Thanks Mark and Spencer. I was running some numbers and I think I am going to try stocking enough for four typical casting builds. This would be KW #8 qty 4, KB #6 qty 4, and KT #5 qty 50 to have extra for running guide repairs if needed. It makes more sense to order tip tops and other made to fit parts per build but stocking the guides will reduce backorder issues. I am having some right now
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When it comes to chasing those once in a lifetime fish the decorative aspects of the build really come into play in clear water scenarios. When that trophy fish sees all that abalone and colorful butt wraps it puts them into the mood. They want to bite that lure just to get a peek at your wonderous beauty of a rod. This is why decoration and beauty is more important than performance. I can't prov
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For those of you who stock guides vs order to build, how many guides of each size do you typically keep? I am tired of ordering per build which has been almost biweekly lately. It also adds time to builds for procurement. At the same time I don't want to sink $1k into guide stock. Unless that is normal. I would consider myself to be at the self sustaining hobby phase. In other words I don't do
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Once I find the axis I am to build on I use a wax pencil to make three marks in alignment with that axis. I will hold the rod up to eye level and make sure the three marks are indeed inline. I layout my grips and seat and glue them on. The reel seat is last and when I get it onto the grip tenon I rotate the reel seat to make the branded portion align with my three marks. Once that hardens I put t
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I personally like the KBs on casting rods when I would traditionally have a second double-foot guide. An example would be a heavy flipping rod or something throwing 2oz plus baits. I know I don't need a second double foot guide but I like the ease of mind of the slightly more robust foot of the KB.
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Once I start selling needle kits I will join the sponsors bar.
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This is why the best method is to magnetize a needle and balance it on the rod tip. This magnetized needle will interact with the carbon and point to the blanks inherent "True North" thus aligning the rod in perfect balance with nature. Sorry. Had to. Last one I promise.
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You guys saying you don't put a foam core in and lay your rods in the pool then spin them to see what side points up? lol
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I contacted NFC and it is waiting on a 1KEFX to be fulfilled. They responded very quickly. They are waiting to ship the entire order together. Will be in within a week. I wasn't aware of the backorder because the order never updated with notes of backorder.
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I am beginning to think they are getting effected by the Washington shutdowns. I have an order that is 7 weeks old and still pending. The last three orders prior were at my door all the way across the country in two weeks.
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Yes. A vey thin layer of finish. We all find different ways to make it work for us. Dont get discouraged by differences in the responses. Try them all and see what works best for you.
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I built 4 NFC X-ray blanks so far. I did not like seeing the lines under the label on my first one. Very small but not what I desired. I took exception and changed tactics and have been coating them first since then.
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Yes. The "ribbing" is stepped and will make air lines under your labels unless you place a thin finish layer down first. There is another way which involves cutting the label but I wouldn't suggest that as it is harder to get desired results and easy to damage the blank. The Gator series blanks seen on Mudhole have the same effect to the labels as well.
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As I read this post thread on my lunch break I found a lot of mentioning of the enhancement of casting by building on the spine. Taking all the statements above into consideration my mind came up with one question. If you build on the spine for casting do you only cast 12 to 6? If I roll cast a "spined" rod then I am not casting inline with the spine. One thing I learned from
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I agree it is personal choice. Personally I have no use for them. My casting reel hold baits just fine on the body or the arm. Spinning I use the stripper guide base. For someone else I always show them a double foot, drop shot/t-rig, and a loop style to see which they prefer.
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Thank you David. He throws a lot of larger shakey head on heavier than normal shakey head line. Some 1/4 finesse jigs and whacky rigs. His biggest complaint about his fairly high end retail rods were the weight. He did not have all day comfort and he told a story where he abandoned a working patterb because he was fatigued by his rod. When I test cast it all I did was tie on a 1/4" fla
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I was commissioned for a 6'9" to 7' "Medium Heavy Finesse" rod by a local bass tournament angler. I took the time to really figure out what it was he truly desired and what he was throwing. We decided the solution was to cut down the MB 736 to 6'10" so the butt cap would make it a total of 6'11". The goal was performance first and finish with just a touch of color. Bl
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The wood filament would be an incredible idea. When it is wet sanded and finished it looks great too.
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I have used a lot of Pro Wrap and Fuji. The last rod that left the bench on Wednesday I was using fuji size A NOCP in black. Usually I used Pro Wrap but I was almost out of black and wanted uniformity so I used the new Fuji spool. On the second guide I noticed a bit of fuzz. I unwrapped it and spooled of about 10 yards to find a huge thread separation. In my limited time building I had never seen
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Lynn, I believe he is speaking of the purchased sets of guide bands. Many of the sponsors on the sidebar supply them. They are nice for small runners where the guide foot is too small for masking tape to hold it in location. The bands are all attached to a "tree" of rubber so they are easier to work with and harder to lose.
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What base colors? Orange, red, black, and green? As Robert stated I would put the base colors down in a butt wrap on a split grip or just beyond the reel seat before the first guide on a one piece handle. Just wrap the base color and a separating color between each one. Put one coat over the thread and let it dry then apply decals and apply another coat.
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I built a SJ 703 from the fall sale. I have fished 6# and 8# on it. It performed well in the 8# line offerings. I was able to throw the 1/10oz (before bait) Ned rigs on it with the 703 on 6# but it really is not light enough to perform the way I wanted. 1/6oz was as light as I could go and still cast well. The 703 makes for a great all around finesse rod if you have to choose only one. Weightless
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Michael, Are you speaking of the Winn tape and taping over grips or the Winn integrated EVA grips? If you are talking about the integrated grips then I can attest that they last longer than the wrap in my experience. I built a rod that has now been tournament bass fished for two years and the integrated split grips have held up to constant use and abuse.
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Size 17 seats typically have larger ID inserts. Looking through the Alps and AT catalogues you will see. The only AT seat in 17 that takes an insert is a spinning seat and the ID of the insert would barely make the MB 765 but not the MB 7108.
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I am about to order another NEO and the MB 7108 before the sale ends. The NEO will be cut down to 6'10 and used for spinnerbait/blade bait and the 7108 will be a flipping stick. I recently built a NEO and the butt diameter was too large to use my personal favorite seat so far which is an AT G2 Vibe with an insert. Since it was just for trying out I threw a traditional Fuji size 17 on it. I hav
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Roger, With the grip fit, the ID will need to be reamed out to fit the blanks. Neither of them will just slide right on out of the package so the fit is what you make it. For the reel seats, if you plan on using exposed blank seats then wait until you know where you will be placing them and measure the blank and order as the exposed rod seats are ID specific. If you plan on using a seat wi
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David and Michael thank you for your input. I have a NMB782-MHX that I think will work nicely. I built it as a 6'6" casting rod when I was new to the hobby. I need to correct some things on it. It has a softer tip so I may take 1" off the top and try it out.
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So it seems that a rod for throwing hard jerkbaits like a 110 is a really specific build. The retail rods that are hard jerkbait specific seem to be marketed as such and usually are priced a little higher than most in the same model lineup. I have been gifted a few but I have never fished these baits. After seeing local angler Dustin Connel kill the Redcrest on a 110 I decided to give it a go and
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Kendall, This is definitely a personal preference. I imagine you will be casting things like spoons/ buzz bombs as well as your swimbaits. I have cast buzz bombs and other shore fishing lures for salmon/cod without a trigger. To me a trigger isn't extremely necessary because you are typically casting with both hands on the rod so there is some reinforcement there. On the flip side it would be
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Russ, 100% on the first paragraph. I too wanted it to spin the other way due to being familiar with the CRB/Mudhole thread carriage. I put the motor on the left hand and tried it as designed and actually am used to it after only two rods. I practiced about 20 wraps but once I was able to consistently get them started I was good. I do miss the visual indicator of tension that the CRB/Mudhole te
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