Fred, there was a thread on this a few days ago. Of course, builders have their own ideas on most topics. I use a heat gun on low and about 12" from the blank. Be careful to not use TOO much heat. Try maybe 5 seconds at a time then as Roger mentioned, use a new razor blade and scrape carefully horizontal to the blank and remove the epoxy. Use good light and good glasses and go slow.Once I ge
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Kent, you mentioned that reel companies are going lighter for customer preference. That's what I'd like to know....why customers want everything so light. We want people to do our yard work, wash our cars, do our grocery shopping...@#$%&, we want cars to drive themselves! Is this the reason for lighter gear....laziness? Yet, most Americans are overweight. They care about the weight of their fishi
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Until I joined this site I never really heard so much about weight reduction. Since joining and reading most of the topics, it seems that there is a huge belief that the less weight...the better. I can understand that a fisherman doesn't want to cast a 2lb. rod all day when he can cast one in ounces. However, I really can't understand cutting grams will make a better more desirable rod. Are rod
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My opinion is that when a test or study like this is being done and the mechanics are performed by a human, we can only at best get an "educated guess" result. There is no way a human can throw a lure with the exact speed and strength repeatedly. Think of a MLB pitcher...they can throw as hard as they can each pitch and the MPH is not going to be exact on every throw. So, us not being
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HAHAHA! I agree with Mark. I was hoping someone else would call him on it so I wouldn't have to. I edited....shouldn't have written all that I feel. Sorry.
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I do the same as Roger. I use a heat gun on low and a foot or more away from the area. Only do short heating times. then I use the new razor horizontal with the area to remove and go very slow...similar to brain surgery. I have my wife by my side wiping the sweat from my forehead. I don'y really but that's how much I enjoy removing old epoxy. I am a perfectionist also and would have to attend som
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I think it was about a year ago when I read that St. Croix bought out rodgeeks. I have ordered a few blanks from them and it took about 3-4 weeks to receive them.
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Thanks, Lynn. I always thought it was all the hot air my wife tells me about. I don't blow on the finish after its on the rod...just after the initial mixing before transferring to the aluminum cup.
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As we are talking bubbles...some have mentioned bubbles in the stirred finish. I almost always have them but I don't try and stir slow. I just get the two mixed very well and then transfer it into an aluminum tray. I've found that just blowing air onto the finish makes the bubbles gone. I am assuming it's my hot air. If you all have hot air, try it. Just don't spit into the mixture. I used to fla
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Humans make the machines. I don't want to cause any contention on here at all but millions of peoples lives are entrusted to syringes every day. I have used them in my job for nearly 40 years. If the person using the syringe is in the game, the outcome will be right. Even when using pumps to deliver meds the med is first drawn out of a vial with a syringe and injected into a bag and then the pum
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hahaha...Paul...tell that to the next Doc who orders an injectable med and the nurse who gives it. A syringe is for sure not "guess work."
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I have found if I draw up ma little bit of finish, then squirt it back into the bottle and then draw the amt. needed into the syringe it eliminates bubbles. I think the bubbles in the syringe are coming from the air in the syringe tip. Even if the plunger in the syringe is all the way down, there is still air in the tip so when withdrawing finish, the bubble is the air that is in the tip. The rea
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I have built 3 fly rods on rod geeks carbon 4 blanks. Two were 3 wts. one was an 8' 5wt. I love the 5wt. the 3 was seem too soft to me. I would not order colors again. I don't think the paint is very good. The 5wt is just natural and it's one of my favorite rods. Price is not bad either.
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Marc, do you feel that you received your answer? If I were just learning to build now, I's be very confused on the issue but also feel as long as I either built on the spine or on the straightest axis of the blank...I'd be ok. Personally, I build on the spine. I was taught that way years ago. I contacted Sage, Winston, Scott, CTS, St.Croix and Gloomis to see how they built their rods. Sage adama
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The eraser is a great tip! Most likely a lot safer than the heat. Hopefully I won't need to try it. I hate mistakes.
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I have used a heat gun on low and only a few seconds and don't hold the gun too close to the area. After warming up the area with the gun I use a wash cloth that is textured and rub the area like polishing. In my experience, the finish has rubbed off like semi wet glue. NOT TOO MUCH HEAT.
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Thanks Roger. I did talk to a USPS deliverer and he did tell me about the conveyor issue. I have only shipped blanks back to the company. I have never shipped to a customer because I don't sell rods. If you have shipped more than 100 rods...that's 50 more than I have received. Thanks for the info.
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I've noticed my drying times differ a lot. maybe due to humidity and heat and..... As others have mentioned previously, I also check my leftover finish to determine dryness. I keep my tin and check with a tooth pick or stir stick. It has never gone wrong.
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I have also had quick arrival time when ordering from NFC. I have built on half a dozen.
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Personally, I wouldn't rely on the thin PVC to protect a rod or a blank from the abuse it might run into in our mail system. I have had two separate blanks broken and left on my door step. Both happened in the thin PVC tube. It really looked like someone had used the tube as a bat and hit it against a post. The tubes were bent almost sideways and even split open in the crease. I have had no probl
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I'm with Norman on my experience with NFC blanks. I've only built on 4 of their blanks and found their decals pretty good. As Chris said, Decal connection insists for proper application of their decals to use color preserver or a layer of finish. I use CP. I really like decal connection stuff. Ernie, if you had any concerns about your NFC decal, I's just put down a layer of CP. My opinion is lay
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Robert!! One of the best posts I have read. Thanks! Only thing I would change is "tight lines and frisky WIFE.
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Tom...I know how to find the spine on a rod and there is not a doubt My 9' 5wt legend ultra is built on the spine. Maybe st. Croix has changed from 20 years ago but the rod I have is 100% built on the spine. The rod was probably built early 2000.
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Chis C Nash, My problem wasn't ever with Tom. It was with your comment after a comment Kent made. I felt that was a very inappropriate comment to be made. I appreciate your apology.
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I finally went down and routed through my rods and checked my favorite rod...a St. Croix ultra legend. I took the tip and spined it. It is without a doubt, 100% built on the spine. I have been waiting for St. Croix to answer back on this issue. Tom said they build on the straightest axis. This is an older rod...before St. Croix outsourced products to Mexico. As mike mentioned above, he wouldn't m
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I am listening to you Kent. Winston, Scott, GLoomis and CTS all build on the spine. Tom mentioned that St. Croix doesn't and I heard back from Sage and they build on the straightest axis. That says something to me. The majority of very good rod makers build on the spine. As I read the comments on this topic, the main thing I hear is "appearance" of the guides being straight. I have nev
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There are many people on this site who have a wealth of knowledge. I'm not one of them. I'm here only to learn and be a part of a group. While on here I've noticed butt kissing. Nobody's way of building is "the best" way. We aren't talking religion or politics here. I don't really give a rats fanny how others build on or off or sideways of the spine but I do like to research and gather
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Above Kent mentioned straight casting. I read two articles on that same issue regarding spinning the rod. The article said that the rod/blank wants to bend at the spine so putting guides on the spine, either the soft or hard side, that is where the rod bends.
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Thanks...I never want to lose the desire to learn new things. So...that's what I do.
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Lynn, I had to listen a couple of times but the guide was saying about the handle application and when the handle was done he said, it's all lined up with the "spline" of the blank and now ready for the guides and tip top to be put on. I use the word spine...not spline. That was an interesting video. I don't make building a rod look that fast or easy. If someone watched me they'd think
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