Justin, Winston's "WT" rod uses an IM 6 blank......it is a $400.00-500.00 rod. Medium to Medium fast in action. Also Scott's G2 is a similar action. Both extremely popular rods. My point is faster or higher modulus isn't necessarily better. Use rod characteristics to suite the type of rod that will work best for the fishing situation. Use CCS as a tool....if a customer wants a
Forum: rodboard

Tom, Why would pulling from the tip give you a more "natural" bend? After all the rod won't bend without a force making it bend.When you have a fish on the force on the guides will effect the bend wouldn't this be the one you want to use? Just trying to rationalize this. I kind of do a hybrid of both.....I set up based on the chart....then weight a line with a couple split shot c
Forum: rodboard

You could use a piece of stabilized wood and just appy a woodturners wax polish to it....
Forum: rodboard

I am thinking of putting a new handle and reelseat on a commercially built rod I have. I hate the cork they used and dislike the realseat. Does the boil it method work? also does this damage the blank. I really like the action of the blank but never use this rod cause I hate the feel. Does anyone have any suggestions about the best way to remove the handle and seat..
Forum: rodboard

Tim, I do like what the manufacturers call "oversize" or "large loop" tip tops for the wire style fly guides. This is simply in my opinion because they allow connections to pass easier IMO. I don't think the larger fly guides make a big difference.
Forum: rodboard

Mel, Never met a flyfisher who hasn't hooked a good tree bass....as long as you get the fly to the fish.
Forum: rodboard

I've heard of people predrilling the rings to get then close to the size they need....my suggestion would be to number the rings predrill...glue em up and then you will have very little reaming. You may have to build up the mandrel with masking tape before turning.
Forum: rodboard

Mel, I think it looks nice. It will be a bit flashy. I wouldn't use all metallic HT myself on a rod I'm going to use on small water for fear of scaring a fish or 2..... for general use I don't think it will make a difference. True fly fisherman..................One who comes home late and tells his wife honest honey I was out drinkin with the guys...then we went to a seedy bar where we met
Forum: rodboard

Lance, I don't think you can get them in a set.....but from my experience..if you call any of the sponsors on this sight they will make you a set. Besides the first one or 2 guides most people use the same or within 1 size for running guides. They will tell you generally how many guides you will need for a standard set up. If you are looking for price savings I too recommend the Batson com
Forum: rodboard

Billy, The Loctite,ZAP a Gap....and Crazy glue are all different brands of cyanoacrylate glue. I like the loctite with an applicator brush....seems to last quite a while before it hardens up. Pen turners use this stuff alot. You can use it as a finish on reelseats...also. If you look on some of the pen turners sites supply sites you can find this stuff with many different applicators and se
Forum: rodboard

Over my head.... Here's my definition of Graphite/Carbon Fibre.......The stuff now used to make blanks that is lighter,more sensitive and stiffer than any previous wood, reed, or Fibre glass. Glad to know there someone out there that knows this stuff.........just know that I have no space for it. LOL
Forum: rodboard

Emory, I am not suggesting that a blank should be filled with as many guides as possible. Merely trying to point out that you need enough guides to distribute the force onto the blank so you get a good even bend. IMO this is the most important part of setting up the guide positions on a rod. It is NOT the only consideration. I believe I did answer the question.....I said IMO load distributi
Forum: rodboard

IMO.....The main purpose of guide spacing is to distribute the load onto the blank. If you have a 25 block tied to the end of your line and assuming no drag is coming out.........if you had 5 guides .....)you lift the weight off the ground....I have no idea what the weight would be on each guide.....but I do know that if you had 10 guides you would be pretty close to having half the force on
Forum: rodboard

Erik, I think the main problem woodworkers have with gluing end gran is strength in the joint. When gluing a cork handle you are going to have the graphite blank going through the middle of the handle. This will prevent the joints from sheering which is what you worry about with end grain to end grain joints. If you are worried about the trueness...you can easily sand any imperfect rings to a
Forum: rodboard

I use Ambroid glue(used for model balsawood planes..available anywhere you get the models)glue and cork dust....mix in into a thick paste then fill....let it harden and lightly sand. I picked this up from someone on this site..can't remember who...works great.
Forum: rodboard

If you are using regular cork you can get by with sand paper. If you are using Andy Dears Burl cork or something similar you will want to start with something heavier. Make sure you use a dust mask in the very least.
Forum: rodboard

Someone once told me their are only actually a few manufacturers making fly lines....3M (Scienfific anglers) being the largest....the rest of the stuff is made by one of these manufactuers for a certain customer.......I think Airflo makes their own stuff, and Cortland.....not sure about the rest. So what are you getting in that $10.00 box...who knows? Incidently...I was reading R.L. Winstons w
Forum: rodboard

I was thinking of building a spey rod for the great lakes....I am a novice spey caster and don't want to spend a lot of money initially....was thinking about the Forecast 11 ' 6 6-7 wt...has anyone built on this blank. Would it be a good rod to start on....won't be fishing really big water...medium size rivers for Steelhead primarily...
Forum: rodboard

Bill, I just built one of the new Forecast...Xtra Lite spinning model for my son and it is a very nice little rod.....I like it much better than the older forecasts I have built.
Forum: rodboard