I've only seen picutres of the matrix blanks and I'm sure that doesn't do them justice, but they do look very good. My question is has anyone fished them? I wouldn't mind building one for a heavy saltwater fly rod for myself. How do they compair to other graphite sticks? What do your customers say? Oh! And what color wraps have you used or seen that look good with these blanks? Jay
Forum: rodboard

I also keep a spray bottle of water handy...spraying everything, including just the air, before I begin applying epoxy. Jay
Forum: rodboard

As long as the reading glasses say something like 2x, 2.5x, or 3x they are indeed magnifying glasses. I just got my opti-visor from Cabelas & can't wait to try it. Got that idea from this forum. Thanks! Jay
Forum: rodboard

FOR LEASE: (1)- 5 1/2' Calstar E-glass stand-up rod $200/week lease (rod owner gets 10% comission on all rods sold using this promo material) :-)
Forum: rodboard

I have used the Rust-Oleum Mettalics and they do look great. Permagloss melted these away like butter-pecan on an August afternoon. Switched to spar urethane and all is well...I just have durability/longevity questions about the spar. Jay
Forum: rodboard

I've not noticed regular black nylon going translucent. I remains black and has a certain sparkle to it you don't get from NCP. Jay
Forum: rodboard

Imagine a rod with no guides...you could marblize the entire length of the blank. Don't let Putter get wind of that one! Jay
Forum: rodboard

I was thinking Plasi-Coat, but wanted to be sure. Thanks. Jay
Forum: rodboard

I have refinished a few rods before including painting the blanks. In doing this I have found Permagloss doesn't like certain paint formulations. Spar urethane has been my way around this delimma, but I feel I would get better and longer lasting protection with Permagloss. What brands or types of can spray paint is compatable with Permagloss? I know some of you take blanks to auto paint shops
Forum: rodboard

There aren't many fancy fresh water guides here where I am, but there is a plethera of saltwater charter boats. Many of these guys don't want high end equipment because their charters beat them up so bad. Heck they stand a chance of having them dropped overboard on any given trip. A friend of mine is always saying he'd like to have some of my rods, but with the charters he runs he's better off
Forum: rodboard

On super small, 1-3 wrap trim bands, I always lay the trim thread down and wrap over it with the regular wrap. This way I only have the tag end to worry about. No I can't go & wrap a standing 1-turn trim band. Well I can and it holds...until I let go of the thread anyway. Jay
Forum: rodboard

Most refer to Permagloss by U40 as being the best urethane finish available. You could probably use something like spar urethane also. Just a guess on my part as I've not gone the urethane route...although I like the idea for coating at least my underwraps with Permagloss. Jay
Forum: rodboard

I don't even put a 10 wrap trim band on my saltwater rods. Normally I turn 3-5 wraps. On light tackle & fly rods I put as few as 2-3 wraps for trim. This gives the desired effect without overpowering the rest of the wrap or the guide itself and helps keep the weight down. I pretty much have stopped worrying about the thread end left after completing a wrap. I have tried the torch metho
Forum: rodboard

Are the gold cermets ti framed? If so what is the core color? Jay
Forum: rodboard

PC-7 is one of the more common 'hard' epoxies. Mud Hole carries that one and another called A-4 Metal Set epoxy. I use the A-4 on most of my unibutt ferrules. The A-4 will set in 1-2 hours. Great stuff. It is gray, but I'm sure could be colored. Jay
Forum: rodboard

I used to wonder the same thing about most guides I used. This was until one day it dawned on me that most two footed guides have a slanted side and a fairly straight up & down side. Normally the slanted side faces the reel seat (to help keep line from catching on the guide frame when casting) and the straight side faces the tip top. This is how I see most rods set up. Jay
Forum: rodboard

Like choosing a brand of epoxy, everyone has their own method when it comes to applying said epoxy to double & triple wraps. I personally like the method of applying epoxy to each layer of thread as they go on. This helps in ease of wrapping the next layer, reduces bubbles, and assures I get the guide foot tunnel filled properly. Each time I apply epoxy to a new layer of thread I also appl
Forum: rodboard

You will also want to place the stripper guide far enough back on the butt so that when the blank is fully bent the line coming from your reel won't touch the EVA grip. You can actually fit the butt guide second, after you glue on the tip top. After getting the stripper in the right spot it's a simple deflection test to get the remaining guides set. When doing a deflection test for my offs
Forum: rodboard

Sort of what Doug said. I see most level wind reels spiraled to the right & non-levelers spiraled to the left. It's easier to level with your thumb when the line spirals to the left. Oh & I'm left handed also. Jay
Forum: rodboard

Do you think It'd be ok to use a 1" o.d. graphite arbor? Jay
Forum: rodboard

Generally speaking you would only want an IGFA-RT blank if you were planning on fighting a fish from a chair mounted in a boat cockpit. You can also fight a fish by leaving the rod in the gunnel mounted rod holder, but these sticks were designed for the chair. They are normally long rods in the 7'-8' catagory. This is so the line can clear the stern corners of the boat when a fish is close. B
Forum: rodboard

Billy thanks for the link. I frequent the Noreast.com site also and happened to visit with Dennis Braid & Dick Mierowitz on their visit to NC for that very bluefin trip. As a matter of fact we went to lunch the day Dennis almost lost his eye because of Dicks spiral roller rod. I fish these same fish and use pretty much the same tackle and harnesses that Dennis does. Even using one of Denn
Forum: rodboard

Billy, when using heavy offshore gear the tip will twist. This is compounded when the butt is locked into a gimbal...the tip then is the only outlet for the torquing of the rod. I have been thrown off balance, to the point of falling down, when fighting on stand-up gear. Granted this is extreme fishing with stand-up gear and 40-65# of drag, but those are the conditions I deal with at times. C
Forum: rodboard

You are correct about unibutt ferrules. Only about 4 inches of blank is fitted inside a ferrule. I believe you are over analyzing, or taking out of context, the AmTak unibut description on the Mud Hole Site. In giving their lenghts they do not actually mean the ferrule is that long. Instead the length is for the entire butt including the ferrule (I think). As with the Aftco butts, the AmTak
Forum: rodboard

I also don't buy into the humidity argument. The best way to keep your wraps free of airborn impurities is to strive for dust free air. I like to mist the air in my drying room with a spray bottle before I apply finish. It would also be a good idea to keep we epoxy far away from dust magnets...like carpet. Temperature is the key. Too cold and the epoxy won't flow. This same thing happens
Forum: rodboard

I personally feel this IS the place do discuss the pros & cons of this, or any other, rod setup. As builders we "should be" open minded and take everyone's thoughts and opinions to heart. If there are those that feel the spiral wrap is a disadvantage in certain situations please let us know. I believe this will only broaden our thought concepts. From following threads on oth
Forum: rodboard

What is an adapta-cap? Jay
Forum: rodboard

I think I understand. You want the translucent look of regular nylon w/o CP, but you don't want to see the chrome guide feet. Best way is to do as you have already said. Color the feet with a marker or paint. You might want to cover the colored area with CP or Permagloss before wrapping...this will help the marker to adhere to the feet and not be 'wiped off' by the thread. This should help c
Forum: rodboard

To get my guides straight I use the tip top as a reference. After I wrap each guide I turn the rod upside down and sight down the blank making sure there are equal amounts of the tip top sticking out from either side. I then move the guide(s) that I have wrapped until they also have equal amounts of their guide frame sticking out from either side of the blank. I find it easier to straighten my
Forum: rodboard

Thanks Putter. I appreciate your response. Jay
Forum: rodboard