I made my first rod dryer using an old microwave motor. I don't know if it was hooked up to a step down transformer, because to be honest, I wasn't aware that it might be lol The motor had 110V markings on it, so I just purchased a cord with one of those little dial on/off switches and hooked it up. I worked great. My problem with it is that I was also using it to apply finish for my wraps.
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LOL Jon ..... I can understand that. It wouldn't be my choice of colors either. And yes, the one I was referencing was the MHX tagged grips. Is it that you want the grips made for the SK2 because of the tenon it has on it? Or is it the OD of the grip versus that of the reel seat? I saw on Winn's web site that they offer grips with an OD of 1.08". That's pretty close to (.103 larger than)
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Tim, I'm not familiar with the various rod brands you mentioned so I can't really comment on the degree of difference between them, and the 7'2" MH Immortal blank you mention. I built a rod on that Immortal blank, and I would say in power it compares to my heavy power Shimano Crucial, and heavy power G Loomis GL2. And if you look at the numbers the blank is rated for, it falls in line with b
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Jon, Mud Hole lists a Winn 3 1/2" split grip made to fit the SK2 reel seat. Unless you have overly large hands, I would think 3 1/2" would be fine.
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I too wrap over the top. and turn the rod away from me. My thread spool and the eyelet I pass the thread through before it goes to the blank are between me and the blank. The eyelet the thread passes through is about 3" back from where the center line of the blank lays in the stands. It makes it easy to see the thread, and to watch the angle of the thread that helps keep the wraps tight
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I would think it would be more than just using a larger tip top? What about the running guides up near the tip top. Depending on how deep you're fishing a slip bobber, the bobber stop may actually wind completely on to the reel. I haven't used one of the thread bobber stops in a long time, but I do use rubber bobber stops to peg my weights when fishing Texas rigged baits in moderate to heavy
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I'd have to agree with Michael on several points. 5'6" is pretty short and could limit you with some presentations. Of course, if casting room is limited 5'6" could be just the ticket. Myself personally, and I've never used a rod with a Tennessee handle, but that's because of the way the reel is attached to the handle. If I want to detach the reel from the rod, I simply want to unscr
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Scott, there are no stupid questions. Even a question that turns out having a simple answer is a good question. You'll be amazed at how some of your questions are answered differently by different builders. I have no doubts that even the veteran builders on this site learn a thing or two from time to time. And those new to building, like you ..... or those still fairly new to building, like m
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Very nice Jon. Beautiful clean lines. I absolutely love the color of the Immortal blanks. Combine that with their performance and you have an awesome rod. Nice job!
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As you pretty much hold a spinning rod on it's reel seat, I agree with Michael. Unless you'll be putting the rod in a rod holder at times, a rear grip on a split grip spinning rod can be, as Michael's link shows, nonexistent. I've only built two spinning rods, each of them with split rear grips, and I made the grip against the reel seat 2 1/4" long, and that is more than long enough. Also
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Roger, that is an excellent point !!! I must have blacked out and forgotten how much trouble I have (I do a lot of cursing lol) when wrapping guides over the upper third of the blank. Especially the tip top. Maybe I'm getting senile in my advancing years. lol I take back what I said in my earlier post !!! And now I'm going to go look at power wrappers LOL
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Matt, you answered your own question with one of the last sentences in your opening post. You don't want to lose the control you feel you have today. That doesn't mean you don't have control with a power wrapper. I've never used one, but I've seen Youtube videos with people using them, and I'm sure people like Roger and the others that have posted here have good control over them. Since I'
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I put a teflon washer between the thread spool and the metal washer that comes in contact with the wing nut. No problems with the wing nut loosening or tightening.
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Norman, I've been using a # 10 LN series guide for the butt guide on all of the casting rods I've built, save one. And even on the one I didn't use an LN guide on, I still used a #10 Am Tak ring lock for the butt guide, simply for the height it offers. I may be mistaken, but didn't the RV used to be available with a SS frame? Perhaps not. Anyhow ... I pretty much know I won't be giving a
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Weak of mind? If you put a piece of pipe over the handle of a breaker bar to gain leverage when loosening a stubborn bolt, does that make you weak of mind? Or does it make you smart?
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Noman, your post about the height of the rings being the same at the bottom makes sense, although, and this is just conjecture on my part ... but my thinking is that the RV6 was made so a smaller diameter ring would have the same height at the top of the guide, as a larger ringed but shorter framed guide would have. While I'd feel safe in saying its (the RV) design took both casting performan
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Not trying to disparage anyone here, just sharing something I found when looking at the height comparison chart Angler's Resource supplies for Fuji guides when I was doing research prior to my first post in this thread. According to that chart, the RV 6 guide is taller than an 8 in the KW and LN series of guides, but shorter than a 10 in the KW and LN series. I will say that I checked the
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There are a couple of potential problems that result from not reaming EVA grips to at least a close fit to where you want their final position to be. One deals with an increase in the OD of the grip itself, the other with actually getting the grip to it's final position. I ream mine so they'll stop sliding down the blank (under the power of gravity) about an inch above where I want their final
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Rob, Norman, and Michael. Thank you all for your replies. They truly are appreciated. A bit of an update. Either I was having trouble with my digital calipers because the battery was almost dead, or I just messed up measuring the blank. As I could barely read the read out for my caliper I went and got a new battery for it yesterday. Checking the measurement on the location on the blank I quote
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Roger, that's a tough question to answer. I've been using fluorocarbon line for years. If you're asking if I catch more fish because of fluorocarbon's advertised lower visibility, then I'd have to say probably not. But I don't use fluorocarbon because of its lower visibility. To me that's just a benefit. Kind of like I've fallen in love with MVT reel seats. Not because they're necessarily better
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Roger, thank you for the reply. It is much appreciated. As I mentioned earlier, all of the reel seats of that type that I've installed have all had a snug fit at their final position on the blank. As far as measuring the blank with calipers where the reel seat will be goes. I did. I used a digital caliper to get the .508" measurement that I posted in my opening thread. And that reamer yo
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Roger, thanks for asking. Like Norman said, newer fluorocarbon lines are different than the older ones. I use fluorocarbon line on both spinning and casting reels. The key is selecting the right line. I use Seaguar Tatsu, exclusively. I've tried a lot of different fluorocarbon lines over the years (probably in excess of 15 different ones) and Tatsu is by far the best that I have found. There
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Gene, I'm not disagreeing with what Roger said. And Roger, please understand that I am only sharing an experience I had, With that said, my experience with the color of thread wet with alcohol being the same as thread coated with finish is that it isn't. In my particular instance I was using regular Pro Wrap nylon thread in the 831 Smoke Screen color. I was using it over a Pac Bay Quickline b
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From looking at the specs, the RV6 is a little taller than an 8 in the LN line of guides, so that will help a little with the line angle concern you had on your last build as it relates to the placement of the butt guide. I'm not sure you need two 6's following the RV, though. I would think going from the 6 after the RV, right to the 5.5s would cause no problems at all. Hopefully others will
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If you were ordering a reel seat to fit a blank with a diameter of .508" at the point you want it to fit at. Would order one with an advertised ID of .512, (13mm)or would you order the next smaller size (12.5 mm) and ream it to fit? The next smaller size has an advertised ID of .492. The reel seat in question is an MVT reel seat. I ordered a 13 mm, and requested that the company I ordered
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Off topic of the original post so please forgive me, but I'm a hand switcher. lol Right handed, and use right hand retrieve casting reels. My dad is right handed, and switched over to using left hand retrieve reels years ago. I've tried using his reels and just can't do it. While I'm certain I could learn to use my left hand to turn the handle (I retrieve left handed when using spinning gear) I c
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No problem Norman, as you pointed out, it's understandable to leave something out of a description that you find routine. Case in point, I didn't mention starting and ending the inlay wrap at the same plane on the rod blank. And it is an easy method that gives great results.
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Kevin, as I'm pretty certain I do it the way Norman described, maybe I can help with the explanation as well. You're not wrapping both threads at the same time like shown in the video. When you start your inlay, you stop turning the rod, and wrap the inlay thread around the blank by hand. You're actually wrapping the inlay thread over the main wrap thread. Personally when I stop turning t
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Norman, your description is the same way I do it. I think it's not only easier than the method shown in the linked video, but also results in a better looking inlay. Of course everyone has their preferred method. The description of you method just happens to be my preferred method.
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Norman, I definitely agree with your last post. I was merely trying to say that line retrieved per handle revolution numbers given by reel manufacturers can be misleading. Trying to calculate the number of handle revolutions it would require to reel in a 100' cast is not as simple as dividing the advertised line retrieval numbers into 100' (converted to inches of course) Halve the diameter of the
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