I've had the same resultsas Tony, I have two Sage blanks here now and neither are wrapped.
Forum: rodboard

I wasn't concerned with storage in the RV, but the packables are great for the kids on bikes as they have a rod shorter than their bikes bar width which increases it's chances of survival. Being a Spin Bass blank will give a bit more backbone for bass.
Forum: rodboard

Once you smear the epoxy, on use the edge of something and take as much off as you can. Epoxy is at it's strongest when you are using the least that bonds well, which is near nothing.
Forum: rodboard

Another the Batson SB720-4 , I like Jim's reel choice but I bet you could decrease the bigger guides by one size each and hurt nothing performancewise. The Okuma reels also hold up very well in a kids hands.
Forum: rodboard

Try the C722 in whichever series you like. Soft tips are all relative and there or not there depending on the use the designer had in mind for the rod. Hardbaits with trebles work better with softer rods like the crankbait blanks and the faster blanks work better with the soft baits and big single hooks. When in doubt email them for suggestions.
Forum: rodboard

Klass Kote is a 2 part epoxy paint that somes in quite a few colors, used to paint model airplanes and protect them from fuel and other chemicals, etc. Very stout stuff, used it on rod wraps and some blank painting.
Forum: rodboard

I use "D" size wrapping thread, lasts for multiple cuts. I'd think fishing line unless a heavy line would be to fragile to friction.
Forum: rodboard

I use fiberglass dry wall tape and epoxy.
Forum: rodboard

There really isn't any wrong way to do it, that's what custom rods are all about, making it like you or the customer likes. That said for long gripped salmon/steelhead rods that will be held by the angler I like to have the grip at or a little shorter than the distance from the hold the angler likes to the end of his elbow. Any longer really doesn't improve anything and can start hanging up in c
Forum: rodboard

In real general terms the mag bass will have the most backbone compared to tip, the spin jig a little less backbone, and the spinning blanks will be the slowest actioned.
Forum: rodboard

Years ago, somewhere around the 88-90 I was assisting some friends at the Sportsman's Show in San Mateo, CA. The fish tank had a bunch of nice bass, but as usual they were really off the feed. Just for kicks I went to the Umpqua Feather Merchant booth and talked them out of a bumble bee yellow hair bug popper and cutting off the hook I threw the above set up in the tank. I had 6 takes in one pa
Forum: rodboard

I too like the 8 wts better, in really tough conditions I use a 10 wt. The RX7 would be more like your St Croix, but the FT would give you much more reserve power when fighting the fish. My favorite way to fish LM is with sliders in the pads, followed by a deadly technique of a full sink line and a floatant soaked hair bug. Let the line pull the bug under than let it rise back up off the bottom.
Forum: rodboard

Bill, I think I have a few blue SP 843 and 844s I've been making crankbait rods out of them as I need them. May also have some 78s. My better part has the door to my stash blocked off right now while she cleans, so it will be tomorrow probably till I can get in there.
Forum: rodboard

Batson Forecast.
Forum: rodboard

Like Mike said rubberized cork for a darker ring, regular cork for a ring just a few shades darker and a texture change from the cork rings. Used to be able to get it in a few colors that were added to the bonding agent from certain companies, not sure if they still do that in today's international market.
Forum: rodboard

Tim, All the real load on any rod is in it's outer fibers no matter what it's made of. E.C. Powell figures this out many years ago and if you build your rod on his techniques you'll have a dandy.
Forum: rodboard

I think they are just not going up any, looking back a few years in my Angler's Workshop catalog, they are the same price now on the Loomis site.
Forum: rodboard

Been a while since I was around a Sully, but I think it has crutch tips for putting the end of the rod in. If your building heavy fresh or saltwater rods I can see where that set up would be to small for a big gimbal or blank end in. I think one of the holders made out of an ABS pipe cap and thumb screws would fit right on there easily.
Forum: rodboard

I've used it with CP on a few rods from Forecast and CTS with the PacBay Deep Water Camo grips, used the blanks for the blue, black for the wraps and olive green trim to match the grips.
Forum: rodboard

NiTinol alloys from what I could glean are somewhere in the 296 to 349 Vickers hardness scale depending on the manufacturer. As reported before and I believe it's also in Dale Clemens' book the 304 stainless we see most is in the 300 hardness range also. We usually see it coated with something however and a good hard chrome is in the 600 range. Thats why we see little wear on guides than heavy we
Forum: rodboard

The Fenwick is more like a full wells without the back swell. I also like them especially on the rod with a A-7 or 8 type reelseat. They transition very smoothly to the forering on those reelseats.
Forum: rodboard

To each their own, Sage isn't selling the Z-Axis as well as they hoped around my area. Some are trying to get the blanks out the door by giving away a low end cork and reelseat, etc. with it. You notice that the list price of the 4 piece Sage is the same as the kit price. The RX8+ is also available as a 5 piece. Anyway you look at it they are still a much better value.
Forum: rodboard

The RX8+ has a higher grade graphite and graphite scrim. The RX8 are 54 mil graphite with the high grade, lightest fiberglass scrim.
Forum: rodboard

I put full wells on all my personal fly rods.
Forum: rodboard

CTS white blank of your choice.
Forum: rodboard

That's the way I do it, makes lining up all the parts easier for me.
Forum: rodboard

They are new blanks the older version was the RX8s.
Forum: rodboard

Lots of those in the salmon/steelhead part of the sponsors catalogs. Also you could use a spey blank also. You didn't tell us your requirements so you'll have to pick.
Forum: rodboard

Like Bill said, I don't know where the myths start but I've seen all the titanium guides break. I used to change out the REC guides all the time from people showing their buddies their indestructible guides. The really bad part was it usually happened along their favorite non-local stream. One guy was packing a spinning travel rod for a trip so he bent the guides back to fit in a travel tube that
Forum: rodboard

Never tried Am Tacks, but all the others I've used worked very well structurally, my problem was I never seem to leave with the right setup or none at all when I got to the river. Thought about putting another small pouch in my rod bags for the extensions, but never did. Also it makes you maybe have to get a longer or custom tube for the long butt, iff left on. Now I just put on a permanent butt.
Forum: rodboard