I have always applied epoxy while turning by hand. In order to allow my hands to remain steady I made up three low supports. I should add that this wasn't my idea, I picked it up from someone, maybe here on the board. Not sure.
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Batson Enterprises was kind enough to replace an RX8 blank with an RX8+. My feather inlay on the original blank was lost, but the RX8+ blank this inlay is on is a very nice blank. My casting experience has been limited because we’re just coming out of winter, but I believe I will really like fishing with the Rainshadow RX8+.
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This was my first grip using one quarter inch rings and darker cork inlays. The reel seat is a Struble U24, and of course the very elegant wood insert is by Andy Dear.
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The thread spool color in this image is a bit off, the color is actually more of a Chestnut color variegated with black (Rice 1092B). The tinsel is Sulky Light Copper. I incorporated black into the butt wrap. No CP was applied and the wraps look nice in sunlight.
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Edit: After finishing the rod and applying epoxy, I found that the color of the tread was much darker than in this image, so it appears that the application of oil doesn't darken the thread color as deeply as when epoxy is applied without color preserver. I've seen some interesting work with two tone threads, so I purchased a few to test wrap. These wraps had vegetable oil applied to simulate
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Finally ran out of patience (ferrule problem) and will be cutting this rod up to salvage components.
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I install a stent (or stint) only when I want to reduce the butt section diameter in the position where a wood reel seat will be installed. Particularly helpful when building on fiberglass blanks. With or without a fixed fighting butt I usually make all sections of equal length.
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If you’re referring to transparent, or “invisible”, guide wraps visit fiberglassflyrodders.com. Individuals there have described their techniques frequently.
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I haven’t kept up with Rainshadow blank models, but can provide ERN/AA for the RX8+ 905-4. Maybe also RX8 905-4.
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“The CCS does not attempt to define "correct" rod weight” Tom’s comment above should be the first thing those interested in CCS should read. As you collect data on a variety of rods (graphite, bamboo, fiberglass) you’ll better understand each new rod or blank that you acquire.
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During a full day of fishing yesterday I presented dry flies to trout rising anywhere between ten and forty feet away. Breezy day with 20 mph gusts. High flows. Dealt with trees behind me, and trout rising tight to overhanging brush. I could argue that a third of the time my fly line was one line weight heavy, and a third of the time my fly line was one line weight light. It was my casting skills
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When I’ve needed to drill a lengthwise 3/8” hole through 1”x1”x6” wood blanks (on my lathe), I use two brad point bits. First I bore with a 5” length bit. Less drill bit length equals less initial wobble/wandering. I then use a 10” length bit to complete the bore. Good results are achieved. Perhaps this method will also work with long bores through cork.
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I’ve been wrapping rods for many years, but it wasn’t until this winter that I mounted a yellow backdrop onto my thread carriage. Very helpful.
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Hunter, if you’re open to the idea of not using wax at all, search my posts for a description of how I bond my cork rings together. Includes pictures of how I use a hand clamp to hold glued rings together while I extract my mandrel. After the glue cures, reinsert the mandrel and go to the lathe. My present hand clamp is set up to accept both my 1/4" and my 3/8" steel mandrels. Jeff
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Nice reception guys!
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Hello Joel, You made a good choice with the CTS glass blank. For a first fiberglass rod, the choice is good because if you’re transitioning from graphite the change won’t be overly dramatic. Regarding what not to do on your first build, I’m going to offer advice that generally gets dismissed when I offer it to new builders. The urge to build out the rod quickly overcomes people, and they of
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I’m in complete agreement with Bill, don’t introduce anything to an epoxy application other than the edge of a double edge razor blade. I would add though that all double edge razor blades should be cleaned thoroughly before use.
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John M, Bubble release, or failure to release, has troubled rod builders for decades. As a result, numerous workarounds have been developed/used by rod builders. Here are my simple observations, having worked with half a dozen thread epoxies over the years: - Regular build epoxies naturally release bubbles less well than “Lite” versions of epoxy. - Thicker applications of epoxy naturally r
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Visit fiberglassflyrodders.com for a wealth of information. Jeff
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I think you’ll like it Bill. I tested a sample pack of lite for Andy, and immediately finished an important fly rod with it. Never looked back. Jeff
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+1 on Ron’s comment on stabilized wood expanding and contracting. For this reason inflexible finishes can be problematic. There also is a belief out there that stabilized wood is impervious to water - it isn’t. My finish of choice is Pro Custom Oil gunstock finish. Many rubbed-in micro depositions, a technique shared by an excellent gunstock maker.
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Raymond, glad to see you’re merging back into the Rodbuilding.org River.... Jeff
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Fold a small piece of masking tape across the tip of the blank, pierce that so you can hang a paper clip through the tape.
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Jay, early on when I decided to make my own grips, the Grizzly lathe with a quarter inch mandrel was the best option. It performed well, and safely for me. However, with any mechanical tool the user must use extreme caution while operating the tool. Injury can happen. So do some research about the Grizzly hobby lathe and if you go that route, proceed with caution.
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As pictured in the Grizzly link above.
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Jay, You didn’t mention a price point you’re interested in when you used the term basic. For under $100 the Grizzly is a great setup for turning grips. Best to try to learn whether the chuck on your particular drill will pass through the headstock. Though I moved on to turning wood rod parts on a 20” table lathe, and now turn grips on that, I still use the Grizzly setup if I need to reduce the d
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Not sure of what your lathe setup is (headstock chuck, etc), or what the wafers look like. But you could try bonding enough wafers together to form a block that is about a quarter inch longer than the desired fighting butt length. Then securely bond the block to a short section of wooden dowel. Mount the dowel in your headstock chuck and shape the fighting butt. If you shape it with the bottom aw
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Thanks for the info Steve, I was wondering how Dick was doing. I'd written to him in August and hadn't received a response. The Trout Unlimited chapters here in Eastern PA always appreciated Dick's generosity, his donations to chapter functions helped us immensely.
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David, you never mentioned the length of the damage (I’m assuming at the bottom of the blank). If the damage is very short, it’s possible you could get by with an easier fix than bonding in a section of rod blank.
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If I'm understanding this correctly, you've essentially shortened (accidentally) the butt section by some number of inches. Probably a little ragged, due to melting of the blank. I would suggest cutting the blank off cleanly at about the location of the top of the new reel seat you're about to install. I do this on most of the fiberglass rods I build because the butt section can be a good bit
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