I have wood for a few reelseat inserts that I need to bore out and turn, are there any options outside of a drill press to drill the 3/8" hole for the blank? I know I could just use my hand drill but the few I've tried have been off center enough that they were ruined, plus I'd like to get my shop setup enough to do this the right way the first time. Looks like a table mounted drill press is
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Billy, you mentioned Sorby tools.........are they difficult to sharpen? I looked at these tools while in Woodcraft and considered buying a couple but not if they can't be sharpened by the rookie that I am? Tim
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Tom, is there anyway that I can subscribe without using the credit card? Is it possible for me to use a check? Thanks, Tim Kelly
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Check out Mudhole, Lamiglas sells ferrule stock blanks for about $20. Tim
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Didn't the honey glass fly blanks go through some changes for this year? For some reason, I thought I'd seen something about Lamiglas changes with the blanks? Tim
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Thanks to everyone for all the helpful advice, Steve with Reelseats.com has offered to help me out with a piece of Butternut burl. Nice to see such great people here. Tim
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Trying to complete my sons flyrod and the red cedar that I'd hoped to use for the insert continues to have hairline cracks after its been turned? I believe the wood is dry, has anyone used cedar for an insert with similar issues? Maybe I should find a more stable wood, question for the flyrod builders here - what types of wood do you prefer to use with a light colored honey/yellow blank? Thought
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OK, Thats what I'll do then. Thank you all for your help, once I have the chuck I'll have everything I need to complete my sons fly rod. Take care, Tim
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Maybe this chuck will work, seems reasonably priced. Anyone have any experience with Craftsman? Tim
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Scott, I think the video would be great and I'll check this out. Thanks. Tim
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Scott, I had considered the collet chuck before because I thought it would provide the most room to work while turning but will the collet chuck allow you to run the mandrel through the center? I am concerned the mandrel will be too long to fit if not? Jeff, I have the 1/4 & 3/8 Lamar mandrels but will probably use the 3/8" mandrel the most, what I had planned to do was use the 3/8 man
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This is an interesting topic, my main concern with the translucent blanks is small cracks or what I call "pings" to the blank, small spots where the blank has been hit and has shattered slightly. How should these be repaired? Tim
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You guys are great and I appreciate your help, all I really want to do is turn reelseats and grips on my lathe. Would this chuck allow me to do that? The lathe I bought is the Jet JML-1014I. The mandrels are from Lamar, have the 1/4 & 3/8 mandrels so far. Once the mandrel is locked into the chuck, does the other end simply rest in the center point live? Sorry I have so many questions,
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I finally have my Jet lathe and turning tools, have been using it for various small projects but now that I am need to finish a cork grip for sons fly rod I don't seem to have everything I need? Purchased the gri mandrels from Andy Dear a few months ago and I don't think I have the right accessories to use the lathe/mandrel for grips? When I remove the spur center of the lathe, the mandrel is bas
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I'd consider the Steffen or for more money, a McFarland. Tim
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Todd, I'll send you an e-mail. I am going to build a 7 ft flyrod from a SR2000 Cortland spin blank. The blank is tip over butt ferruled but I plan to cut the blank to match the Cortland FR2000 taper, may work and it might not...just depends upon the blanks measurements and I haven't received the blank yet. Once I receive it I'll know more. Thanks, Tim
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Question for the fiberglass builders here, I'll be starting on a 7' flyrod blank soon and I'll need to find glass spigot material, the blank doesn't have ferrules yet. Can anyone offer any ideas or thoughts on finding a source for this material? Someone prior to this mentioned I could turn an acrylic blank to fit but I'd like to avoid the extra time involved with this if I can? Thought about all
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The Batson graphite blanks have a great following and thats understandable. However, I still have a preference for fiberglass rods -can anyone suggest a couple of all fiberglass blanks that should be considered for a 7' crank bait rod? I know that St Croix builds one but I know there have to be others? Thanks. Tim
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Related to the Matrix fly blanks, I thought someone told me that AT was planning to make the flyrod blanks available in the grey/black twill? Wondering when they'll be available? Can anyone comment on the green Matrix fly blanks and how they fish, if you were going to build an 8 foot #4 weight flyrod would you use the AT Matrix? I'd like to build a special flyrod for my son's graduation and would
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Thanks to everyone for the great feedback, I'll be doing my order for the remaining rod components based upon the great direction you've given me. Thanks again. Tim Kelly
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Tom~ Do you mean that I should follow this configuration? #12 stripper-4-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-tip or #12 stripper-4-3-2-1-1-1-1-1-1-tip
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I think that was LA Garcia's point is that by using larger guides than what was called for with the rod build, it helped the rod to shoot line farther. It would cast better and father because of the larger snakes. But based upon everyone's input here It seems like this may just be overkill and just add weight to the blank. Based upon the web supplied specs, I show the following guidelines for th
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I like to read so in considering my current rod building project of a 9 ft #4wt flyrod I've been using the book written by L.A. Garcia. He mentions using oversize guides on most of his flyrods. Nothing smaller than a size 2 snake guide? For those that build and fish there own rods does this make sense? Obviously using oversize snake guides will change the appearance of the rod also and this is im
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Thanks for the help Dave, thats a beautiful rod and it helps me to see the pewter REC seat. I like that. With the olive green blank would you use the black or the pewter reelseat. Other builders have said to go with the black seat and gold guides? Is that overdone and too much contrast? Tim
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Thanks to everyone for your help in trying to solve this problem, I am thinking about ordering the cork rings and trying to build a modified cigar grip. I have a Lamar insert and a nickel silver Struble u20 reelseat that I could use. As long as I am careful with the grip, I should be ok. Still haven't decided what to do though? Decisions, decisions. The thing thats made this more of a process for
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Thanks Mike. Struble doesn't offer an inletted version of the cigar grip. Read somewhere that there just isn't room in the cigar grip for an uplocking seat, so I guess my question/concern is with building my own grip with an uplocking seat? If Struble won't build a cigar grip for an uplocking seat should I attempt that? Just not experienced enough to know what I can do or can't. Tim
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Ok....... I am driving myself crazy. I have the Batson RX& 9 foot #4wt fly blank in the gloss green and have to come to some conclusions here on how I want to build this one. This is a rod for myself and I want it to be a little different. Firstly, I want to use a cigar grip and I’d prefer an aluminum reelseat. My questions: To build the cigar grip do I have to use a downlocking ve
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Eric, Have changed my profile to include my email as an option, I hadn't thought of that option. Thanks. May consider the REC (AUS) reelseat now for the blank, it can be ordered in the pewter or champagne. Familiar with the pewter finish but not the champagne. What does the champagne look like? Pretty sure I'll use the fiddleback maple insert with either of these. What guides would look/match
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Thanks Eric and Mark, You both have given me some great advice, I'll check these options out and try to come to some conclusions with this. Tim
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Well the U8 reelseat that I bought from Andy Dear isn't going to work with the cigar style grip that I'd prefer to use with this flyrod blank. So, I have to find a good quality down locking reelseat for the 9 foot 4wt fly blank. Would also like to find a "blued" reelseat, now REC makes several black versions of there seats, what would anyone recommend for a nice looking alum or nickel s
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