I don't think you can gauge guide sizes from the tiptop diameter of the rod blank. You need to know the reel size and line being used. Try the online library here for how to figure the right guides for any rod. There are several articles on New Guide System and basic Static Load Testing.
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Do what you want to do. That's why it's called "custom" rod building. What looks good to one may not appeal to another. I think the bigger question is, does it work better? Did it allow you to achieve what you wanted? If so, do it.
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It is beyond genius. Using a common U.S. Cent coin as the weight standard means you didn't need a scale, didn't even need to know the weight of the coin. You just matched the number of coins to the chart! The engineering types couldn't stand that you could have something that worked so good but didn't require a Ph.d to understand and use. I still think the reason it's over so many people's heads
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Ditto on the PB Quickline. Plus they carry CCS ratings so you know exactly what line will work at a specific length or distance. Nice and straight, beautiful gloss black finish.
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It is made from a composite nylon or plastic. Very light and easy to use. You just twist it one direction to open it and the rod butt slips in and when you let go it closes and some elastic banks wrap around the rod butt and create a no slip situation. The ease of putting a rod in or taking it out really impressed me. Self centering. Takes a single second to operate. Blanks can't slip or come out
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Got to admit the chuck is a heck of a clever idea and will solve a long standing problem for many rod builders. But for me the two biggest surprises were first the Batson Ent. Eternity blank which was WAY lighter for the stiffness than any other blank I felt there. Light as a feather but really powerful. Beautiful deep blue color too. Second but not least was the Boomerang float retrieval product
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Best ICRBE I've ever attended. Great product variety this year. Also I think your vendors booths are more professional and better looking than at any time in the past. The place looked first class.
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My guess is that a small percentage of rod builders will travel from the ends of the earth to attend no matter where it's held. But most have a limited travel range due to time and or cost so a location on the east cost in the mid Atlantic area is best if you want the largest possible turnout which is the only way you can get so many exhibitors and therefore resulting rod builders involved.
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I wish every rod building event could be hugely successful but few are. Tom seems to have the magic or the knowledge to make it work. The shows in California didn't pan out and you would think those would have worked. The ones up in the Pacific NW didn't make it. The ones in Texas, no comment. No offense to the small seminar events held all over, they seem to be okay where a couple or three dozen
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US Composites is the original source of the foam and I think they have recently added the carbon and glass skins. Do a quick google search and you will turn them right away.
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Neat chuck. Would love to handle one at the Expo later this month.
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You weren't wrong about Rodgeeks or the Pearl Label system last year. Will be interesting to see what's cooking for this year.
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Heat seems to ruin them just as too much moisture does. I was told by my father many years ago that a bamboo rod should be taken out of its case and allowed to sit in a normal room temp and humidity for about a week before taking it out each season. I think he said that allowed the rod to absorb just a bit of moisture so it would be less brittle. Was he correct? I don't know but it sounded good t
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I can't imagine any company that was in the business of making or selling blanks and components would spend the money to come to the Expo and not take a booth there. With all the people that you could market to from a booth it would just seem prudent to have a booth there instead of trying to sneak around and work people in the aisles. But I guess there will always be a few that want to do things
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Given that the epoxy method only takes about a minute to begin with, I would have a hard time seeing any time savings from anything else. Plus it doesn't require me to buy any other cement. I can just use what I have on hand for my other rod building chores. I'll stick.
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The standard epoxy installation method is so clean and wasteless I guess I haven't looked for anything else. You just put a little epoxy above where the grip will sit, and then when you bring the grip down over it, it lubes and coats the inside of a grip and allows it to easily slide in place, permanently. Not wanting to crap on anybody else's methods but when something is so easy and we are talk
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Rubber cement is water soluable so if the cement itself is what binds the grip to the blank I would hesitant. The process outlined by some here and in the faqs page is what I have always used. It gets the grip on and makes sure that there is epoxy between the grip and the blank.
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Both the marketing segments posted above are about Batson blanks, not NFC blanks. The "in blanks we offer" refers to Batson blanks.
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Since Rodgeeks/Axiom makes many of the St. Croix fly rod blanks I would assume its going to be the same as those sold under the St. Croix label. Not sure which models that Rodgeeks makes for them but they might be willing to tell you.
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What is the brand name of the blank? If it says Batson then it's a Batson product. If it says NFC then it's an NFC product. Two different products from different companies distributed by one company.
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So I can't use fifty cent pieces and count each one as the equivalent of fifty pennies? Just kidding!
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Only if you assume that most or even many rod builders didn't know they could buy NFC blanks but I don't think that's the case. These days you only need one "distributor" to sell as much as 100 distributors. But I wish them well whatever the case.
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Since these blanks were already available from two long time and well known dealers and from the manufacturer himself, the only advantage I can possibly see is if the blanks will now be available at a hefty discount. Is that what this is about? If not I don't get it. If so and they will now sell for a lot less, then I can see it being news.
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JMHO but buying a scale to do what you can do with Dr. Bill's gadget which costs next to nothing and requires that you only need to match up a couple numbers is like the people who will bother to try and weigh their epoxy finish part by part rather than just draw the stuff up in simple syringes to equal amounts. But, JMHO.
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I always considered painted on trim bands sort of cheap looking. All the discount store rods have them. But the article on doing them precisely has me rethinking this technique. Very nicely done and good ideas. Thanks Tom.
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Originally to save money. When that didn't pan out I just started focusing on making the exact rod I wanted. I like to be able to size the handles and grips to suit me. That really makes a rod better IMO.
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Andy made his money and got out. A lot of good, creative rod builders have come upon the scene since then, and many of the most creative ones have been around and are still here.
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Don't understand your question. The base wrap is underneath the diamond is it not? Do you mean the tie off wrap at each end on top of the diamond? It is natural to see the outline of the diamond underneath it but most of that will go away once you get a coat or two of finish on there. Or you can do a double overwrap which lessens the outline even more.
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Volume 14 #6.
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Just a quick report on the use of two single piece rod blanks to make a one three or four-piece travel rod per the article in the last magazine. I have to say that done according to the instructions the automatic ferrules fit PEFECTLY. There is really nothing to do or make on them. It seems automatic and the fit is perfect. I only see two downsides. First is that you have to use two blanks to
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