I’ve never used ProKote. Years back I try some Flex Coat, nice stuff and yes the working time was short, set up well, and full cure was pretty quick. I’ve been using Gen 4 lately, I like it a lot. Yes, the working time and time to full cure is longer, but my shop runs around 65-68 degrees. So it’s expected that it will take longer to reach full cure. I would say I allow my rods to rotate for
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That might fit your model, phone call to Mudhole would confirm. I have 3 jaw chuck dryers, I made the mistake of putting a build with a fighting butt in one, left jaw marks on the butt, they sanded out and it was my rod, but after that, a fighting butt is the last thing I install on a rod. Leaving that section of blank exposed allows for good contact with the dryer jaws.
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I use Titebond III for gluing ring to ring, then 2 part epoxy for bonding to blank. I glue my rings up on 1/4 threaded rod, wing nuts and washers to snug them up, Mike is correct, just snug enough so you don't deform the rings. After the glue is cured, I put the rough grip on a 1/4 tool steel mandrel and shape it. Ream to fit blank. Titebond 2 or 3 is a really good wood glue, I know some b
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If the builder wants to use a reel seat skeleton and wood insert that cannot be bored to that inside diameter, then a stent would be needed. There could also be an issue of how proportional some components may look on the rod, it is an 8ft 5wt, sure the diameter of the butt might be large, but some reel seats that would fit without a stent may just look to big, like they belong on an 8 or 10w
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Why do several folks think a stent will increase the overall length of the butt section? You just cut the butt section back and install the stent so the overall length stays the same. Effect rod action, maybe a bit, but not enough for us to notice. The stent only needs to go 2.5 to 3" into the butt section, covered by the grip and these blanks that may require one, they are like a truck
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CTS has as stock offerings: 6-6 3wt, 7’ 3wt, 7’-6” 3 and 4wts, all are 4pc. Check with Herb for other offerings that are not listed on their site. Their blanks are among the best. They’re 8’-6” 5 and 6wts, awesome stuff if your in the market for longer glass. McFarland Rod Company, made in PA, he has a decent grouping for short 3 and 4wts, his Americana E Glass series are very nice, you can orde
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JP Ross is rolling his own blanks now?
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I’d lean more towards Fiberglass in a rod that short and light. Anything between 6-8 and 7ft in a 3 or 4wt will be perfect. If you’re going to primarily going to fish dries on Brook trout creeks, 3wt, if you want a bit more versatile stick for small buggers/Ausable uglies, go with a 4wt. Plenty of good glass blanks out there to choose from. In my opinion, Carbon blanks that short are just too
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I’ll second the CTS Vintage, length depends on size of rivers you are fishing in, I’m in NY also, my email is not hidden if you log in, feel free to contact me directly. I may know the water it will be used on. Bill.
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Duane If you could, take a piece of scrap blank material, wrap a guide, finish it with the brand in question, also lay down a decent length of finish like you were applying a base to put a decal on and see what happens. My other question, have you built on these same blanks prior using the finish you always used or is this a never built on blank and new to you finish? My gut says, maybe
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Pretty subjective, you will probably get several recommendations. Your best option, visit a fly shop, take a small ruler with you (measure length and diameters) and see which brand seems to fit you. Most FB’s are around 1” to 2” long. Diameters of the end seem to be all over the map. I personally don’t like them when they are like a clown nose, but others like that extra bit of “meat” on the en
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Short answer, not any more. When Epic first started up they only had S2 Fiberglass, 3pc models, CTS rolled these blanks to Epic’s specifications. They also did some 4pc blanks for them. CTS stopped doing “3rd party blank work” and Epic took their business to South Korea. Easy way to tell if a Glass blank was rolled by CTS, they are sanded. All current Epic Fiberglass are unsanded and painted,
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If it helps, I have that blank in 11-3 2/3wt, I’m using a Rio Trout Spey 215 grain head. The grain window on my rod is 185 to 240.
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My writing is decent, and yeah, I envy those that have it perfect. Mike McFarland of McFarland Rod Co, his is off the charts perfect. One thing that also helped me steady my hand, I have these 4 x 4 x 2" thick foam blocks that I cut V's into to hold the rod, then a couple of pieces of smooth scrap popular lumber that I use to get my hand on the same plane as the inscription area, allows
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Here is what my experiences have been: I use a quill pen, smallest nib you can buy, sometimes you need to polish it up with 1500 grit paper, just to smooth it out. This have given me the best results as far as quality and thin lines. Black India Ink works the best, the white, gold and silver are just to water thin in my opinion to give you that opaque look Tom K mentions. For white, go
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I’d try Rogers first tip, first. Before you move on to his second option, find out if you can buy just a locking ring. Some reel seat suppliers and manufacturers will sell you just the part you need. What brand of seat did you use? The pliers and tape method, it may work, but it also may “tear up” the O ring. Heat more than likely shrunk the ring or deformed it to the point of no recovery. Aga
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Isn’t that a Czech nymphing blank? If you bought it with the intention of Czech nymphing, there are specialty lines suited to that style of fishing and they don’t typically work well with dries. Czech nymphing has a very specific rigging, most anglers employing this method don’t have any fly line outside of the rod tip, typically all leader and leaders vary considerably depending on which Euro st
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Keep the size changes down to 3. Your final size, just needs to be enough to pass your line to leader connection. On 8wts to 10wts, #3 work for most. Oversizing guides does not gain you anything except added weight. The goal is to create the straightest line path that will allow line connections to pass without a hang up when you are fighting a fish. Yes, on factory rods you’ll see more than
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On a 9wt, a 16 is plenty big enough, follow that with 2 #4’s and #3’s rest of way out. No need to use the same style as your stripper guide for the second running guide. All it does is add extra weight to the blank. Just make sure you are using guides rated for Saltwater use. If you’re using Snake Brand, just use the ECO coated Universals or go with the REC Brand Recoils.
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I have a CTS Affinity DQ 11'-3" 2/3 Spey. I have been using Rio's In Touch Skagit Trout Spey #2 225gr on it. While I am not an expert in Spey style casting and still learning it, it is quite fun to punch out 100ft of line with ease. I have been fishing it with either a small bugger style streamer paired with a soft hackle trailer or a bead head nymph with a soft hackle behind it. The Wulff A
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Aleks, Gota say I am curious about these blanks. My question, why a 3 and 4wt? Did the properties of the material just regard itself to a 3 and 4wt? Just my 2 cents, a 7-9 or 8’ 4wt and 8’ to 8’-6” on a 5wt would seem more practical and popular. Being someone that loves Glass and Bamboo, I’m probably gona buy a blank…… I do like the color!
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2 companies come to mind: REC in CT, they have been around for ages. Mike McFarland bought Landmark when Ron retired, and is just now getting this new part of his business up and running. Mike is in PA. Both offer custom sizes and various options.
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I’d recommend the CTS blanks also, there are 4 models (although they are not all listed on the website, Herb will be able to get it ordered for you). O In picking which model you would want, that depends on what type of taper you like best. Affinity X is their fastest taper, best suited for the 9 to 9-6 lengths in the 5wt. Affinity MX is just a touch softer than the X. The 8-6 to 9 lengths
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Labor cost in most cases. Do a bit more research on where the blanks are rolled compared to the labor wages. On a smaller scale, some of the smaller companies that roll blanks may not be able to buy materials in high volume quantities, resulting in not getting a bigger discount that bigger outfits get. The Fiberglass or Carbon Prepeg itself has different prices, E Glass is really cheap compa
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Unfortunately this can be a very subjective thing. I own a gang of 8wts, glass and carbon, and some of them really work well with a line that does not work all that great on the others. I have friends that have the same 8wts as me, and they like different lines on their rods, heads are different, like a Rio Gold compared to a Cortland Bass Taper. What I would do, if you have some friends in y
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The short answer on whether Snake Brand and REC Recoils are the same size, yes, with one difference. The Snake Brand guides have a “rounder” profile than a Recoil. Both are high quality guides and it just comes down to personal preference as to which to go with. My advise, use the smallest size that will pass your line connections and the least amount of size changes. It’s all about keeping u
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Paul, Email me, my email is visible if you click on my name. I have a decent stock of Gudebrod Olive, I can spare a spool or 2 and mail them to you. They are size A, 100yrd spools.
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I own a CTS Quartz Glass 8'-6" 4pc 10wt, beast of a rod, but not bad on the arm and shoulder. Its really not that heavy, sure a bit more than an Affinity X 910-4. I use mine for Pike/Musky. I've also cast a CTS 8' 10wt Quartz, it was a 3pc, that might suit what you are looking for.
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I'll second the Al's Color Preserver, it works great on silk (which it is advertised for) but it will also give good results on Nylon.
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I agree with Jeff, that Gudebrod thread is sought after, especially the folks that do repair/restoration work. Rondon I believe was owned by Cortland Line Company or had some sort of affiliation with them, up until the early 90’s maybe. They had reel seats, tubes and other rod building stuff. If those reel seats are Rondon, not much value there. Again, someone that does repairs on fly rods th
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