First choice, CTS Quartz, I have a 705-3 of theirs. Another option, Contact Mike McFarland, he can roll that blank in either S2 or E glass. If you want to see a CTS Quartz, I live about 40 miles from you, near Saratoga Springs.
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Snake Brand, both Universals and Originals. They are expensive, but the feet require very little prep work. REC Recoils are another quality guide that I'll use if a customer requests them, but on a personal thing I don't care for them myself. Those are the only 2 brands I'll use, unless I am doing a repair and I need to match what is on the rod. As far as Stripping Guides, all of them require
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Ebony is very dense, but with sharp cutting tools its really not all that difficult to turn. I have turned a few pieces for fly rod reel seat inserts, but it is not a popular choice since it lacks the figure/grain that most people want when turning something for a custom build. I went and bought cutting tools that have replaceable carbide cutters, they last a long time and for the amount of turni
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As to your question of making your thread wraps go invisible: I have used "White" silk on Clear/Natural Fiberglass with Threadmaster Lite, these blanks had no color added to the Pre Peg Cloth and they were Translucent White or an Off White color, Kabuto's, McFarland, CTS Quartz, Epic Nude and Livingston Rod Co. The more translucent the blank was, the better the invisible thread looke
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Herb makes some very valid points. First, a 12 wt is heavy for pike or musky, 10 would serve very well. Moderate action too, a tip flex carbon blank at 7-10 to 8ft is going to feel like a pool cue stick, and like Herb stated, it will get worse as you go shorter. I'd lean towards Fiberglass, 8ft in a 10wt, CTS has made this blank several times. Also Epic has a 10wt called the Bandit, 7-10
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If you havn't really made your mind up on a blank, you might consider Fiberglass instead of a Carbon one, in my opinion, Glass is much more versatile for small stream work. Something in the 7 to 7-9 length for a 3 or 4wt, I'd lean more on the 4wt, small browns will still bend them deep, but you can use a small streamer with it too if needed. The 3wts are better geared as dry/wet fly sticks. Glass
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Jeff I use the same method of guide placement as M Blomme does, plus the static test. You can use a chart as a start point, taping the guides on then doing the static test, moving guides as needed so the fly line follows the curve of the blank. Typically 3.75 to 4 inches down from the tip is the last guide before tip top. Stripper, use the method Mike stated. Rest go in between using st
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Best bet is to contact Mike personally, he has been rolling his own glass and graphite for about the last 10 years, but he has been building rods for longer. Early on, I remember him telling me CTS did some of his blanks. Age of those blanks is going to tell you if Mike rolled them or he had someone else make them for him, and only he may be able to answer that. Mike does have skills when
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If your looking for the thread to "disappear", Silk thread is the answer, in my experience the shade of Silk used depends on the base color of the blank. Some examples: Clear or off White Fiberglass (translucent blank), I have used White Silk, you could not see the thread at all, I did do some test samples with other light shades of silk, 10 total, like Natural Silk or Off White,
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I've built out a few NFC fly blanks for customers and I did own a 905-4 myself at one time. Yes, the blanks are high quality, but my opinion was that they are a bit stiff for my taste, even the ones labeled "moderate". The 905-4 I built out for myself, I found I had to over line it with a DT6 to get the feel I was looking for. The one you mention, 864-4 moderate, I have built out on
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I'm another fan of Fiberglass for small stream work, CTS, Mike McFarland, Steffen Brothers, James Green, Kabuto, and Epic. All of these blank makers have a 7-6 (or something close) in 3 and 4wts. To try and tell you which one is the best, real tough, they are all good. I have built more CTS Quartz 7-6, 3 and 4wt blanks than any of the other ones I listed above, so my first nod would be them. M
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I have a decent amount of experience with both of those CTS models. Built and fished each one in several different line weights, plus a gang of them for customers. I don't think you would be unhappy with any of the 3 models, M, MX or X. Its just going to depend what taper suits your casting style and what your target species of fish is going to be.
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In Carbon, CTS or Mike McFarland Fiberglass, CTS, Epic, Livingston, Steffen Brothers, Tom Morgan, McFarland, Kabuto.
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As Tom said, Warm Varnish is one way. I have used Threadmaster Lite with great success without thinning it to get transparent wraps. The color of the silk used depends on the color of the blank. If you are using a "clear" fiberglass blank, like a McFarland, white silk will go totally invisible, it does not even look like thread was used. If you have a solid color or semi translu
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Like Don recommended, do some test wraps with and without CP. Use a scrap piece of blank that is the same color as the blank you want to build on. If you don't have a scrap piece, just put the test wraps where your grip is going, test wraps can be removed easily. I would recommend the Al's Silk Color Preserver, Anglers Workshop sells it, that stuff has worked very well for me over Silk.
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CTS would be my blank of choice, but the more important question, what does this customer want use the rod for? Most of the folks buying long 2wt's seem to use them for very light weight Euro Style nymphing. If he is looking for a light presentation dry fly rod, you might want to steer him towards Fiberglass and something a bit shorter. CTS makes some awesome Quartz S2 Glass in 8-6, from 3 to
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The best finish depends on the species of wood in my opinion, whether stabilized or not. Tru Oil works very well on wood that does not have "oils" in it to begin with, for example, Honduran Rosewood, normally this is an oily wood, so a CA finish usually works the best. Something like Cherry, Walnut or Black Ash, Tru Oil can be used, several coats left glossy, or hand rubbed to a satin f
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Look up Southwest Custom Rods, Ron Weber, I think he will turn Acrylic inserts.
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Brian, my recommendation based on the above info, CTS Affinity M. While CTS does not show on their site that they make a 9-6, they will on a special order basis. They have done a gang of "one off" special order blanks for me. This series of blank is similar to what Herb recommended (Affinity MX) but with reduced power in the bottom 1/3 of the blank. I own one myself (8'-9" 5wt) and
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Brian, what are you trying to accomplish with this blank? I did read that you want it to be able to use light tippets, but what specifically is the use of this rod intended for? CTS does have several models that might fit you needs if you can provide some additional info. Examples: Multi nymph rigs with indicators, Dry/dropper rigs, Multi rig of soft hackles? Ect.
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Brendan, The Village of Cooperstown is a great place in NY to visit. It is a small, well cared for village. The Baseball Hall of Fame is a must see if your into sports. Otsego Lake is a good fishery with both warm water and cold water species of fish. Right in the village, the lake flows over a dam, the start of the Susquehanna River, below that dam and below the next dam downrive
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CTS Quartz, contact Herb, look over on board sponsors for CTS Rod Blanks. I currently have a 705-3 on order from them. The CTS Glass is Unidirectional S2 Glass, typically a very smooth loading blank, I've build a gang of them for customers and I fish them myself. Second choice, Mike McFarland, your not going to see blank offerings on his site, but he can roll just about anything. Mike has
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You might want to look into Fiberglass for that blank. The CTS Quartz can be ordered that short, Steffen Brothers, ect. I'd place your line weight requirement on the size of the streamers or flies you want to be casting, plus what size bass you are going to tangle with.
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Wayne, check out the Fiberglass Fly Rodders Forum, you'll find much more info on that forum in reference to Blue Halo stuff.
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I have built a few of them for customers and I have cast several. Personally they have never impressed me, a bit on the heavy side and too soft of a taper to suit my taste in fiberglass. CTS, Steffen Brothers, Livingston Rod Co, Tom Morgan Rodsmiths, McFarland and Epic in my opinion have better blanks and a better feel in the hand. Quality of the Blue Halo is good, nice paint job, they are str
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I have built a few of them for customers and I have cast several. Personally they have never impressed me, a bit on the heavy side and too soft of a taper to suit my taste in fiberglass. CTS, Steffen Brothers, Livingston Rod Co, Tom Morgan Rodsmiths, McFarland and Epic in my opinion have better blanks and a better feel in the hand. Quality of the Blue Halo is good, nice paint job, they are str
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Decal Connection, they have made several small flag decals for me, great people and they are a sponsor of this forum.
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Go with a Lemke seat.
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I'll second Don's advise. I do mine the same way, just use a different brand of epoxy. The only thing that matters to me about the epoxy to use, is to stay away from the 5 min cure stuff. Longer the cure, better the bond. I would not use cyanoacrylate for this, 2 part epoxy is best. I use Ultimate Epoxy from Rod Dancer. Pro Kote and U-40 also have very good epoxies.
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Mike, if you want to go with Graphite, CTS Vintage would be my only choice. I would also recommend looking into Fiberglass, CTS Quartz, Livingston Rod Co, Steffen, Tom Morgan, Epic, and McFarland, I've built on every one of those brands in 6wt for customers and I own a Quartz, Steffen and Livingston as my own personal 6wts.
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