Another thing that people don't stop to think about is that if you place the spine to supposedly aid in casting you have to remember that you cannot possibly cast in a perfect plane each time. Chances are that the spine you so carefully placed never even ends up being in the casting plane under actual use in casting. I hate to see new builders worry over it so much. IMO there are many things t
Forum: rodboard

Looking forward to ROD BUILDINGS GREATEST SHOW! I can't imagine how it could be any better this coming year than it was this past year, but I have no reason to doubt. I'll be there both days. Is it possible for you to publish a list or address of a place near the show location that might be able to ship parcels back out for us? I probably won't drive in but would like to be able to take adva
Forum: rodboard

"You really understand something when you can explain it to your grandmother and SHE can understand what you've just explained." Makes sense to me. Less load is obviously on the guides nearest the load and more on those farther from it. I also can't get my mind around what happens to pressure when any downward force is put onto something that won't accept it and just bends away. But
Forum: rodboard

I wonder how much it would have cost had he sent the rod back to Penn for replacement of the grip. I doubt they'd do it anyway but if they did I doubt he'd have gotten it shipped, fixed and returned for just $40. I think you're being very fair at $40.
Forum: rodboard

I think you could do it. I've also heard of people using a few drops of super glue to hold things in place. Not sure about it and haven't done it, but maybe it's worth some experimentation. I just tie off as usual without any CP or finish. No problems yet. Knock on wood!
Forum: rodboard

Most of the time in order to be published by a reputable technical magazine the author has to be screened for credentials. Internet forums do not require that sort of thing. Anyone can say anything and post it anywhere they want, wrong or right. I can understand that Tom does not remove posts that contain bad information as the rules only prohibit bad conduct, not the posting of what might be
Forum: rodboard

Same here. Flex Coat. You can buy that direct from most of the sponsors for less $$$.
Forum: rodboard

I haven't done well using hot melt glue over a thread bushing. Made more of a mess than anything else. With thread I just stick to 5 min. epoxy.
Forum: rodboard

For Tom or any moderators here I pose the question of a forum based messaging feature. Many of the board users apparently don't want to unhide their E-mail addresses so often it's impossible to reach them for private conversation when such a thing is appropriate. Could this forum software have an added messaging feature installed or turned on so any such conversations could be done with all forum
Forum: rodboard

After trying several versions I tend to favor the simple spiral wrap as outlined in the V8 #2 Rodmaker. It just lets the line go where it wants to go and doesn't use any actual transition guides. Do a search on it and see if you can turn up the original material or synopsis of it on this site. It works really well and I've used it on short bass rods as well as surf rods with excellent results.
Forum: rodboard

I've never had good luck with a flash unit with photo-ing fishing rods. Too much sudden light on a reflective surface. I juse go outside or use plenty of regular incandescent light inside. Another thing to mention that Tom didn't was the "film speed" you set your camera to. The lower the setting the higher the quality and less noise you get. The downside is that the lower the settin
Forum: rodboard

Would the person who bought the very first two Rodmaker issues off the buy and sell page please contact me. Thanks. kenfinch@mailcan.com
Forum: rodboard

The sponsors probably know how much business they get from this site but it never hurts to remind them. Plus most companies or firms appreciate knowing how you heard about them or where you were able to locate them from. It helps them plan their yearly advertising budgets. I'm sure this site is the best deal going in a rod building website for most of them. I've also gotten a couple of E-mails
Forum: rodboard

A very beautiful rod! Thanks for posting the photos. I hope your friend enjoyed using it and caught many memorable fish with it.
Forum: rodboard

Very true, but most guys I know who use those charts just put the guides exactly where Fuji has them located regardless of their own rod type and action. Again not a bash just an observation.
Forum: rodboard

A thicker piece of tubing and a less shallow angle on the cutting edge will create an edge that will last longer. But it won't cut quite as easily. If you can find large steel punches at the local flea market you might have the best of all worlds. I've found these to hold an edge pretty well but it's hard to find them in large enough sizes to make grip rings from.
Forum: rodboard

Oops! Let me clarify and say that the ring can be smaller if the frame is higher ON THE BUTT OR STRIPPING GUIDE. The running guides should almost always be small ring and low frame. Sorry I didn't clarify that in the post I just made.
Forum: rodboard

Okay, okay. I think I was the one who said that I thought the NGC was just Fuji's way of trying to sell more guides. But I will add that I think they make an excellent product and trying to sell more guides does not make them bad guys. Just good marketing people! I was just pointing out that I thought the way they branded and marketed the NGC was done in a way to sell a few more guides. I didn't
Forum: rodboard

Could someone direct me to a photograph or illustration of this type guide?
Forum: rodboard

Fuji has written extensively on this concept for many years now. Some of what I have read there seems to me to be a thinnly veiled attempt to sell more guides! Seriously, the concept makes a lot of sense but their pre-charted sizing and spacing flies in the face of that very concept. If you use those you will not end up with the concept that they are promoting in the first place. You'll just have
Forum: rodboard

Been trying to make my own ink jet rod labels for years. Just couldn't quite get it and finally ditched the idea for good. Just too much trouble for results that didn't suit me. The new Rodmaker article on using the ink jet to make nice rod labels and how to apply them got my attention. It's true that it's the little things that make all the difference and the parts about curling the label and
Forum: rodboard

Rod Building Guide by Tom Kirkman. How We Do It by Flex Coat. Those are the book and the DVD that I think will get you started. But you aren't going to save any money building your own rods really. Good parts are not cheap and your time must be worth something. You will end up with a better rod than you can buy but not a less expensive one IMO.
Forum: rodboard

Contact the maker and ask them for those weights. They should provide them.
Forum: rodboard

Five guides on a 9' or 10' surf rod isn't my idea of a good custom rod building job. I know older rods were made that way but I've had some lines break on rods with too few guides and I think not having enough guides and therefore too much of a line angle on the guide ring was the culprit.
Forum: rodboard

I think it has to do with the ink type used in each. Not many of us have laser printers but I see no reason why they wouldn't work. Guess all you can do is just try it and see. Make up some samples and put them on test sticks and expose them for a few weeks in direct sunlight.
Forum: rodboard

When the guy started to offer to warranty Seeker blanks that had even been cut in half and had a metal ferrule added, a red flag went up with me. The good news is that you uncovered the charade and exposed him. That's another one of the things that makes this forum the very best. The owners and operaters care about the users.
Forum: rodboard

Looks good to me!
Forum: rodboard

My totally non scientific tests have impressed upon me that the spine makes almost no difference whatsoever on casting accuracy. But sometimes a rod does cast off to one site a tad. When I have had this happen I look for a crook near the tip and usually find it. I am not doubting what Steve has experienced but do not believe it has anything to do with the spine location on his rod. I think it
Forum: rodboard

Other than not having a butt grip to install, everything else is exactly the same.
Forum: rodboard

I don't think I've seen anyplace else that gets this much attention from the dealers and manufacturers. Shouldn't be surprising since this seems to be the most active rod building site around. But i can see Ray and Tom's points. Must be frustrating when a company will spend untold thousands of $$$$$$ in a single full page magazine ad in a sportsfishing magazine but won't put anything into the til
Forum: rodboard