I just got the PSI Turncrafter, bed extension, and Penn State Barracuda 'blemish' chuck with four sets of jaws. $170 + $30 + $99...$300. I would say a $200 package would have got me in the door a few months earlier.
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Disagree with you on that last one Tom... The TCR is a real broomstick no matter what you line it with. I buy into the CC data as much as anyone, but I still feel that the TCR is a real dog. There's a reason why Sage doesn't push them in their marketing and why you don't see folks fishing them very often. One thing the CC system doesn't account for real well is the distribution of flex al
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Get the spacings from the man himself. If you are running ceramics, #16 and #12, #8, #7, and #6 to tip...for snakes, #16, #12, 5, 4, 3 to tip.
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The timing is much easier to get down on the FTs...the TCR is a *real* pain to get just right. That said, I wouldn't give a FT to a beginner or even a low intermediate...
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Any wholesale suppliers out there that consistently stock Batson fly products and can ship priority mail within a day or two of receiving an order? Seems like it'd be easy enough to find but I haven't had any luck...Dan Craft is the only guy in my corner of the woods and he has great service but doesn't have many of the fly blanks in stock. No luck with a couple of WA suppliers either :(.
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If you are looking at doing things on the ubercheap, Utmost might be able to hook you up with a Forecast blem spey blank. They had some earlier today when I placed an order.
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What Andy said :) I turned my first cork grip on a drill press with a mandrel spinning inside a bearing that had been pressed into the plate of the drill press. Worked great, but a little strange to work on it vertically. I've used a little Hirsch (sp?) drill powered lathe for a lot of cork work since then. If cork is all you will be doing, that setup works great too. Again, use mandre
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Highly recommend this DVD to anyone who is looking to turn his/her own cork and reelseats. While he only shows a couple of different types of project, it was easy for me to watch and understand how I could use the same techniques for other things (wood inlays, winding checks, fighting butts, whole handles, etc). Although I have only had the lathe for a few weeks now, I have managed to turn
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Might you have a source for plans for a drying box? I understand the idea behind them, but seeing as I am sometimes creatively challenged, I'd love to get an idea of where to start :)
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In my experience, the difference in an A7 type seat is about 1/4 ounce...say 1.0 with graphite vs. 1.25 or so with wood (depends on the wood). A wood like maple will weigh less than something like amboyna burl...different densities.
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Steve Kartalia is the guy who really knows that area...I think he lives up near Morgan Run...Westminster... I was not a big fan of the Patuxent...seemed like it was always over an hour to get there because of traffic on Georgia Ave. coming north, and for that I could be on Big Hunting or Owens or something similar. I was only in the area for a rather short while so I can't really speak author
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A 6'6" 2 weight or 3 weight would be a great rod back there. The Rapidan, Hughes, etc. are all small brush covered streams with 6-8" and sometimes larger brookies...#12-16 dries worked best for me. Forecast Rx6 662-4 would be my rod there...or maybe Dan Craft 701-2 SigIII with a 2wt line.
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I had a 9' 10wt V for a while that was an absolute cannon. In my hands, it cast further than the FT of the same weight and length.
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St. Croix blanks in my experience do NOT do well with alcohol. I actually stripped a SCII using nothing but alcohol, right down to the bare graphite along the entire length. Fun to watch people cast it and try to figure out what it was, though.
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Matrix 7'9" 3 weight is a bit whippy, wouldn't be surprised if the 8' is the same.
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Dan Craft 1008-4 FT is just about ideal for this purpose. The SigV, while a great stick, is a little fast for that application.
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Batson Rx6 662-4 would be right up there on the top of my list, at least until Dan Craft comes up with a new model in SigIII graphite :).
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I picked up a 6" digital caliper at Harbor Freight last week which was surprisingly nice for $16.99. Accurate to .001" which seems plenty good for rodbuilding work.
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Keep getting an "Error in Query" message when trying to post the following: I have a drill powered mini lathe, I think it is made by Hirsch, for sale. It has been used pretty extensively over the past year but still works great for turning cork and EVA. Has some oil stains, dust, etc on it. Worked with my Black & Decker drill, seems like it'd adjust to any drill. I used Andy
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Really nice little blank. Fishes well for me with both a WF2F and WF3F.
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Don't know anything about this rod...was offered to me in good condition as a trade for another rod. Feels nice in hand, probably a 5-6 weight. Labeled in gold ink as "Wardo Precision", no other markings. 3 piece with spare tip and silver tube Cane is dark flamed....2nd tip is a bit lighter color Uses what looks like a clunky nickel silver seat Length either 8'6" or
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St. Croix SCIV 9'9" 7wt pre-IPC was a great blank for that...so are the Rainshadow 10'6" models... I am a huge Dan Craft fan but would not recommend either the FT or the V for that type of fishing....V is a little too delicate and the FT's tip is too heavy IMHO.
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No review for you but the Dan Craft SigV is a great mod-fast to fast 9'0" 5/6wt...
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Good to see I wasn't totally losing my mind or ability to read a digital scale :)
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Andy-- You're right about the analogy...tip swing weight directly affects performance...grip weight is an indirect effect. I notice a difference in my casting with a 5oz rod vs a 3oz rod...no matter where the weight is distributed. May be just a mental thing but that's enough to throw me in to a tailing loop...
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Well, looking at the rod last night I noticed a few things. The grip I have on there from the exotic burl is a large cigar-type grip...you can see it here (with my dog): It's about 7" long and solid exotic burl. The reelseat is a Batson BUL5, which is heavier than the A5 I use on most rods. It also has an olive insert-- don't know about the weight on that vs. the normal rosewood. B
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I mix the epoxy in plastic cups, then pour it on aluminum foil. I blow on it with an open mouth once, and then I heat the foil with a candle until the finish thins out a bit (not enough to cause steaming or boiling). I let it sit for a few minutes until most if not all of the bubbles have worked themselves out. I might blow on it again a second time to get the last few out. Then I apply it to
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I have to disagree a bit here...I have a DC 905-3 SigV that has a handle made from pure exotic burl from Andy. It weighs a TON. Ok, not a ton, but darn close. 5.5oz for the completed rod whereas a normal cork build would put it at about 2.9oz. It's a great show piece but I don't particularly like fishing it. I use the analogy "putting sandbags in the back of a Ferrari" for using d
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A blank you small stream/pack/travel guys should look at closely is the Forecast 7'6" 5pc 4wt. I have built a couple in the past month and am amazed at how sweet they are, especially for $30 or so. Very similar to the Orvis Superfine Henry's Fork 7'9" 5wt that everyone loved/s.
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Yeah, that weather was fun last year. I hit the show en route (ok, a bit off route) from Minnesota to DC... hit the weather both coming in to Charlotte and going out. What a mess :). Don't think I'll be able to make it this year but do plan to go next year with rods built from Dan Craft blanks...for those of you who aren't familiar with them...well...you should be!
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