I second the TiteBond lll use. It is a waterproof wood glue (cork is wood bark) and makes a thin fast bond if not applied excessively. Another benefit.....no having to mix it.
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As Jim mentions, it really depends upon the casting distances. As there is no standards for assigning line weights to rods, the figures are a beginning point only! "overlining" is popular for fast rods as most fly fishing (except heavier weights) is usually done at relatively short distances. As tom K. often points out............"any rod will cast any line, it all depends upo
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Snake and single foot guides are not sized the same way.
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You can get a very fine smooth finish with either product if done by wiping properly, which means fast and smotthly flowing on the right amount of finish. It is best to practice first on blank scraps.
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Having used both,I feel the Batson guides are superior to the H&H, especially in the finishing of the feet. As for the weight difference, you wouldn't notice it on a 6 wt. The best way to save weight, would be to use single foot guides!
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I use brushes of varying width depending upon the wrap width. However......I DON"T BRUSH the epoxy, I use the brush to lay the epoxy on and to finish the ends were the wraps meet the blank. Brushing can create bubbles! There is a great article about applying epoxy in this sites library!!!
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Single foot equal one half the number of wraps, obviously less time wrapping and less weight. With the use of the Forhan locking wrap they are just as secure. Your size selection is OK, but you can go 12, 4 and 3's all the rest of the way. Some reel seats are made to accept the fighting butt, all can be adapted, but in many cases it requires "jury rigging."
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If you do use light bulbs for the heat source, a light dimmer switch works well to adjust heating levels.
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I use denatured alcohol, thats why I let it cure 2 days as it slows down the curing.
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I do this type of wrap with following process: prep guides as normal (if black touch up with a sharpie) wrap with Pearsall's white Gossamer thread, apply first coat of epoxy thinned to water like consistency, allow to cure for 2 days, apply final coat of regular epoxy. Mine have turned out crystal clear, and have even had some refuse to believe I used thread.
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The white on the epoxy is called "blush" from being damp. Often can be corrected by using heat gun or hair dyer carefully.
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Starting rod building with bamboo today, seems alittle like a beginning driver starting at the Indy 500....IMO
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Steve, A "foregrip" on a three wt?
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Try the Batson RX6 line, they are very good quality and not expensive. You may have trouble finding a 4wt as short as 7 ft.
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They are Batson spinning guides and you can get them from Anglers Workshop.
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Don't know which blank your talking about, but their fly rod blanks are great!
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If the scratches are under the seat, there is no need or reason to sand the blank. Mount the seat as you would without the scratches.
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I am really glad he is back. I learned so much from him in 2009-10! In addition to being a marvelous teacher, he has a fantastic sense of humor.
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I also use the guide foot adhesive and find it works much better if you heat the guide foot instead of heating the glue stick, it gets too runny that way. As for the pull thru loop, I use those available form Backlash Tools on the left, been using the same one for three years. They are very thin yet extremely strong. I have built a number of the Batson 2wt fly rods using this method.
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Rick, what a great and uplifting story!! You speak for many of us with your complements for Tom, this site and the participants.
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YES......the guide foot adhesive from Flex Coat takes less heat and stays almost like a "sticky wax." It does not get brittle and enables you to reposition the guides after wrapping. I use it exclusively for all my single foot wraps and most double foot. It takes a little practice to get the technique down pat, but once you do it saves time in the wrapping process.
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You will probably get a varied bunch of responses to this question. Here's mine..........................I think it has more to do with the amount of line carried in the cast and the casting stroke. My reasoning: An extra fast blank does not cast short lengths of line as well as longer ones, thus if trying to cast short the rod does not load properly and may "wobble." Additionally a
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Did Billy say his "nut" was stripped? Suspensions confirmed!!! LOL
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Did Billy say his "nut" was stripped? Suspensions confirmed!!! LOL
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Doubt it was the cup, more likely incorrect measurement on inadequate blending. You don't state whether this guide wraps or the entire blank.
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I believe Dan means" Elmers wood filler", not glue.
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It also depends upon the material your using and the method of shaping. Cork where you use primarily sand paper turns slower than wood with a chisel for example.
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I have done a number of rods with transparent wraps, both bamboo and graphite. The process I use is: Pearsalls Gossemer silk thread, then first coat of epoxy (I use Threadmaster) cut to water like consistency with DNA, allowed to set for 48 hours the second coat of epoxy uncut. They are so clear some customers say that I didn't use any thread!
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My experience with the Batson 2wt, was that their suggested placements were almost "spot on!" During my static tests I rarely needed to move a guide and when I did it was no more than a quarter inch. Have never built the St Croix blank.
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I also am very interested in this technique, any information will be much appreciated. I'm not all clear in how you wrap one thread around another that doesn't end up being a twist!
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