Ron, If the only tip-top available is too large for the rod's tip - some builders will put thread UNDER to tip top barrel as a bushing. Rarely the case with a fly rod. I place my ring of finish at the end of the tip-top barrel. About 1/16" - 1/8" wide Herb
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Ron, No need for trim band. Just adds weight in a place that you do not want it. I place a very narrow "ring" of thread finish around the tip top barrel. Herb
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Sounds right - but I would use REC Recoil single foot runners and tip-top. Herb
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Elastic beading thread from Michels or JoAnns. Comes on a spool - get it in 0.5 mm. Wrap it on under tension - 2 overhand knots - finished. Herb
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Alfredo, I know NJ conditions well. Then - IMO - you do not want a #8 or #9 2 handed blank. It's all about grains. The more grains the better in wind. The 12'9" blank will serve you well casting 550-650 grains. I favor the intergrated short headed lines like the Wulff bermuda Triangle Short #13 or #14. Mike prefers the old Airflo 2 handed beach lines. Either way - you need grains. I
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Hi Alfredo, I started experimenting with CTS blanks to develop the perfect 2 handed fly rod for surf fishing the outer Cape Cod beaches. I started at 11'0". At the same time - unbeknownst to me - Mike O, a U.k. fly guy was doing the same thing. But he started at 14'0". 10 years ago, we happened to meet on a Cape Cod beach and shared experiences. He gave me an order for some 12
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Mark - Et al. Living in a FL Condo - I too, am short of space. I bought the FlexCoat Cork Lathe about 20years ago and never regreted it, or felt that I needed something else. I clamp all parts to a work bench in my Condo's common work room with a shop vac to collect the dust. It does everything i need - I epoxy my cork rings directly on my fly rod blanks - and turn them down on the FC Lathe
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EL, I attempted to send you a failproof remedy to your epoxy curing before you finish the rod. But your email is incorrect. You can email me at hladen@hotmail.com and I will forward it to you. Herb
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Dennis, I have been using the FlexCoat Cork Lathe fpr 12 years. Under $200 - you use a Corded Drill to power it. Rigid has one for about $35. I turn all my grips directly on the blank and it works perfectly. Contact me if you decide to own one and I will give ou tip on how to use it. Herb CTS
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Ron, The foam used deformes/compresses very easily - so reem less than you would do for cork. Then force the grip over the blank - the foam will compress. The front edge of the grip should not come in contact with the blank. The carbon fibers will abrade the blank. Whenever I installed a CFG I alwas port the grip at the fron end and insert a neoprene "O" ring as a protectine buffer b
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El, I feel your pain. First - what type of rod do you intend to build? Fly? Spinning? Conventional? Herb
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Bill Hickey Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > 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
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I use REC single foot recoils. Many times the feet are different lengths after prepping. I place the shorter feet towards the tip. Wraps are correspondingly smaller towards the tip. Of course, smaller guides get shorter wraps. Herb
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I have installed 3 CFG's on 3 fly rods. Before I installed them I tested for "Grippyness" with tap water. They DID get more grippy. But VERY slipperywith saltwater. I took the shine off one of the=m and it got more slippery. That was 7-8yrs ago. Then, 2 yrs ago, I bought a custom (to my specs) CFG in Ritz shape with fighting butt - the carbon fiber was left unfilled and was very
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Alec You might want to think twice re a CFG. Especially if you are fishing in saltwater - they get very slippery in the salt. If you texurize it to eliminate that - it is very hard on the casting hand. Herb
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I'm building one of my own CTS desigs - The Prime FSA. A powerful - but castable - 9'0" fly rod. I had CTS build me a #8.5. I hav rods from #4 - #10. Fish mostly with the #8 - but want to try a little stronger rod - so 8.5. Also building myself another #7 because I gave my #7 to a friend. Also building a CTS 10'6" #8 Affinity-X as a single handed rod - strong caster. Herb
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Ken, Another option was to ream cork rings to diameter of blank - then cut the rings in half to make "half moons" - then epoxy the two halves together around the blank. Wrap with plastic wrap and clamp with hose clamps. The seam is just about invisable. Herb
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As I remember - he did it without benefit of conventioal tying table - wrapped with spool in his hand. Herb
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I'd glue my fingers to the blank. Herb
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I roll a flat blade of a spatular over it. Herb
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Craig, Like Tom says: Spine section by section. If S1 is too stiff to spine by its self - assemble with S2 and spine as one. Spine S3 and S4. Assemble the whole blank and spine as a one piece. The odds are good that S1 and S2 will influence S3 and S4 to the extent that the assembled spine will be "off". If that is the case - you will then remark the spine when fully assembl
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Alex, CTS has an 8'3" "Seamaster" to handle large fish in various weight cataories: See site. CTS' ferrules are VERY strong! h email me for RB.org pricing Herb CTS
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A CTS Vapor Trail is exactly what you are looking for - 2 piece. 2.5 - 5.0 Oz lure weight. Email me for RB.Org special price. hladen@hotmail.com Herb CTS
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Al, I never concern myself with the weight of the finished rod. What I do concern myself with is its swing weight. So what if the fighting butt is heavy - it's low down on the rod and will be percieved as no weight at all. I am very careful about adding weight to the tip section. For instance, my CTS Affinity-X #10 has a lower swing weight than an 8wt Sage Xi2. But weighs more overall. Herb
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Put it in a hot water bath until liquid again. What does climate controled environ. mean?? What was temperture? Herb
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Bob, Thank you. I can always use more Salmon recipies. Herb
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Phil Erickson Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Sounds like way too much epoxy! Created a thick > plastic like lumps that are more prone to > cracking. YES!! Herb
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You may have put too much epoxy on wraps. I.e. Too thick. Herb
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Look at the CTS BayMaster - 7'0" 1.5-4.5 Oz It favors the higher lure weight. Herb CTS
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Taylor, It's difficult for us on this site to actually know what your issue(s) is. IMO - most fly rods are 9'0" for a reason. SUBSTANTIALLY shorter and you get less distance and must increase your stroke speed = fatigue. SUBSTANTIALLY longer and you are increasing the fulcrum length = more stress on wrist, arm and shoulder. Perhaps your 9'0" fly rod is a "price-point"
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