All my various epoxies are stored in a cool basement and seem to get grainy after a while. ( Actually it usually takes months.) I know I can nuke it for a few seconds but wondered if there is any problem with doing this several times? This effects my finish, regular epoxy and Rod Bond. The epoxy and Rod Bond seem to mix ok without heating but I still do it to make sure there are no problems wi
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You guys can come with some really neat "toys"! Thanks for the tip I will use my drill.
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I would like to cut a premade EVA grip to make a fighting butt. This is a Batson grip and is pretty hard. I do not have a lathe that I could use to cut it. Any pointers on getting a square cut? The cut side will have a rubberized cork ring added for the butt end.
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I do sometimes use tape for the butt wrap or similiar. It works great just put it on where you want the finish to end, apply finish while somewhat overlapping the tape and the key is to spin the rod in your dryer for an hour or so until the finish gets a little tacky. Then carefully peel the tap off being sure to pull away from the finish area and it will cure with a very straight edge. I do n
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You can usually count on that most reel feet should be about the same at least the ones I have are. Dawia, Shamino and a couple of other casters and spinning reels. And while most do not want to modify the foot there is really no reason not to. I have also cut a little out of the back of the seat to get a deeper fit. And grinding the top of the reel foot does the same thing where the foot is
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I believe there are Pros who use what the sponser sells. KVD and Rick Clunn are two. If they are not then someone sure buids a rod that looks like a BPS and Quantum! Also remember you do not really need the most sensitive rod for moving baits, topwaters and such. Now using a "prototype" is also common. I actually own an old Kline rod that Rich built for him to test on a Croix blank
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Thanks I will ream it close then glue it up. And yes it is hard stuff but that was what I was looking for.
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I am fitting some Batson EVA grips on a new project. I know that EVA will expand quite a bit but these have rubberized cork tips on them. I have assumed that I will need to ream these to a fairly close fit or risk splitting the ends? Also I may put an EVA fighting butt on that does not have the rubberized ring on the bottom. Can I just rod bond the rubberized ring to the bottom, which means i
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Tightbond III for me also. It is plenty strong, waterproof and if done correctly will leave no glue line. I have also used Rod Bond but prefer the easy water cleanup and no mixing of Tightbbond. Don't know how many rings you could glue with a bottle but it would have to be in the thousands!
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A lot of guys may be hard on their stuff but this is not a given at all. I have fished tournaments at a local level and for those of us that have to pay for everything breaking a rod is no fun! I build all of ours (wife and I fish team tourneys) and while I may have as many as 10 on deck we have had few problems. I have "blown" a lower unit but it was not from hitting anything! We u
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Only reuse cup on one project so no issue there. Never thought about scraping the plastic, I will go back to my popcicle sticks! I will do a trial batch tonight and see if it has no trash after heating the resin. I suspect that will fix the issue. Any additional issues I will just toss it out. I looked at a couple of the rods I did with this finish a couple of years ago and they were fine, n
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Yep the resin had some "grit" around the top. gave it 15 seconds in the mocrowave and do not see it any more. I will whip a test batch up and if the problem is resolved and if not completely gone out it goes! Thanks being somewhat of a perfectionist stuff like this drives me crazy! I could never mak a living building rods but I do enjoy it!
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Two different rods with different brand thread (size A). Threadmaster Lite (which is a few years old but no prior issues), mixed in plastic cup over prior dried batch and a new cup as well. Seem to be small pieces of "stuff" here and there even over lable and bare blank. I may be over working the thread when burnishing causing some fuzzies but they still show up where there is no thr
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Thanks that is what I was looking for. So adding a little extra finish for trim wrap or something like that does not add enough to really matter. I build only bass rods and wondered what going to micros did to the finish weight. I conclude not much weight savings on the finish although the guides do make a lot of difference in particular on a light power blank. Tom that is something I may try
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Just looking for a gereral idea of how much weight the finish adds to a rod. Say 7' rod, 8 guides and 3 short trim bands with only enough thread to hold the guides with two coats of finish? I realize this would be different with every rod but are we talking .1 ounce, .5 ounce range?
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Thanks guys I will try some of your methods. I went to work on the three bottom guides last night (25, 16. 7 high frames) with a Dremel and a bit of filing. I plan to look into a small belt sander since I spent at least 15-20 minutes on each. I did file the tip of my micro giudes (3.5) and will need to get something better to hold them that my fingers! I do wrap on top of these small guides a
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Looking forward to it. I think the results will be most interesting!
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Any tips on tapering micro guide feet? I can file them a little but find them very hard to hang on to. I do not think they need a lot of work but do need a bit off the front of the foot.
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"Staining" the concrete works well. Contact a concrete finishing company and they will tell you how it works. The difference is that the finish is in the concrete and not sitting on top. It does require the concrete to be prepared, ground but it sounds like you may have started the procedd with the removal of the old surface. Once done it is pretty tough stuff and looks great!
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Here is what I have after testing. This is a 6'10" extra fast St Criox so I have the top 4 giudes pretty close (4 to 5 inches) which I adjusted only slightly after testing. On the bottom I have a 25,16, 7 high frame going to my 3.5 choke guide. from number 1 to nukmber two is about 11.5 inches then 9.5 then 8. The blank is pretty stiff in that area and I saw no problem. So I have 7 guid
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I not familiar with the reel at all but a two speed might be a good choice for big (8 ounce and up) swimbaits. Many like the Shimano Calcutta 400 which is for saltwater if I remember correctly?
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i actually did a 6'3" spinning rod with a 25, 16. 7 to the choke and it works very well. I cannot get used to the intersect being the same (about) distance from the reel! I keep trying to put more guides on the bottom part of thr rod, longer rod needs more guides right! I will use the three setup for the transations. I have seen some high speed film of a spinning rod cast and really the
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In setting up a spinning rod for bass fishing I am using the intersect guide at the x27 spot on the blank, give or take an inch or so. I am using size 25 then 16, 12 in either SIC or Alconite and it is the next guide that is the problem to get to my intersect guide. I am using micros (3.5 or 4.0) for the final running guides with YSG or BYAG guides on the bottom but it seems the transation betw
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the topic was micro guides in a rod locker correct? I have a nice BassCat boat and have no issues with the rod locker. Spiral wrapped casting rods naturally want thereel pointing down which means the guides are up. A little pressure on the blank once the tip is in and they will slide right in. Spinning rods are different, guides on bottom with the reel but point the reel up insert tip and pu
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I have used the TN handle since 1980's and over the years made a couple of changes to "my" system with the suggestion of Rich Forhan. 1. I do file a flat space for the reel foot. You can extend this but I usually have tested the position and know where to place it. 1/4 inch wide is enough. 2. I cover the cork with masking tape as described. 3. I use two strips of packing
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No foregrips for me either but this is a personal preference. I never use one so I just build without them on both cast and spinning including "Tennessee" grips.
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I am using the foregrip as my rear grip, split grip style. No foregrip added. This combination has become my favorite with a little extra weight the only downside over my usual TN split grip. OK I will keep the stages seperate and ream seat and grip then glue it up. I think the rubber band trick will let me get a clean glue line. I also found out that tape can lift your lables even those
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I am building a couple of spinning rods with the VSS seats and foregrip used as a bottom grip. I have already done one rod this way and I really like the way it came out, however putting it together was a pain. Would it work better to epoxy the arbors in the seat then epoxy the grip to the seat and ream the whole setup? Also when I glued the cork to the seat I taped it down to dry but the pres
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Thanks guys that helps a lot. My drop shot rod (old P-7000) has a VERY limber tip but not as fast as the Croix's. These will be used for finesse plastics and shaky heads so sounds like I am right on. Not sure I am ready to try extra fast on a big jig rod yet because I prefer slower action to help keep the fish buttoned up. Have you had this problem with the extra fast jig rods in MH or H powe
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I am currently building a couple of extra fast action spinning rods and do not completely understand the benefits of the fast tip. I have been told the fast tip will give a little to let the fish take the bait without feeling any pull on the line? Also that a blank will be able to cast lighter baits while still having enough power to set the hook and control the fish? The one I have completed
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