Bill all I can read is "Fuse-Tite Cement". It's a 1/2" dia. stick, got a light blue wrapper and the glue itself is a redish clay color. It is hard, you can't dig you're fingernail into it. I bought it years ago, don't remember where and only have about 3/4" left.
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I no longer use hot melt glue because I've had several tips loosen and rotate when left in a car or truck. I use a red thermal melt stick used for adhering points to arrow shafts. It melts at a higher temp. than regular or Flexcoat hot melt. Put some in the tube, heat and apply to rod.
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Farid another thing you might try is to sand down the sides that are as you say are "oval" and make the grip round.. Start on the top of the "oval side" curve and sand lengtnwise. I would go back and forth about 5 times then flip the grip 180' and do the other oval side. Continue this sanding and flipping until you have the top of the "ovalness" about right. Now
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This is a question I've asked one of my suppliers also. "What does it take to make a living at this?" The biggest difference between them and myself is volume and reputation. You can't make a living at building rods without both and it can take a while to get the reputaion you need to get the customers. I build about 20 rods per year, he builds about (15) rods per week, plus repai
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I am building a crankbait rod and was ready to do my first installation of an EVA rear grip. I read the article on installing them in my Rodmaker magazine and was set to go. I reamed it a bit such that when I dropped it on the blank it stopped about 14" away from the butt end. Applied Rod Bond and started to slide it down, I got to about 4" from the end and it would not go any furth
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I had heard that the MHX blanks were actually made by American Tackle ???
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I am having a problem also. I registered last night and received no e-mail confirming the registration. I used the same I.D. as the forum but a diff. password. ????
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Yes, Matthew the 200E7. I debated on the 200E5 as I've heard a lower gear ratio is better for crankbaits but the E7 seemed better suited for all around use.
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Thanks for all your opinions. I am going to build up the Castaway and fish it before I go buying anything else. It's gotten a lot of good reviews here on the board. Greg that is exactly what I plan to do, use #4's and I''ll be using the new Curado I just bought.
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Building a 7' bait casting crankbait rod for 1/4 - 5/8 oz. crankbaits mostly and occaisionally a 3/4 oz., Will use 8 - 14 lb. test flourocaron mostly, fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass. I plan to use a #7 df, #6 df and #4 micros with a 4.5 tip. Looking at the 3C70MM and the 2C70MM, anyone built on these? I'm kind of leaning towards the 2C... SCII (IM6 vs. IM7) blank. I just b
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When you guys mark your blanks do you measure and mark where the "loop" is or the front of the foot. (i.e. if your first guide is 4" from the tip how do you position it) I go by the location of the "loop"
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I added the (1) more guide to make (10) only because the line dipped below the blank when tested. This was in the upper 1/4 of the blank - where it bends the most. In a couple other spots the line touched the blank but didn't go below. Most opinions I've read here say - line below the blank no good / touching the blank OK. That's what I've been going with, otherwise with micros you'd need
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I was up at the rod shop near me talking with the owner about epoxy finishing. My spin rod was layiing on the counter when a dad and his son came in. His son was about (11) yrs. old - and building his own fly rod. We got to talking and he asked me if that was my rod on the counter. He liked the split grips and Diamond wrap I had done, so I gave him some pointers on how to do them. THEN H
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I recently did an MHX MB8843 here's my info: (10) guides - tip, 3.5, 7, 10.5, 14.25, 18.25, 22.75, 27.75, 33.75, 40.75, 50" #8 double foot, #7 df, then #5's to tip, #5 tip / 5.5 tube size. (Fuji Alconites) Originally I had (9) guides but needed (1) more when tested. This was my first micro build, it definitly outcasts my previous MB M/H builds.
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My buddy worked at Raytheon for a while. He gave me some "structural" epoxy that came in yellow tubes it was a pain to use as it had to be mixed in specific ratios like 2 parts A to 3 parts B or somethiing like that. I don't remember the brand or part no. though. I always used Locktite or Devcon (liquid) extended time epoxy, now I use rod bond. Both are more than adequate for rod
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I've got to agree it is very difficult to tell what's what these days. It seems to me about (5) years ago (and I'll talk about bass casting rods) there was less variation. A medium action blank was in the 8 - 12 lb. line range. Now depending on what blank it is medium is 10 - 17 lb. line and med/heavy in the 12 - 20 lb. range. I have the same dilema as Kevin - do you just go by line and
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Sorry for another post on cranbait rods, there is one below I did not read. Charles do you know the number of that rod blank? And one other question, which Castaway graphite or composite 7' med action, line 8 - 15, blank would be for crankbaits. I'm not familiar with these blanks.
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I'm looking to build a 7' (I'm a short guy) crankbait bait casting rod and am looking at the Batson E-Glass or CB IM7 series. Is there an advantage to using one vs. the other? The IM7 has a small butt dia. I'm pretty sure the answer is personal preference but thought I'd ask. Any other options I should consider in the same price range ?
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Carlos if you have a lathe you can easily eliminate the need to have the hole in the rubberized cork. The method is to shape the grip, ream it to fit the blank, then glue on the rubberized cork ring and final shape. Slide it on from the butt end. Here's how I do it. - Glue up your cork rings and shape your grip so it is slightly larger than you want. - Ream the grip out to fit the rod bl
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I have a similar question. I have some EVA with a 1/2" I.D. hole. It slides onto the blank pretty easily, is this a poor fit for EVA, should I be using a smaller I.D.?
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Thanks for the inputs, I'll try these set-ups with the guides sizes indicated using the perscribed NGC method as Tom said.
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I'm building an MHX SJ843 7ft. spin rod for 8 - 12 lb. florocarbon line. My plan is to use #25, #16, #10 all high frames with (5) #6 SF fly as choker and running guides. Choker is at 48.6" from spool (1.8" dia.). But when I set the transition guides I'm a bit confused. - if i go #25, #16, #10 all high frame my spacing from the choker is 8", 8 1/2", 11 1/2" to th
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Bill I've done quite a bit of wordworking over the years and yes you are right, the urethanes are not clear eventhough called "clear gloss". You may want to try a clear acrylic like Krylon. Normally urethanes are used over stained wood so you don't notice the amber shade.
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A friend gave me a bag of cork bottle tops from chemicals used at his work. Right away I noticed the grain was opposite that of regular cork rings. The "holes" face outward. So I glued a few of the 11/2" long tops together and turned them on my lathe. Once finished the grip had kind of a unique look with the holes on the outside vs. top / bottom. It didn't require as muck fil
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As I've said I'm a "hobby builder", building for family, friends, co-workers and of course myself. As this is a very addicting hobby I've come to have a large collection of rods "for myself". The question I have is this - do you guys put the date buiilt on all your rods?? The dilema I have is, will people be reluctant to buy them with these old dates. Most of them are
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Im building a rod dryer set up. It will have the drying motor mounted on the end and (3) adjustable support stands. I know you want the blank to be horizontally level when its turning & drying. But what should be level ? the center line of the drying motor shaft and rod blank centerline or the top of the blank itself? I build mostly freshwater rods, fly, spin, casting. Any suggest
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Bill the SC III is going to be a bit lighter and faster ("stiffer") the SC II, if you will, is IM6 comparable, the SC III more like IM7. For durability the SC II gets the nod.
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I've built on an MHX blank also. I applied the decal directly to the blank and let it sit over night. I only let it sit because I didn't have time to do the finish. I applied the epoxy finish directly over the label the next day with no problems.. (I do not use any solvent or alcohol in that area to clean the blank, just water) Make sure you do not touch or handle the label with your fin
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I know I'm a bit of a traditionalist & perfectionist and don't always do well with change but, it appears a lot of the custom rods I see these days are more for show than actual use. (although I know they probably fish well). Some of these rods I wouldn't want being banged around in my rod locker on the boat for a season. To be honest I would never put a split grip like this on any of m
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Made a friend a 6'-6" bamboo rod from an old rod he gave me. Only the top (2) sections were any good. Well I get a call about a month ago, the tip snapped about 7" down. (lasted (3) yrs. though) He gave me (2) tip sections, which again looked in pretty bad shape. So I went to Joe Cote's shop here in Mass. and talked to Ray. He showed me how to check a few things to determine if it w
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