I'm looking for a couple of 1 pc., 7ft., 2-6 lb. fast blanks (similar to a Loomis GL3, but not those blanks) to build for spinning rods using the New Concept Guide System. Ideally I prefer to use Batson, but they don't show anything in their catalogue. Are there any other Batson/Rainshadows I can substitute? Would their Inshore Popping blank IP840 work? These will be trout rods for high S
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Duane: You might look at a CalStar T500 blank. It was designed for salmon trolling. I spiral wrap them (I've built a few of these), We use them trolling with 2 - 3 lb. lead balls for salmon (expect there is no salmon allowed for now off the California coast). Generally 25 lb. test line on a Penn Long Beach 65 or 320 GT reel. This is a great set up in the ocean (for stripers or halibut) or i
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i like Elmer's Glue carpenters wood filler in the Golden Oak color. It's like $2.50 at the hardware store for a huge tube. Or, you can do a search and you'll probably get about 40 items about it. Jon
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Tom: On my Mac I'm getting weird text instead of quote marks on the FAQ page.... Thought you might want to know.
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Check is in the mail tonight..... I love it when you do this sort of stuff Tom, it's just great. Thanks, Jon Gold
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Kevin: Sorry, I forgot that they sold both types. The front appears to be coated and smooth, I couldn't feel the abalone when I rub it. It has the 3M logo on the back. It is the one they advertised to be applied with the heat gun and their description is: "Abalone Shell Inlay Strip". I got it in orange and gold. I've been known to pull over, jump out, open the back door &
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Kevin: I have the mud hole veneer. Is that considered laminated or raw? Or is my only option the "cracked & crinkled" look with this product? If I soak it how will it affect the glue on the back? What happens when you finish over this particular veneer (I use Aftcote)? Obviously the cracks will still be visible but will they be more "sedate"? Sorry if I sound li
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Kevin: Did both brands of shell crack using the heat gun method? I just got some through the mail the other day & I have watched the video a couple of times. I was planning on putting it on a rod this weekend...... Don't know what I should do now.....
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Lee: Before I started messing with my first rod I think I read Tom's book cover to cover at least 5 times. It was without a doubt the smartest thing I could have done. I truly believe that I short circuited the learning curve by a substantial amount. After at least 100 rods I think I like building them as much as using them (nah, just kidding). Good Luck, Jon
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I want to try throwing those large topwater swimbaits for stripers ( like the 6"/3.5 oz & 8" / 4 oz. Lunker Punker's) so I figure I need to build something. I am planning on spiral wrapping the blank. After a little research, I see that Batson has a new series of Swimbait blanks and the ISBW945 looks like it will fit the bill. The blank is 7'10", 15-30lb., and 2-6 oz. I lov
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Why don't you try the cork tape. Only trick is at the ends when you cut it square to the rod. I always hold the point of the cork tape down with a little Zap glue.
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Al: I never use the tape, I could never get it to lay perfectly flat and even without rolling a bit when I put on the X-Wrap. Tom is right about sizing the X-Wrap to the job. To make it easier I don't use the tape. I use an old shoemakers glue called "Barge Cement". You can get it at any hardware store and it comes in a yellow 2 oz squeeze tube. I have used it on a lot of X-Wrap
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My brother had a casting rod built for him in 1984. It is a Sage Graphite II B286GSH blank. I think the 286 stands for a 2 pc. 8'6" rod. Can anyone identify the rest for me (or correct me if I'm wrong on the 286). This rod was built by Anderson Custom Rods in Oregon and my brother thinks he had it built for steelhead. As usual, he has never used it. I think it would make a great liv
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Sergio: Unhide your email address..... I'm in Pleasant Hill, next to Walnut Creek.... Jon Gold
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Now we are talking.....I knew I wouldn't have to do it from scratch..... Thanks Mike....
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Raymond: I knew you would speak up. I can't find your email address, I was going to ask you, but I could not find your email. Please send it to: jongold@earthlink.net Thank you very much.....again....
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I've done a search and can't seem to find a simple rod building database for everything I build. I am not in business, I just build for myself and my friends but I would like to keep a database of everything I make. One of my buddies recently had one of my rods and an expensive Accurate reel yanked right out of his hands off of Mexico (You can guess how much heat he took for that). I usually k
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Thanks guys. I checked my stash and found the issue.
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Tom: You said in an earlier thread: "The "O'Quinn" spiral method excels on powerful surf rods where casting distance is paramount." I just finished my first "O'Quinn" spiral on a rod so that comment intrigues me. What might the negatives be of this type of spiral? What are the other positives and on what other types of rods is this method beneficial? Ma
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Ellis: That's a funny story Ellis....I think this happens more often than people realize..... I was on a 5 day trip out of San Diego about 4 or 5 years ago, had about a 60 lb yellowfin tuna on a Cal Star spiral wrapped rod that I had made. One of the guys I was acquainted with on the boat that was fishing next to me kept asking if he could spin the top half of the 2 pc rod I was fishing with
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I'm with Mark. I've had the same pair of Blues Brothers Ray Ban Wayfarer frames for like 30 years. I just keep taking them in to my opto and he puts fresh polarized, UV coated lenses in with every new eye exam. I also have the "golf bi-focal" lenses in the lower inside corner.....I'd be dead trying to tie knots without them. And yes, they are expensive, about $450 each swap out....a
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Gary: I only know of one kit of the Dream Reamers with 4 different size reamers.. The smallest one of the 4 in my kit measures @.275 (3/16) at the tip and @ .366 (3/8) at the butt. I cannot tell you how much time this kit has saved me. I use them very carefully & gently in a drill press. I would tell you to get the whole kit. I use my entire kit, I love cork handles on all my differen
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O boy....If you ask 10 people this question where I fish for stripers, you are definitely going to get 10 different answers. I can only speak for where and how I fish for them (California Delta, San Francisco Bay and the ocean). Live bait rod: (shad, minnows) 1 to 3 oz. of weight, 10 or 12 lb test line, I use a Lamiglass MB 901F blank which is 7'6" long, fiberglass, very parabolic (sof
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For a light trout rod I love the Batson blanks. Either a 1 pc IS 720 or, for a 2 pc. I like the IS 721F. Both are 6ft. and rated 2-6 lb. I've built at least 6 between the two blanks and everyone who uses them loves them.
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I have built about half a dozen of the Lamiglass MB901F blank which is a 10 -20 lb. test, 71/2 ft. glass blank for myself and my friends. We LOVE this blank....use it for striped bass. I caught a 25lber on mine with 12lb test. We use shiners, very light weights and drift it through all our secret holes at the right part of the tide in the California delta. With a soft, parabolic rod like thi
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When I flame I do a few passes of an alcohol lamp under the rod, nothing severe....just a little gentle heat to release any trapped bubbles that might be left. The finish hasn't run to one side, it looks like random large "ragged holes" of no finish areas/thinner finish areas (maybe not quite this bad), like it was contaminated with dabs of silicone or something else and it just ran a
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I applied 4 coats of Diamondite CP between yesterday & today over Gudebrod Nylon thread. The 3 spools of thread were brand new: #5896 DarkGreen, #105 Spring Green, #6779 Med. Green, & all were affected equally. The CP went on nice, level, and looked fine. Then I applied my first coat of Aftcote finish, it's been about an hour now, I flamed it as usual after 15 minutes, and it is lum
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Hi Jim: What about if a tip eye gets damaged and you have to replace it? Does the epoxy break free with a little heat without damaging the tip of the rod? Thanks, Jon
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Hi: I am having more than my fair share of rod tips spinning loose (maybe 6 out of 100) on some of my rods after considerable use. I had another one happen yesterday on one of my buddy's rods. When there is a problem none of them just come off, but the glue seal breaks and the tip spins to a different position. I'm using the flex coat stick glue, I don't sand the tip or the interior of
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Thanks Guys.....i appreciate the input. The Sully Wrapper looks pretty cool..... One thing I have changed over the years, (only if I am wrapping one or two threads) is that I take cheapo-tips, fold and crush the butt, then superglue them into the top of a bobbin. I then let the bobbin hang down with the thread spool attached (using the tip as the thread guide) off the end of the table below
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