Hello Carlos - What you describe is generally what I do - leave either some bare blank or the tenon turned on the butt grip for the butt cap / end cap exposed. Either of these can be chucked both in my power wrapper and in my drying motor chucks. If you get one that wants to slip out - usually a blank with a lot of taper at the butt - I wrap a layer of masking tape, then reverse the tape bac
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Phil don't worry - if we are lucky enough to boat them I don't plan to release any of them...except into an ice bath in my cooler! And while I am a novice, the captain does this for a living and gives the same warning. It is my intent to be ethical and responsible. And well fed.
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Hello All - Am in the early stages of my first fly rod build for Tuna. Will be doing a few days out of Venice, LA in late September. This will be my first trip and the main goal is to catch big Yellowfin Tuna on poppers with conventional light tackle gear. But according to our captain and my comrades who do this every year there will be ample opportunity to catch 40#-60# YFT (and LOTS of oth
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Hello Wes - I have used the RCLB70XL and RCLB70L extensively. I build them into kayak rods (both casting and spinning) for general purpose live bait and for throwing plugs / poppers. These blanks are light, strong, and have proven nearly indesttructable. While I originally started using them thinking I was going after Kings off the beach in the Gulf, I quickly found out that they were capab
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Congratulations and THANK YOU! Bill
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Perfect - thanks very much. I'll let you know how I do...
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Hello All - Sorry for what is probably a basic question, but I can't seem to find a clear answer anywhere. My son and I are building a surf rod for an upcoming beach trip and he's decided he wants to do a cord grip with Turk's Head knots. I understand the cord wrapping / grafting / weaving part and I can make a Turk's Head knot. My question is - do you form the Turk's Head with the same
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Very nice...I've got it. Thank you!
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Dick, are you removing the outer 'spurs' of the spade bit? If I am thinking about my spade bits correctly, the spurs cut quite a bit deeper than the blades. So there is an outer 'channel' cut that is deeper than the flat bottom recess. The way I am sizing my grips, they will not tolerate that length of channel cut. Are you grinding them off or just shaping your grips such that you have room t
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Mike - I'll bite - is it a hole saw? What is the OD? Thanks! Bill
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Hello Michael - There are probably several ways to do this. The way I do it is as follows: I turn the grip core with no recess. I size it to be the absolute minimum size that will allow the seat to fit but you can size it however you want. Once I have skinned and finished the grip I let it set for a few days to let the finish set before handling it. During this time I glue up the reel seat
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The size 16 NPS is definitely too small for me and I believe I have average size hands. My son - who is 9 - loves them. To their credit they are very compact for travel in a tube. But too small to be comfortable for all day use IMHO. The size 20 NPS is the most comfortable factory seat I've ever used. You just have to get used to something that looks different. Kinda like split grips and
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Michael - The butt grip looks great - really nice job and a great finish. I posted a photo for you of the Mudhole butt plugs. I'm not sure who makes them - probalby AmTak. Anyway, they have a taper and will definitely be sleeker than what you used. You will just have to look and see if that is more what you are after. The carbon fiber work is top notch, though. Nice job. Bill
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Looks great, Roger. Can't wait to get my hands on the power unit you are building me for composite grips!
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Steve has it exactly right - Personna Hair Shaper Blades from Sally Beauty Supply are fantastic. I first saw Bill Stevens post this and they work. You can also get them on Amazon, etc. Just be careful - they are MUCH sharper than you are used to and you can easily cut too deeply when cutting fizzles, etc. Easy does it for sure.
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I have never bought a Renzetti product I later felt was not well worth the money...I'm sure you'd be pleased with the upgrade and I believe the price is fair given the quality of materials and machining hours involved. However, the issue for me is still that I don't want to move myself, the thread carriage, and all my tools (thread pullers, tweezers, thread burnisher, scissors, razor blade, read
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Bill - Loved the wood grips article. Thanks for doing it. I have built several of these type rods for fly or weightless platic worm fishing under bubbles and floats (although mine have been mostly 9 footers). In my experience, you will be super happy with a size 20 K-style high frame guide as your first guide. One other thought - braid is typically easier to mend and manage for this ty
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Roger that. Thanks!
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Hello all - A few months back I bought some 4 oz paint cans and filled them with Permagloss and Lumiseal. It worked like a charm. That is a great tip. I am about to run out of the Permagloss and was wondering - can I reuse this can with my next 4 oz bottle? Or should I start with a fresh new can? Anyone have any experience reusing these things? Thanks! Bill
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+ 1 for Roger. I wish I had met him sooner...he is helping me solve some of my "I always wanted this piece of equipment but nobody makes it ' problems.
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Roger, I think the above measurement is from the top of the 'channel' all the attachments mount to. If you measure from the bottom of that channel, it is 5.625" from the base to the centerline of the chuck / headstock. This is on a PacBay lathe purchased less than 6 months ago. Hope this helps...thanks! Bill
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Roger - That is a very interesting set up. I sent you an email...thanks! Bill
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Agreed - you will be fine. Your biggest problem may be getting the rod to balance. When you go with a split grip and carbon fiber at that, they get LIGHT. I am having trouble getting longer rods to balance but that is a good problem to have. Would love to see pics once you finish - thanks! Bill
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This has been a pretty lively thread. I am really impressed by two things. First, it is pretty spectacular that executives representing both sides of this debate are particpating in it. I'd be willing to bet the Batson clan is plugged in as well. We are very, very fortunate in this craft to have this kind of industry access and support. I can't think of another product I buy - regardless of
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Hey Michael - Here are the stemmed plugs: Capt. Mike has them as well but he has a lot of stuff that is not up on his website. You have to email him and ask. I may not have been clear with what I was saying before I am talking about finishing the very butt end...not the ends that butt to the reel seat. A butt end with no cap or cushion is what is uncomfortable to me. The smooth
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Hello Ben - This is totally subjective, but since you are looking for ideas here goes. I am not familiar with those Phenix blanks so can't help you there. When I lived in Arkansas, I spent a lot of time on Lake Ouachita. That is extremely clear water and we chased big schools of spotted bass breaking very small shad on top. Unlike the normal schooling frenzy where you just throw anyt
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Jim already landed on this, but in my initial tinkering the biggest advantage to me is that the Microwave guides do really well (when properly set up) with both fmono / fluoro and braid. Full disclosure: I am sort of late to the game on Microwaves. I have only built 5 rods with them and am still learning. I only built the first one in May of this year. Per Dane's very good (IMO) point
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Lots of good ideas here. If I am going that clean minimalist route, I like the rubber butt plugs from Riley Rods or Mudhole. They are like a tapered rubber coin with a stem. You order them based on stem diameter (to fit the diamter of your blank or grip). You can also cut off the stem and just glue them in place if need be Just mind that you clean them up a bit before you use them. Some co
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Thanks!
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Hello All - Wondering if anyone knows what size the head stock spindle is on the Renzetti lathe and what MT it is? I am unable to find it on their website and honestly can't remember other than that it is smaller than my JET Mini Lathe. I can of course measure it but am away from the shop and amy trying not to wait. Any help appreciated. Thanks! Bill
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