I like how the reel seat allows your wrist to assume a more comfortable angle while palming the reel as opposed to a traditional trigger reel seat. I wouldn't say it does much for leverage per se, but rather more along the lines of comfort. I also like the "big trigger" (that isn't really a trigger, but a palm support) for casting heavy lures... you can get two fingers around it a
Forum: rodboard

I often trim off some of the thread so long as I'm sure that the reel that will be used will still fit. Here's a photo how my hand fits on that type of seat with an Abu 6500C3. I and many of my customers have grown to prefer this reel seat for various inshore saltwater rods as well as heavier freshwater applications (i.e. musky rods and heavier bass rods). Erik
Forum: rodboard

I agree with Billy... However, I still use my HF lathe... same model you listed. It is not very good at all for boring/drilling because the tailstock is not at all precise (but it still can be done... just not efficiently), but for simple turning tasks and grip turning it works fine. I actually had to grind the underside of the foot on the tailstock in order to allow it to be centered in th
Forum: rodboard

I haven't used the bigger sticks, but I've put the XG70L through it's paces on everything from ling cod to 100+ pound sturgeon and I agree, they are a heck of a value. Most people would have a really tough time telling it from a Calstar 700XLH. Erik
Forum: rodboard

Jonathan... when you go to the post office, it will be to your advantage to know the USPS shipping constraints inside and out. I find that the workers at the counter usually don't encounter these kinds of packages and sometimes it throws them off and they calculate the pricing incorrectly. Their constratraints for a "large package" and a "Oversize package" are very clear
Forum: rodboard

Sam... good point about using epoxies with different viscosities to achieve different marblized appearances. There's lots that you could do to mix it up there. My last marblizing job I simply used solid color thread wrap as the base color, applied a coat of finish to seal the threads, then did a layer of marblzed finish on top of that, and a third clear coat of finish over that. Worked gre
Forum: rodboard

I've spiral wrapped couple of cod / haddock rods for customers on the east coast. The Fuji SiNII guides have been very well recieved. Starting with a size 20 stripper guide to accomodate the large sweep of the big reels used, and going down to size 10's for the 180-degree guides. Here's a photo of a Calstar 765M that I built as a heavy cod jiggin rod last year... got great feedback from the
Forum: rodboard

Yes... I just did a marblizing job with Threadmaster. I was very pleased with how well it worked! Because it is thicker than LS Supreme (what I usually use) it marbles better in my opinion. The swirls will stay put much better and not bleed into the other colors. With LS Supreme, I used to have to wait for the finish to thicken up a bit in order to get good definition and prevent blee
Forum: rodboard

I would not call it brittle. I would say that it seems to set up a little harder and stiffer than LS Supreme but still shows good flexibility. This just what I notice by playing with the cured films that are left over on my foil the next day after I finish a rod. I've also removed a guide that I had finished with Threadmaster and the finish removed just fine, much the same as most other good e
Forum: rodboard

Back to the original comments... I removed a wrap I did with Threadmaster and didn't really notice any greater difficulty removing it than with any other epoxy wrap. The wrap had been cured for about 4 days. A litlle heat, a little blade, a little fingernail action and it seemed to come off pretty well from a glossy blank. As for the finish... I am now a convert. The viscosity is just about
Forum: rodboard

Scott... Great work. Very clever use of the AA Roller guides... I like it. How big was your stripper guide? That reel is a beast!
Forum: rodboard

Here's a link to a Bronco's rod I did a while back... might give you some ideas. Erik
Forum: rodboard

Thanks Mark... that's exactly what I was looking for. Erik
Forum: rodboard

I have a potential customer who lives in Mexico. I've never sold outside of the US before. Can anyone share their experience with exporting to Mexico? Are there extra forms / paperwork / taxes other anything else on the legal side of things that I need to be aware of? Thanks, Erik
Forum: rodboard

I use two main rods for rockfish / lings from my kayak in Northern California. My light rod is a Pac Bay XG70L... which is probably more like a Calstar 700XLH in terms of action and power. I'd consider it a 20# rod... where the 700XL is more like a 15# rod. This is my light rockfish rod and is good for jigs up to about 4 oz and I fish it with 20# mono. This is also the rod I use predomina
Forum: rodboard

I use them almost exclusively for light SW rods for anything from striper plugging rods to light rockfish jigging, live bait rods, and salmon mooching rods. I like them a lot for any rod that will be held in the hand for long periods of time so long as the reel isn't too big. I even have some surfcasting customers that like them for surf plugging rods. My musky fishing customers like them as
Forum: rodboard

How much time does it take you to design and build the rod - Selecting parts - Guide placement - Test casting - Guide foot prep - Grip installation - Wrapping - Color Preserver (if used) - Finishing - Plus all the little things that go on in between each step. - That doesn't include the administrative/overhead sorts of costs such as delivering rods to the shop, tax paperwork, etc...
Forum: rodboard

Looking for a little advice from the board. I have a customer who is looking for an 8' to 8'6", moderate action, fiberglass musky trolling rod for trolling large crankbaits and to 2-8 oz of lead. Should be rated in the 20-60 # line class or there abouts. I have a few ideas, but am finding it difficult to really fit the bill perfectly. St. Croix just put out a new fiberglass trolli
Forum: rodboard

If you know how to use Microsoft Excel, you can set up a really good weave pattern worksheet... Simply set a bunch of rows and columns (however large you want your weave pattern to be) so that they form perfect squares. Each row will represent a single weaving thread. Each column will represent a single wrapping thread. Then highlight the entire block of cells that you want to use as you
Forum: rodboard

Wow... these health-related threads really seem to go on and on (before degrading into small talk) :-). I thought I'd share one great resource that anyone should find useful... NIOSH International Chemical Safety Cards This is a great resource for a summary of the hazardous properties of a large number of chemicals. I would call them Cliff Notes... but for some reason that might see
Forum: rodboard

I prefer US Postal Service too for most shipping. In fact I often find that Express mail is cheaper by about a buck or so than Priority mail when mailing 6 or 7 foot tubes. Make sure to look at that when you ship. Also, Express mail includes tracking automatically and the first $100 of insurance. For long rods with tubes that exceed the 108" length + circumference measurement, it seems
Forum: rodboard

You might try Graphite USA.. they will make any of their rod blanks in 2-piece models for an extra fee... I was quoted a $40 extra fee for one rod that I inquired about. Erik
Forum: rodboard

You might try Graphite USA.. they will make any of their rod blanks in 2-piece models for an extra fee... I was quoted a $40 extra fee for one rod that I inquired about. Erik
Forum: rodboard

Oops... duplicate posting...
Forum: rodboard

I have a rod with Fuji Gold framed Hardloy guides on it that I've given heavy use fishing from a kayak in the saltwater for 4 years now. The gold plating looks fine on the guides and reel seat hood. I wash down my rods with fresh water and dry them with a towel before putting them away after every trip. So if taken care of, they should last.... If not... you'd probably get the
Forum: rodboard

Exactly what Rich said. Certain types of hardwoods can cause respiratory effects from chronic exposure, or allergic reactions in a smaller percentage of people. There has also been evidence of naso-sinus cancer in workers primarily exposed to hardwood dust. Good exhaust ventilation is important. A good respirator is important as well if you do a lot of this kind of work. When pur
Forum: rodboard

Mike... You can see the Titan Turbo guides here...
Forum: rodboard

Mike... You can see the Titan Turbo guides here...
Forum: rodboard

My recollection from information that has been posted in the past is as follows: Hardness: Nanolite is somewhere between Alconite and SiC. I've not seen a Vicker's hardess number for nanolite yet. Durability: Nanolite is more durable than SiC for the same thickness of material... so you can make a thinner and lighter Nanolite ring and have it be just as durable as an SiC ring that must b
Forum: rodboard

Ray... Stay tuned to upcoming issues of Rodmaker... Tom is working on a multi-part series on just this subject. Part one was in the last issue. He's been conducting surveys of rodbuilders across the US to compare how different builders in different parts of the country price several different specific types of rods... should be some interesting information to benchmark from. Erik
Forum: rodboard