The above method is excellent. You will have to play with your RPMs to get the right behavior with different finishes Only problem is you need a power wrapping / finishing machine to apply that way. You can also get really good results by hand. I mix and apply my finish with a metal spatula. I rotate the rod by hand while I do this. I essentially put heavy finish on all the wraps quickly
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I am a bit surprised by your experience.. You are actually the very first person I've ever talked to who tried them on fly rods and went away from them - in fresh or salt water. I built two Winston 5-weights that are identical - one with cork, one witih carbon fiber and I ask people to try before they buy. I have literally never had anyone choose the cork. But, to me this is one of the very b
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I have had very good luck with Sakura Gelly Roll pens in Metallic Gold, Metrallic Silver, and White. I have purchsed these at both art supply stores and some office supply stores. They are a few bucks apiece. I will typically do some form of butt wrap or decorative wrap. I will coat that wrap with one coat of finish. Once that finish coat has completely dried (12+ hours), I apply my log
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I agree - stick with 7" and you should be good. Shapes that look good and fundtion well for a 3-weght include a cigar, a half wells (Fenwick) and the reverse half wells. I have also really liked a small diameter full wells on longer rods (9' and longer) even though it is not traditional. I also really like carbon skinned foam core grips on these light rods. If you have not tried one yo
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Okay - actually took a little digging There are two ways to find it: 1) Search by brand > CRB > Custom Handle Assemblies > Handle Assembly Parts > 16mm graphite tubing for CRB handle System - which takes you here: 2) Call Bob McKamey there and he'll find it in a heartbeat. Fair warning - I realize now that the tubing they are currently selling is slightly different
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Posted a few pics - you should find them by searching your name. Hope this helps.
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All of the above are good places to start. There is also an excellent article in the library (button at top right of this page) titled 'Extending Rod Blanks' that will be helpful. The Matagi tubing will work and is very strong if done correctly. Mudhole also sells tubing that is very high quailty but much cheaper (both postage and retail price).; This is different than the Tennesse handle t
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The article will probably answer your questions but reach out if it does not. I have only built a few dozen surf rods but I'd be happy to help if I can.
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Hey Ron - I looked in my back issues - the surf rod building guide is Volume 7 #1. I'd definitely check it out. Good luck and let us know how it turns out! Bill
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Tom's recommendation is a good one. There is also a really thorough article that appeared in a past issue of RodMaker Magazine specific to surf rods that is to me the definitive work. I built all of mine using that article as a starting point and I was delighted with the results. I will have to look up which issue but it is easily worth the price of a back issue in my opinion. The one piece
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So try this exercise - it may blow your mind. Tape your guides on where you think they need to go with a couple of layers of masking tape. I would do this BEFORE I shape my guide feet. Glue your top on with hot melt (or go ahead and epoxy it on if you are sure of what guide style you will end up using). Now mount e reel, thread the line through the guides, and attach it to some sort of we
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One other plug for this set up that bears repeating (even though Tom Kirkman has been saying this for years). I don't think most anglers realize how much torque / torsional forces are exerted on the angler with a heavy duty guides on top rod - even when using a belt. I think you will be shocked - I was - with how stable and easy to handle rods set up this way are...especially over a really long
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Generally I set it up for good clearance of the foregrip at full flex (as mentioned above) and the straightest path to the bottom of the rod. I am away from the shop and don't have any of the heavy stuff with me, but I thik I generally have gone with a Modified O'Quinn spiral wrap around the left side of the rod. The first guide is never more than about 18" - 22" from the reel. I us
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Hello Chester- No great pics but a few are up on the photo page: Hope these help - thanks! Bill
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I believe James is exactly right. For what it is worth, I have used Fuji SiN guides on several heavy duty rods using both braid and mono. These rods have seen heavy use for several seasons and are holding up extremely well. So they work for regular lines as well in my experience. And they have tip tops to fit several sizes of running guides which gives you some options.
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Paul got it right with the volume and issue of RM that featured the article...I believe they were called 'sensitouch' rods so you might search that as well. If memory serves, Bill Stevens had posted some images in the photo gallery of some of his rods built that way. Hope this helps.
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I can show you what they look like skinned wtih carbon fiber...that's how I am doing them these days and love the results.
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Steven - Thanks so much for chiming in. I'd love to get a copy of the tutorial if you don't mind - falconerb@yhaoo.com is my email address. Happy 4th everyone. Bill
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Ray Jorgensen...thanks!
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Hello All - Several years ago, a gentleman who was a very accomplished wood worker wrote a few articles for RodMaker (I think) and provided some tutuorials on line about how to make wooden spinning rod handles. He did some really beautiful custom inlays and patterns but what caught my eye was his work with Fuji IPS seats. Specifically, he shared plans for a jig / fixture that could be us
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Some great blank recommendations for you here. I would add the Batson SW967 and the RCL80XL to that list. Both are fantastic blanks with light enough tips that you can throw 3/8 oz. lures but enough back bone to whip kings. I have caught several 40"+ kings and 6' plus Blacktips on my RCL70XL throwing poppers from the kayak. Plus they are light enough in total weight that you can cast and
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Hello James - I have used the CRB Inshore blanks extensively. I have built a bunch of them as popping rods (both spinning and casting). I probably have 30 or 40 ISP703s and ISP704s out there. I have never had a failure or a blank that wasn't straight and to spec. I like them because the action is perfect to me for a popping rod, plus they are durable enough (and have thick enough tip
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Several years ago - -like maybe 1999 or 2000 - there was an organization started by Tom Greek called the Custom Rod Builder's Guild. One of the things that organization did was put on an annual Conclave in Nashville. While nothing by comparison to the RodMaker community and the High Point shows Tom K has managed to pull off in recent years, it was a step up on a national level when compared to
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Hello Lee- You are on exactly the right track. If Iyou want to use the Titanium framed SICs, I'd use the TSVSG 20, TSVSG 16, TSVSG 12, TLSG 10J, to TLSG8Js out to the TFST8 with a tube to fit. With 9' rods, I have had excellent luck with 7 #8s for 11 guides plus a tip top. I know that is slightly more guides than conventional wisdom but it works very, very well for me. Let me know if you
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Great point, Mike. Southern Grafix did the artwork and Decal Connection actually printed my labels. Sorry!
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Paul - I have at least one laying around and I have also skinned several of my own with carbon fiber - those look even cooler. Send me an email at falconerb@yahoo.com if you are interested. Bill
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Hello Paul - I have had very good luck three times over the past 8 or so years with Jimi at Southern Grafix. Excellent work, quick turn around, and great service / communication. Link to his site can be found at left. Good luck! Bill
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Hello Greg- Man, this is exactly why you get into building rods. In my opinion, specialized rods - like a particular surf rod for a particular application - are some of the most fun to work up and build. Surf rods are different animals and can challenge you in different ways. As you mention above, handle construction is different, you need MUCH bigger reamers, If you are like me you don't h
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Peter- Once about 3 or 4 years ago I was building a bunch of heavy surf casting rods for shark fishing from the beach. At the time, I lived a very short walk from a park with about a 5 acre lake in it. I would often walk down to the lake to test cast rods, and this was especially helpful with surf rods - testing the shock leader knots I could (and couldn't pass), figuring out guide set ups,
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Hello All - I am trying to find a GUSA 9' 4-piece #8 DHX blank. If any of you sponsors have one in stock please let me know. I will chase down any leads on anyone who might have one. I'd also like to find a GUSA DHX 9' 4-piece #5, but the 8-weight is mission critical. Thanks! Bill
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