Presuming you are using a rod dryer and not just rotating. I have only built six rods and still have a bit of difficulty on a long smooth section of the labeling area, especially if I have a hook keeper and put one wrap at the winding check, another at the tip-facing side of the hook keeper, then another wrap maybe 2.5 to 3 inches down the rod from that, between which I put the label or write t
Forum: rodboard

Ah, those picky relatives.
Forum: rodboard

I have only cast a Recon once. I was not that impressed. I have made NFC LMX FAF 9' 5wt and 9' 8wt rods. I find them to be good, fast action rods, worth the $125 price and especially worth it when on deal. My 5wt prefers a 1/2 size heavy WF line. I would rank them more in the fast and powerful end of the spectrum rather than calling them finesse rods. They throw very tight loops and you can
Forum: rodboard

I've never used Permagloss and sounds like a lot of fans here. Pls explain why you like it so much? Thanks.
Forum: rodboard

I think I would tell him to live with his old name on his fishing rod. Other than that, I would make or buy a label with a sold background color, white, black or similar to the blank color, think of an Orvis blank, and place that label over the existing label area and one coat of epoxy over it and be done.
Forum: rodboard

Wow, that's going back a lot of years to Excel. I wonder how the Unity blanks compare?
Forum: rodboard

I like the effect of the blue wrap under the sticker.
Forum: rodboard

Looks OK to me. As discussed above, it's tough on a white blank, but I think you got the contrast you wanted. It will yellow a bit more, but then your blank will get a bit nicked up as well. No one will notice but you. The casual looker will think your black guides are magically attached to the blank.
Forum: rodboard

Alexander: As to your 7 wt, I just built a 9 ft 8 wt rod with Recoil snake guides. You can easily terminate with size 2 running guides instead of size 3. Size 2 is plenty large enough. I went 16, 12 in double foot stripper-like guides then to Recoil double foot snake one each of 5-4-3 and all the rest size 2. Normally I don't taper that much, but did so at a suggestion. You could go 16, 1
Forum: rodboard

Do you notice that they make a humming noise when casting? Also, how much did you have to ground down the feet?
Forum: rodboard

Stan: I am about to finish a 9 ft. 6 wt. Epic 690G blank, which is super light. I am using one 12 stripper and then Recoil single foot guides from there. Like you, 1's. I may use one size 4 Recoil to transition between the stripper and the 1's. My question, on the 6wt did you use the light wire Recoils (RSF) or move up to the heavier wire version. (RSFX)? Thanks.
Forum: rodboard

Above advice is sound. My motto, go small in running guides and get their fast. Some guy named Tom Morgan espoused the small running guide viewpoint. I just built an NFC LMX FAF 905-4. I used single foot running guides. 1's are fine for a 5wt running snake guides, some would say 1/0. I'd not bother with that. Certainly no need for 2's. On my 5 wt I just did a size 10 doubl
Forum: rodboard

Well done. I just finished a LMX FAF 908-4 with Channel Lock reel seat, full wells grip and Recoil double foot snake guides. Grey thread. Casts great.
Forum: rodboard

As to decals, I recently completed two NFC LMX FAF blanks, a 5 wt and an 8wt. The rods I make are for me, not for others or clients. The 5 wt I finished first and the NFC decal went on well. On the 8wt the decal lettering dissipated to the point of blurring a bit when I applied a heat gun to help even out the epoxy. I did not notice this fact until after the coat of epoxy cured. I did no
Forum: rodboard

I like to thin my thread epoxy a bit with DNA, and in my last effort with Gen 4, at a suggestion of another rod maker, I thinned with a few drops of IPA (isopropyl not beer!) Works great. BUT, since I thin my coats and use 3 coats instead of two, I always wait for at least 24 hours, and usually 48 hours, before moving on to the next coat. That way it is truly cured and hard, and any imperfect
Forum: rodboard

I put a few drops of DNA or IPA in my Gen 4 and applied 3 coats. Best looking guide finish I have seen to date. I never have used ProKote, but have used most others. I'll be sticking with Gen4.
Forum: rodboard

I just finished my NFC LMX FAF908-4. Great rod. NFC spacing chart was spot on. I used 16 stripper, 12 (same type as stripper) and Recoil double foot running guides, most of them size 2. PacBay Channel Lock fly reel seat, full wells grip and 1.5 inch fighting butt. Grey thread. Gen 4 epoxy (great stuff!). Lawn cast for the first time two days ago. Terrific rod. Exceeded expectations a
Forum: rodboard

The sharpening/grinding stone from Harbor Freight works pretty darned well for a manual device.
Forum: rodboard

I just used Gen 4 and found it to mix well, have low bubble count when mixing, and applied nicely and evenly. Very clear. I like it.
Forum: rodboard

I had success with boiling and live at 5,500 feet, but had to keep going in one minute increments until I could move the reel seat. Different epoxies have different temperature points, and also depends on how much was used. The difficult part is that if you twist the seat you risk ruining the blank's fiber structure. So you really only want to pull.
Forum: rodboard

Thanks for the tips. I wound up having a wide rubber gasket that fit snugly around the fighting butt and I slid 4 flexible pieces of clear plastic under the gasket and bent them together and pushed them in to the hole of the dryer. it worked, but I like the rubber band method for next time.
Forum: rodboard

I have the CRB Rod Drier. I use it for applying and then drying of thread epoxy. A rod I need to finish has a fighting butt already attached, and the size of the butt is too wide for the rubber hole on the CRB dryer. I don't want to cut the hole larger, so does anyone have an idea on jerrry-rigging a n adapter to hold the rod butt?
Forum: rodboard

A lot depends on the type of epoxy used. I have had success with the boil method and never tried the bake. What was the reel seat made of?
Forum: rodboard

Yes, you can cut the blank shorter and insert a stent and keep the overall butt section the same length. I think most go this route. Too some degree, perhaps insignificant, as indicated above, perhaps not, you will affect the design, weight, balance or action of the rod. It seems counterintuitive to me to purchase a blank that's design and taper does enable one to fit onto it a real seat. W
Forum: rodboard

Personally I would avoid using a stent on a fly rod. If anything, it will only negatively impact rod action and/or feel, and you will wind up with a butt section that is 3 or 4 inches longer than the rest of the rod sections. I think there are plenty of glass blanks that are narrow enough that you can find a reel seat that will fit and therefore would not require stents. The Iconoglass 5 w
Forum: rodboard

Off 1/4 of a turn, or 90 degrees, you may want to see if you could very carefully and slowly rotate a few of the guides within the wraps and avoid re-wrapping. Not likely, but remotely possible. As to re-wrapping, that section is always easier to wrap than the tip, as fewer guides and a larger diameter make things a bit easier. And you will sleep better.
Forum: rodboard

Here is the ultimate ghost rap:
Forum: rodboard

There is no such thing as a perfectly straight fly rod blank. Some are very close. And when you hold it up horizontally to look down the wrapped rod, the weight of the wraps and guides will cause it to bend slightly, as will gravity pull the tip down a tad. In addition to the downward effects of gravity it may bend a bit right or left. It will make no difference and no one will ever notice it
Forum: rodboard

By St. Croix you mean a blank from Rod Geeks? I was looking at the Rod Geeks site and most of their fly rod offerings seem sold out. I wonder what is going on?
Forum: rodboard

I just made an LMX 9' 5wt. It is a very fast rod and prefers a line that is 1/2 overweight. I would not recommend LMX to someone who does not want or like a fast rod. I have not cast them, but from what I have heard, I would say go with a Classic or spend a bit more and get the Gamma Alpha.
Forum: rodboard