhesives at once while assembling on a blank without making a mess. Also, if I'm assembling on the handle, I use a power wrapper to turn the cork, and it's nowhere near as quick as using my lathe.,
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Grant Darby Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I must be doing it all wrong. I use a mixer so I > don't have to worry about a lot of bubbles. I > apply at speed, not flinging stuff speed, but good > speed. Might just be age but edges seem smoother > than when at dryer motor speed.. I use a throw > away brush that I clean and reuse, don' t was
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Spencer Phipps Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > It's not a fly blank, but you can build what you > want from it. "F" are fly blanks, "SH" are > steelhead gear blanks. Bingo. Not a fly rod blank, nice old steelhead rod blank though.
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Spencer Phipps Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > It's not a fly blank, but you can build what you > want from it. "F" are fly blanks, "SH" are > steelhead gear blanks. Bingo. Not a fly rod blank, nice old steelhead rod blank though.
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Nothing at all wrong with graphite in cold weather so long as your customer takes care of his gear. The only ice rods I've ever broken were when they were thrown haphazardly into a bucket with a bunch of other misc. gear and transported across rough ice. I did lose a few in a car accident too, glass and graphite models. Another thing to consider, all walleye are not created equal. Big water can p
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Phil Erickson Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > You can plug it with paste epoxy or a silicone > caulk. Silicone caulk? Wouldn't that be just asking for trouble? Why not just pack some rod-bond in there?
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Spencer Phipps Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Time for some new side drifting rods. My Xst's have always treated me well, but man the curiosity is really beatin' me down! Any first hand experience with their HM steelhead blanks? I'm looking at the 962-2 and 964-2 really hard.
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I stripped and rebuilt an old glass Fenwick Sh1441 blank about six months ago, quite similar to your project. I wet sanded the whole blank without removing too much finish. just smoothed things up and knocked the shine off it. i coated it with permagloss after that, and it turned out nice. as for your old components, try loosening things up with a hairdryer first, it might loosen things right up.
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I just ordered a couple of the black quilted poplar, sight unseen, hand picked by Steve himself. Can't wait to see what he picked out!
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Rick Provencher Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > So after I get it cut away the new epoxy will > blend in with the remaining epoxy and not show a > seam? Yes.
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Robert Wood Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Thank you James Taylor. Here in Wyoming there > really isn't a lot of call for a spey or center > pin rod that know of so building one of these will > be a new adventure for me I'm not sure how big your trout get in Wyoming, but most of the blanks I mentioned are appropriate for fish that range fro
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At that length, and power, I've built blanks by CTS, Raven and Sage in 3-piece. All of them are excellent blanks, just depends on what kind of action you're looking for. NFC and MHX also offer 13'6" 3-piecers, but I have no firsthand knowledge with them. Batson makes a 4-piece 13' that's a nice blank, but a tad heftier than the other offerings. If he's looking for the best bang for his buck,
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What can't you find? There's several good options available at several different price points.
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Spencer Phipps Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > The most popular salmon rod by far is the Lamiglas > XCC934GH, the blank is the XCC 111 2H, thing is > you can get the factory rod for the price of the > blank if not cheaper. My favorite steelhead blank > is the Rainshadow XST 1142F, but if I only had one > it would be the XST1143F. Same h
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Tom Wewerka Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > That is so sad. They are the worst and I NEVER > use the Post Office. I had a delivery from one of > our sponsors and just happened to be looking out > the window as the USPS truck dropped off the rod. > As I walked out the door I immediately saw that > the PVC tube looked like a hockey stick
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