Michael, I agree with Roger and Norman = the older I get, the smaller the guides seem to be.
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phillip, I have not used Bullard CPXtra so cannot offer advice. But I have used, and will continue to use, U40 PermaGloss which is probably the industry standard blank finish. If desired, a second coat of PG can be applied in 1-2 hours WITHOUT SANDING whereas the CPXtra requires 24 hours and NEEDS TO BE SANDED; that alone queers the use of CPXtra for me! I may be incorrect, but I think CPXtra,
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David, As with many (most?) questions regarding aspects of rod building, you will receive quantifiable differences of opinion / facts, belief / myth, truth / fiction. Any “dressing” at all of a guide foot is, and will remain, a hotly contested debate. I understand and even agree with both sides. But if producing a cleaner ramp up the tip of the guide foot is required, then so be it. That being s
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Josh, You are a better man than me = that’s an expensive guide train! Lynn, David and Norman (link) offer good solid advice. I especially like Norman’s suggestion of a spiral wrap!!!
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Phillip, You may have discovered the ONLY thing all rod builders agree upon; wrapping flimsy tip sections is a PITA! One thing for sure is that the blank needs to be supported quite close to either side of the wrap to limit flexing. I struggled until finally fabricating a fixture; maybe seeing mine will spark your imagination to build your own. I agree with most that while we may have a person
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Jeffery, I purchased mine from Cabela’s the better part of 10 years ago. I did a quick search and could not find a place selling them = maybe that is why they are not very prevalent lol = I suppose I could have checked before posting. ben, You may be correct. Lance, See my reply to Jeffery. Let me know if you find one. To everyone else, How many of you have fished a Wave Spin reel?
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While possibly considered off-topic to the status quo “rod building” of this forum, I am seeking advice and knowledge concerning Doug Hannon’s “wave spin” spinning reels. We are all familiar with his revolutionary “MicroWave” guides which is certainly a head-turner, but his wave-spin reels have been delegated to second-billing. While the unorthodox, convoluted, spool lip was certainly “in-your-
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Kendall, That’s all fine and dandy, but why didn’t you take me? I’m jealous!
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Robert, Thanks and congratulations; your explanation was very understandable and saved me the tuition for classes at the local city college!!!
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Lazar, Welcome! While I agree that Perma Gloss would be the first choice, both to refinish your blank and use as a thread finish, apparently acquiring such is difficult in your country. Nonetheless, I suggest you consider “biting-the-bullet” and doing what it takes to get the Perma Gloss because it was specifically designed for rod building. If it is just too difficult or expensive to obtain,
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All this discussion (and apparent approval) of FG blanks is music to my ears, even if geared more toward fly than spin or cast with which I am more familiar. Most of you may already know I am in high praise of the vintage FG blanks, 40s-70s Conolon in particular. While there is little argument against CF being superior from a technical aspect, nonetheless there is just something special with FG,
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Tyler, In my rod building infancy, I too purchased “Advanced Custom Rod Building” by Dale Clemens. Many refer to it as the “Bible of rod building”. Although a bit dated, I learned a lot from a respected veteran of that era. I am surprised to learn from you “There's very little info online on this topic.” Maybe you need to simply look elsewhere or dig a little deeper. I found a wealth of rod bu
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Micheal, You are certainly and obviously correct that a bearing would provide more precision and longevity. Mine was intended to be a quick, easy, effective (albeit crude) method using things one might already have in their shop. I employed bronze sleeve bushings or even aluminum tubing directly clamped in the mill vise, but not many have an assortment of such stock lying around. But that is al
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Tom, I understand how to wrap a Forhan, used it for a while and have used it on a number of different guides which is exactly why I was prompted to ask my questions. While the Forhan may have become the industry standard method of restricting guide pull-out as well as accepted and used by many, I will stick with my own locking wrap. Thank you to all for your generous replies attempting to ans
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Another example of “crude” working = not bad, Ben.
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Dennis, While most lathes spin horizontally, your drill press will work until you are able to acquire a formal lathe. But it is dependent on how long the grip is and the capacity of the drill press. I suggest supporting the loose end of the mandrel for both more precision and safety as well. Clamp a piece of .5in to .75in plywood (rigid plastic is even better) in a mill vise (a cheapie Harbor Fr
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Apparently then, the guide retaining properties of Mr. Fohan’s wrap is developed from a number of wraps around the leg / stem of the guide which is not inline with the foot (the “angle” thing I failed to describe adequately). That is all fine and dandy for a guide whose leg bends straight up from the foot but how can the Forhan be applied to a single-foot, light wire, fly guide where ends of the
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Roger, Aside from the additional cost factor involved with a power wrapper versus a hand wrapper, there are numerous other personal factors to be addressed and considered. First is eye / hand / foot coordination. Admittedly, my foot only responds precisely to my hands or eyes while in an auto racing environment. Frustratingly, there is some kind of short circuit between my foot and eyes / hands
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I am certainly not suggesting the Forhan Locking Wrap is ineffective or does not work. It is certainly, and rightfully so, a very trusted method and has a loyal following. Please do not attack me simply because I seek additional knowledge of how and why it works. I understand how to wrap it and have used it. Closer inspection has prompted my original question. I am simply inquiring as to where th
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I appreciate the time most of you took in attempting to help me understand what actually “locks” the guide in place with the Forhan Locking (style) Wrap. Although I have never personally experienced a guide actually “pull-out”, it can obviously be of concern for others. It only seems logical and prudent that a competent rod builder take the extra step to, at least, minimize the possibility; most
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With all due and deserved respect to Mr. Forhan, what actually “locks” the guide in place with the Forhan Locking Wrap? While additional wraps around the blank or guide leg may resist the guide from the dreaded “pull-out”, I fail to see how it actually “locks” the guide in place. What am I missing? I am here to learn.
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Contrary to what Spencer offered, ultimately, typical structural epoxies are not UV stable and degrade when exposed; how much depends on the chemistry of the epoxy. While some epoxy manufacturers claim to have UV filters in their epoxy, this is misleading; while the filters may afford UV protection to the underlying material (fabric), the actual surface of the epoxy is still exposed to UV. UV fil
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Angelo, Before you do any more planning, get a hold of Volume 21, Issue 3 of Rod Maker Magazine containing the Stand-Up Trolling Rods article. It is extremely comprehensive, even including harnesses. While it may be a bit dated, most of the contents still apply today and is invaluable to anyone building stand-up rods. It truly is a must-have! I would think a properly designed roller guide would
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Thanks, Norman. One way or the other, NGC, KR Concept and 2-line static load testing for guide placement has afforded any and all of us to produce optimum performing rods!!! While such concepts and methods may be presently state-of-the-art, I look forward to experiencing the next “new wave” of rod enhancement; I put my money and faith in Fuji for providing such!!!
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Daniel, The manufacturers of older rods employed Cone-of-Flight (COF) for their guide trains which simply used progressively smaller guides from the butt / stripper all the way to the tip top. It seemed logical and everyone used and accepted it. COF was used for decades (I have rods purchased in the 1990s which are COF) until Fuji developed the New Guide Concept (NGC) and then the KR Concept mor
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Abraham Lincoln was quoted as saying something to the effect, “ better to remain silent and make others wonder rather than speaking and removing all doubt”. Phil, shhhhh! lol
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David, By nature, cork is already water repellent; if that is your only concern, be concerned no more and run it as-is. However, dirt and grime penetration may be an issue of concern. The name says it all; U40 Cork Seal! While it may not be ultimately the best, I have found none better. Until then, it's the U40 Cork Seal for me.
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Being basically a Fuji fan, I tried the Sea Guides just to see, granted not the “ringless” versions as the Minima Ms in question. I found the ringed versions of Sea Guides to be of great quality and would certainly use them again. While I may be guilty of comparing apples with oranges in this particular case, Sea Guide offers a quality product at a reasonable price.
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Daniel, In that case, you already have the answer in your hand; said rod is a prime example of “how it was done back then” = duplicate it. There is certainly nothing wrong with that! Ben, Your reply was music to my ears and I could not agree more. After being introduced to (or more precisely “adorned with”) the Fish-Fighting-Fun-Factor of a vintage FG rod, especially the old Conolons, I rarely
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Lynn, You must have a beautiful woman! Oh, and the balance of your rods are perfect for you as well. I am in the same boat, so-to-speak.
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