I'm planning to. This will be my first.
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I eyeball it. For trim wraps that are centered perpendicular to the eye of the guide, I just use a 1/8' piece of tape to mark where the wrap begins. I like Norman's suggestion of marking he thread at the base of the guide feet. Much more complicated than that and the fun starts to diminish, for me at least.
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For reel seats, I would use nothing but epoxy, and never the weak 5 minute type. Reel seats can never be fastened too solidly, IMO, just like you can never be too rich or too skinny.
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I second use of the drywall tape, but have a couple variations on the theme based on lessons learned from bitter first hand experience: 1) On the reel seat, I first measure out the tape until it fits nice and snug. Then remove the tape and place it on standby. I then scuff up the blank where the tape is to go on and apply epoxy to the tape every two or three layers as I wind it back on. Th
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Thanks Tom (somewhat red faced for not having noticed...:)
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Friends: Do we have dates for the next Expo? Thanks
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Well, I have some of the K style of guides now in hand, and have made a decision. I will not use them on this rod because I am not convinced its the best way to go. Instead, focusing on the main task at hand which is to have a conventional rod that a small percentage of the time can be used for spinning (light line and light lures). New factor that has entered into consideration is also the r
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The rod is 11 1/2 feet. Reel seat is downlocking cushioned Fuji size 24. 5 sections. Tip is about a 9 tube.
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Friends: I realized today that I have been building rods off and on for 50 years. If you would be kind enough to indulge me, I'd like to ruminate a bit on this, but also ask a question of the more knowledgeable folks on the board about a particular scenario and rod I have in mind. Mostly the rods I build are for my own use, but I also give them away to friends, kids starting out in fish
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Absolutely correct and astute observation. Amazing the contaminants in the air and the workplace. For example dust raised by an overhead fan, or sprayed out by the blower on a heat gun. I find myself washing hands immediately before applying thread, and finish. Never run my hands through my hair while working on rods due to the oils in hair. Lleave the overhead fan off until after the rod c
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I use denatured alcohol. In my situation I have blanks piled up on racks where they collect scratches, dirt, debris, and koodies Old, NOS, new, whatever. And I'm often pulling them down to see if they'll fit for some application I have in mind. Consequently they get scuffed and more. A quick clean with alcohol tells me what I'm dealing such as whether I need to touch up scuffs. Bottom line
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Gents: Thanks for the info.
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Friends: I need to ship a "shortie" tuna style rod to Juneau AK. The cardboard container (repurposed from a Mudhole one) will be about 5' long. What's the best way to ship? USPS? UPS? I would normally send it "ground", but mebbe Juneau is different in that its isolated from the US road system. Thanks in advance Whit
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What Roger said
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I just broke two rods in Alaska, a record number on any given trip. I go with the chrome plated snake guides and tip. And for strippers, either stainless or a stainless insert. Much less to break. Ceramics crack, especially if you take a fall in a boat or rocky area. Sounds like your friend will not be in too harsh of conditions. Still unless he has a backup, I would go with non-insert gui
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Too bad. In the Americas, IMO the most relevant reel Alvey made has been the salt water fly reel. I have a couple of them, made 40 years apart, and the differences between them are pretty much only cosmetic. They are heavy though. These are the ones to use for the toughest critters ranging from King Salmon, to sharks, GT's and tarpon, etc.
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I use a bench grinder. Always on the finer stone. Kinda tight on small guides. but works!
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Thanks. I looked. The ones on the big @#$%& site are all too small. I'm looking for the larger tube sizes. Whit
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I fish this area a lot. Used to live there. I use two basic rods: Bait - something about 9-10 ft that will handle 3 oz. This for pompano, whiting and random others. Lures - 10' trigger rod rated to about 2 oz. I use hot rodded Abu 6500c's and 12 lb line and can cast the 1- 1 1/2 irons for hours with this rig. This primarily for snook, blues and spanish. Mostly its an early morning
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Folks: I'm looking for a couple GUST tip tops in size 14 or 16 tube size. This is a SIC boat tip top in a gold color. I'm not fussy that it be a Fuji if there is some other looking close enough. Just finished a shortie halibut rod to give to a friend in Juneau, and it used up my last tip in that size. And I have a couple more rods to make using this type of guides and tips.... Any
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If its just for personal use, any such decal may possibly fall under the "fair use" exception to copyright infringement.
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I get the little tapered rubber plugs at my local ace hardware. Push them in, and trim to fit!
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Unless you have a local rod building supply store to go to I'd recommend one of the mail order outfits that will match the components for you, and that way you get it right without confusion or delay. The rest is up to you!
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Friends: Planning a family-semi-work trip to southeast Alaska, in the area around Juneau. The time period is the first part of July. I am a newbie to Alaska, but have been focusing on building fly rods which I now have on hand. The quarry will be sockeye, pinks and chum (in that order of preference). I realized that there's a whole spinning thing as well. What are the general dimensions
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Well in my workshop are have all sorts of adhesives, cork dust, EVA dust, lubricants being sprayed on reel parts, random fiberglass particles, spray paint, house dust, spray paint, rod blanks rubbing against each other as they are tested out, then put back on the rack. This week it was several reels and a couple oar (for rowing) repair projects. And that's just the fishing part. So without tr
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Recently the ceramic insert from an SV style spinning guide (size 30) popped out and was lost. Can one simply snip the frame on a loose guide releasing the insert, then pop the insert into the mounted frame? I'd hate to have to redo the wraps on this one... Thanks!
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V. Helpful, thanks!
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Friends: I have handles now installed on two 3-pc spey rod blanks: 1) a 13' for 8/9 and 2) a 15' for 10/11. Both are Rainshadows. Quarry is king salmon in Alaska. Never built a spey rod, and the last time I used one was over 50 years ago on the River Wye in England. A great big bamboo unwieldy thing that had a pre-teen yank at somewhat of a disadvantage, and seemed about as fun as a root
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I totally understand this one, as a smallmouth addict with similar proclivities for a long rod. My challenge was finding blanks in the right length and attributes, which is not so easy, especially if price is a concern. I found happiness in taking a 7' blank, and lengthening it in the butt section to whatever final length I need, using larger diameter blanks. I have built several in the 7
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Watching with envy as folks head to the expo. Wish I could go but I'm grounded for a month due to recent surgery. So hope everyone has fun! My particular question has to do with Spey Rods. I'm putting together a 13' for 8/9 and a 15 ft for 11 for king salmon in Alaska, and perhaps Atlantic Salmon in Scotland. These are my first Spey rods. The question is what reel seat to use. The stan
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