I've tried a number of purchased reamers but the reamers I continually use are the ones I made myself by gluing grit to blanks. Your grit will shed for the first grip or two as the loose stuff comes off, but then its pretty well done. I purchased a pair of identical discount blanks and a handfull of discount ice rod grips. I cut alternating sections out of my rod blanks so that I had overl
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Well...just about everyone sands their blanks. Long story short...during the blank making process small ridges of resin form on the blank and those get sanded off the blank to make the blank smooth prior to painting and/or buffing. To the best of my knowledge, the GLX was the only blank coming in raw (sanded) form. I couldn't comment on the factory built rods. ....................
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I don't build any of my personal spin rods with a fore grip. I've got spin rods rated down to 1/64 and spin rods up to 1 1/2 ounces. .................................................
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The two things that have made my life much better when it comes to grips... #1 - Predrilling rings to just under the blank diameter. #2 - The set of reamers I made. And...a close third...Flexcoat pilot bits. This would be numer one if I wasn't predrilling rings before glue up. I've purchased reamers, including the Dream Reamer kit. But my favorite ones are ones I made. I purchase
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Most all the kayak guys I build for want a shorter than normal handle. ......................................
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I glue the arbor in the seat first. I've screwed up and forgotten to do that ahead of time and I was able to slide the seat into place and then ream an abor to fit another blank of the same diameter and then slide it down and inside the seat. .................................
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With rubberized cork its easy to get the hole in the grip so clean that you don't need anything. Nothing Thread wrap Winding check Winding check and thread wrap .........................................
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Back when they were available...the Loomis SJ781 IMX. I used quite a few of those for guys looking for UL/L baitcasters for their Pixies and Pressos. I did some at 6'6", but did even more extended to 7'. Right now...I'd get the North Fork CB 701-1. I really liked my measurement numbers on that blank for rods in this class. An Avid in L power would also be one to consider. The ML
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I've measured up a few of the new NSI blanks and I really haven't gotten any different numbers with the new 2011 models than I did with the 2010 models. The numbers all fall within what standard deviation would be for any model of blank. But with the goal being the strength, I didn't really expect the numbers to be different. Obvioiusly, they're a bit too new to have long term on the water f
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I'll 2nd Jim... The new St. Croix blanks have the NSI logo right on the stickers and bag tag. You'll know immediately. .................
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With a small straight edge I draw very short lines with opaque white ink in a technical drafting pen ....................
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I use denatured on all my blanks, except St. Croixs. For those I use isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol. You still get a little bit of color, but not as much as with denatured. ...............................................
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I'll third. I've also been happy with Anglers Workshop Super Fine cork. .............................................
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Most commonly, I use a technical drafting pen and with a ruler draw a straight line about 1/4" long on each piece. .........................
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I would think products with a chemical welding agent would fare much better. I'm still disorganized from my move but I've got a can of Weld-On for acrylic and styrene somewhere that I'd like to try. ............................
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I recently did a grip containing some lengths of Syncork flanking regular cork. #1 - I felt the grip was really ugly looking. I couldn't use it without asking the customer for their feedback. They didn't like it either. I've shown a few guys and since and none have cared for the look. #2 - I used standard Rod Bond to bond my rings. I prepped each face on a sanding block prior to glue up
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The MHF is a good all around power. It really does a lot. I'd spiral wrap any Muskie stick. 2 piece or not. 6's should be just fine. I'd probably go 12, 8, 6 and then single foot 6's. I'll second Jason's comments. Longer is the trend. I'm actually extending a pair of 9' blanks right now to 9'6". 7' would be the bare minimum length I'd ever want for Muskie. .........
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I'm building 9' H and XH models for someone, extended to 9'6". It took about 3/4 of a gallon of water to put a 1/3 flex in the XH. Its a tank for sure. After seeing its flex, and its 9'6" length, I'll be using 11 guides. Spiral wrapped down to a size 7. ...................................
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I put it on my dryer just because its there so why not use it. ...................................
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Size of the rod company doesn't really play a role. They're a customer that can buy enough product to specifiy exactly what they want. If they don't want to pay top dollar for a top dollar item, they won't get a top dollar item. Sure they can buy it for less than you or I can, but if they can't pony up for top shelf, they're not getting top shelf. The production rod company has their target
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When I started out building I used a brush. And I used some quality artists brushes that I already had. Years later spatula's were all the rage and so many said they did a better job. I tried them and didn't care for them and didn't get better results. One day someone posted a very detailed description of how they used a spatula to apply finish. Guess what? It was exactly how I used a b
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7'. 1/4 - 3/4 ounce power rating. Fast action. ................................
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The vast majority of my wrapping is done by hand. 99% would be a safe number. I love having a power head and it gets used for other things. Wrapping is just the smallest percentage of its usage. ...................................
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5S69MLXF .............................
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Thorne Brothers. When you need it, you need it. These guys understand ice fishing and the type of blanks we need. Its been a few years now, but I did a massive search for just this and Thorne Brothers was the only place to go. That price is a much better option than the volume you need for a custom blank. ...............................................
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I hate 'em. Hate the Fuji ECS's that I've split as well. I don't find split seats at all comfortable. I did have a customer rod planned with a Minima, at his direction. One day he was out fishing with another rod he had with a Minima seat. He had a fish on that flexed the rod so deeply that the reel came out of the seat. He promptly changed his order to an ECS. ..................
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I've weighed and measured quite a few models. Forget about the "Medium" terminology...that's arbitrary at best. Look at the actual line and lure ratings to get a close comparison. In the power class you're looking at, I've found the North Fork options to be very similar to what G. Loomis used to offer. Shoot me an email if you want to talk specifics. ...................
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Sage has a few...or did a few years ago... ............................
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Bill I'll echo Roger's comments regarding lengths. I'd like to see more companies offer that. Most ice blanks are too short. Many are too soft. Fishing 15 pound Lake Trout 100' down doesn't really work out very well with most every ice blank made. Consequently most of my Laker and Pike rods are made from 6' rod blanks, cutting out the desired section to get 36" - 42" rods.
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Matagi has 5mm. 0.197" ID. Merrick Tackle is the US distributor ...................................................
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