Sean, I too just started rod building and am currently on my 4th rod. For the finishing I was not happy with my first attempt but after watching Tom Kirkman video that changed quickly. My first rod I applied it with the rod spinning on my wrapper like the flex coat video, and I did not have a clean edge on any of the wraps. Doing it the way Tom shows worked great for me, my finish looks fantasti
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Thank you Tom, really like your magazine and videos by the way.
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The rod I just built is working great and i really like it so far with the limited use, when I built this I used a KT 10 and after that 3 KB 5 for the 60, 120 180 positions and KT 5 for the rest of the guides. My question is would it perform better if I used a KT 5.5 for the 60 degree position and then 2 KB for the 120 and 180 and rest KT. The reason I went with all the runners after the stripper
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Tom, It is a liquid epoxy adhesive with pot life of 30-45 minutes and 6-8 hour cure time. It is on Mudholes website
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Thank you Tom, would Threadmaster Optimum Flow Epoxy ( slow cure) be a good choice for gluing the rings up.
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Thank you all as always, I know this has been mentioned and debated but what are your preferences for gluing up the rings, epoxy or titebond III or does it matter. in my feeble mind I would think the epoxy would be a stronger hold. But again I am not a woodworker by any means, which being a carpenter framing houses for the first 12 years of my adult life you would think it would come natural. 2
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So I just bought a Wen 3424T lathe to turn cork handles. I have searched on here and watched Tom's youtube video. My question is for the surform plane, it looks like Tom is just using the blade of the plane alone, without the form. How do you get the handle concentric without using a rest or something to gauge a straight line. I have never done woodworking on a lathe so excuse my lack of knowledg
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I purchased a Wen 12x18 benchtop lathe and stand. Cant wait to get it.
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Thanks Roger, new I could count on this forum.
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So how does this work, I tried putting a reamer in the jaws of the chuck( the upgraded one) and there is no way that is going to work, no support what so ever on the reamer. I dont have the steel mandrels yet, ordered that and the live tailstock but wondering does anyone have one of these that they use for turning cork. I am wondering if I would be better off with a wood lathe from like harbor fr
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I did a search and didnt find what I was looking for, So if I sign my rod with a indelible ink pen do I need to apply finish over it. Thank you.
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I would like to give a shout out to Debbie at Decal Connections, she designed my rod decal yesterday and sent me a sketch along with pricing not 15 minutes after I first called her yesterday. Great ands friendly customer service. If you need decals she is the person to talk to.
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Thanks Norman, you want to give me the guide layout for this one, using alps mvt reel seat with rear of seat 10" from end of butt of rod., I am using the 60 120 180 spiral and a RV 6 stripper with 3 KB 5 and the rest KT 5.
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So I just recieved my point Blank PB761 MHF that I ordered to make a pitching stick, mostly for 1/4 ounce bullet weights and creature baits and up to 1/2 jigs. i have always used a medium heavy rod for this but this blank seems a little flimsy in the tip. Will it stiffen up with the guides placed on or did I get the wrong blank. Hoping not the latter.
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I have a terrible time, but I have only done 3 rods, I have to wrap high up on the foot and work the threads back down, a few at a time. i cant for the life of me make the thread transition up on the foot from the blank, I have to angle the thread to the middle of the foot and keep working the thread down after 3-4 wraps and continue this until I can get the thread packed tight with no gaps. But
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Okay, thank you Ben
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Also forgot to state I will be using 20 lb braid with 14 lb fluro leader, will the KW 10 still work for this Norman, along with the KT & KB 5
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Thank you Roger, I do not have good lighting, so I will fix that and I do not have magnification so I will fix that also. I didnt have a problem really with the CRB hand wrapper and Red thread. I an really trying to like this Alps thread carriage but it is not working as well so far as the other, tension wise. Guess I should have practiced with it before actually wrapping my rod. I am also doing
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Could someone give me a layout and guide size for a PB761MHF blank used for Pitching. It will be 60 120 180 Spiral Wrap.Or tell me how to do progressive spacing and figure guide size, Norman could I use the same size guides as my PB731 MXF rod. I went with 5KT & KB for the runners on that one Thank you.
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Is D size thread a lot easier to work with than A, and can it be used on micro guides and if I used D for my wrapping would the trim bands need to be D also. I ask because I am currently wrapping my crankbait rod and I am really struggling, one it's the first time using the alps thread carrier and two first time using black thread and really having a hard time seeing it. I cant seem to get th
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Phil , I didnt measure in feet, I just know I have never thrown a 3/8 weight anywhere near as far before with any other rod/reel combo.
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Same way as spiral, to the left. The steez requires handle up when casting, or at least that is what is reccomended, so I figured the line already wants to go to the bottom on the left so why not do the spiral that way.
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So I test casted my PB731MXF rod I am building for small crankbaits, Norman provided me with the guidetrane and layout and after thought I decided to go with the spiral wrap, which from this point on all my bass baitcasters will be. I also went with Normans suggestion 0f 60 120 180, after static testing with 2 line method I went to test cast ( Note to self: do not test cast with just the dental b
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Thank you as always Norman, is there any advantage over how you lay out the spiral compared to the simple spiral or is it just ascetics. Guess I lied, here is another question. Sorry guy's just trying to learn everything I can.
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I have one last question, on this thread anyway, If I am going to build a spiral wrap, when I static test the rod, should the guides be as in finished position, IE on bottom of blank or should they all be on top of the blank for this portion of testing. Thank you.
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I am currently on my third rod build, when I decided to start building my own rods, I first sold every rod I owned, some very nice and expensive ones I might add, partly to fund the purchase of the rod building equipment I wanted to buy and secondly to put myself in a "all In mode". I then started to research for forums and magazines in which I found this one,thank God, and RodMaker mag
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Thank you Norman, for a right hand reel would you offset the stripper to the left or right. I think I saw this in a video somewhere, the first guide was offset so the edge of the guide ring was centered on the blank, but I dont remember which way or who did the video.
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Norman, do you use one coat with the Hitena and which Threadmaster, High or lite. i am currently using the Flexcoat light. Thank you.
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Norman, would that guide layout remain the same with the simple spiral, with the addition of a rub reduction guide where the line touches the blank at 90 degrees. Thank you.
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Just read the article on Magic wands in my Rodmaker mag, great article. I owned and just sold 8 JB Customs rods that were all spiral wrapped, I must say I liked those and especially all the casting type baits, especially the crankbait rods. The Pitching rod was nice as well but you had to make sure the line was not layed over to the right side of the tip top ( I pitch with the bait in my left ha
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