The hercules blanks are Super Seekers, just a different style of them. Given the choice between Calstar and regular Seekers, I usually take Calstar, but if you throw the Super Seeker lineup in there, that one takes it hands down every time.
Forum: rodboard

Jon's solution is the best. Send them high resolution pictures that clearly show the blank(s) were compromised by wrapping or improper guide foot preperation, and they may send you completed rods, they may not, and if you ask real nicely they might even send you just a couple blanks. Don't know if you don't try.
Forum: rodboard

I'm out of the norm in most cases where I fish 50-75% of the breaking strength of the line (In order to do this, you HAVE to know and trust your knots, tackle, and ability with a rod). My 4# test rod is very often a 10-17# blank. For example, I use a 2.5# weight to determine my 4# outfit. I start at a 12-25# blank and work my way down until I feel the rod is close to being compromised. At that po
Forum: rodboard

Next time, simply have you wife hold the tip while you flex it. Otherwise you are will be pulling the blank in (without trying to) and creating a situation where you unintentionally high-stick it. Pulling down and in on blank = death for blank. The lighter the blank, the more magnified this situation becomes.
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I'm similar to billy, and use nothing under a 10 for running guides including on trolling rods. The main reason is the unknown factor. I can say all I want to that I'm not going to pass any knots, but the reality of that never works. If you encounter a situation where splicing two lines on the fly needs to happen (and it does sometimes) I want to know that the guides will be able to pass that con
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Chuck, I'd have to guess you follow the age old "crank don't yank" rule and the reel is basically a winch with a locked down drag. This style of rod is NOT for that style of fishing. I prefer to pump the rod, use the drag and beat a grouper as his own game. I also fish 40# and under, something the guys here off florida say is a no-no, yet I have many respectable fish to my name. I kn
Forum: rodboard

Just out of curiosity, did you try a light coat of car wax.....this will often clean up minor scuffs that didnt scratch anything. I wax all my rods prior to leaving my possesion, and on heavier rods, where the rollers were there are almost always light scuff marks where the dryer rollers were. Once waxed and buffed, they are no longer there. Sometimes simpler is better. I LIKE that masking tap
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Test your leftover glue wherever you mixed it up. I have a glue board I use, and just poke it with a popsicle stick, if its still pretty soft or has any tack at all to it, leave it alone.
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I do a lot of high speed jigging, and I personally prefer a slightly heavier balanced rod (specifically, right on the 6" foregrip with my saragosa 8000 attached). To me in this particular case, balance is everything. A lighter overall outfit that is tip heavy, will completely wear me out in less than 2 hours while that slightly heavier balanced outfit will not. I've put them side by side on
Forum: rodboard

SHOULD be ok. It should be set up enough not to matter. I'd personally wait another couple just to be sure though.
Forum: rodboard

really depends on how much you want to get into it...My buddy turns pens, pepper mills and all sorts of stuff, has a full assortment of tools and chucks that I just borrow from time to time. He has well over 1500 overally into a mini jet wood lathe and assorted accessories. My lathe is similar to the mudhole lathe but from harbor frieght. HF also has a 2" mini chuck on thier website that
Forum: rodboard

Its likely a size 10. Measure the frame opening that the ring fits in and that is your answer. I currently use the ring lock design on nearly every rod I build where rollers are not specified and have had zero failures. These guys are fishing everything from inshore sightfishing redfish up to tackle beating power bottom fishing. I have had exactly zero failures with the newer ring lock design and
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If you want to stay with ringed guides, eventually you will have a pop out from running back and forth through them. The American Tackle ring lock virtus guides just about eliminate from that and I would head toward that direction with ringed guides. Using rollers: with that small spro swivel you might be able to get away with simple standard guides, and if not, the HD aftcos will pass it with
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pour some denatured alcohol or mineral spirits. That tape will release in a heartbeat (especially with teh mineral spirits).
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how about a shop vac? Fill with the water and similar to the idea of compressed air from the tip end, only your coming from the other side. This in theory should create a vacuum within the blank and suck the screw, arbor, and tape all out. (Like I said, in theory)
Forum: rodboard

Cut your losses on the seat (unless its something of major value) cut it off. Will be an overall much quicker and easier way of doing it. If you must keep it, steaming it off will work, but can take time and sometimes repeated warming/cooling to loosen the bond.
Forum: rodboard

You could also warm the decal (or set it out in the sun for a day). Generally the application of light heat will loosen the adhesive a bit and give it a stronger bond. I never put on any sort of decal then apply finish, but rather wait a day with it out on my porch for it to fully set. Prior to doing this I always had edges lift up a little since doing it that is no longer an issue for me.
Forum: rodboard

I almost ALWAYS use CP when doing weaves. I second reading that very informative tutorial by Doc.
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I've personally caught a 35# cobia on 4# test last year. I was targeting them with that specific outfit. I enjoy ultra light tackle fishing, so this is sort of right up my alley. The only main difference I find between cobia and dolphin is the aerial display as their overall power is similar. I will be looking for a nice 20+# cobia and/or dolphin this year on a 6wt fly rod. I would look for so
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I agree with Tom, although I generally use size 6 fly guides from the 10, unless I need a 6 then 6Fly which is all dependent on the line path at that point. The 6's will pass any connection knot you can concoct with relative ease. IF you know for a fact the 5s will work plenty fine for you go for it. I know they are too small for my 10# braid to 20# mono albright, but the 6's pass it well.
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The thing you are going to need to watch for is line slap on the blank. I just built a pair of those and assuming I can remember corretly, they are 21-22" from the top of the spool with size 25 butt guides. I can't measure them because they were just shipped out. It very well may work, but I remember backing up a little from where my initial position for the line slap reason.
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They just had a fair quality one at two seperate stores for $80-100 on a black friday deal. I opted not to go with it due to the quality reviews and having a high quality inkjet + a very good quality b/w laser leaves me no real need for it. I would love at some point to return to a solitary printer rather the pair I currently have, but for now it works. As far as the vinyl, I have no idea.
Forum: rodboard

One word of advice that will be echoed by many others than myself....it's highly addicting, and can be quite expensive as you get more and more into it. When you do call any one of those on the left, be up front with them about your intended budget and they will work with you to get you the best quality components you can comfortably afford.
Forum: rodboard

car doors, yes, ceiling fans yes...havent had one yet from just bumping the ceiling
Forum: rodboard

if you have to pass the surgeons knot, a double-line 17# to 30# would pass A LOT nicer through a 10, I would stay with the 10s. If the 8s work ok for you however stay with them. 16 or 12, then 10s on out, for the bumper guide, I'd use a fly guide with a 10 ring to keep it JUST off the blank as thats the only real purpose of that guide.
Forum: rodboard

Mudhole has it, its the T80H or T80XH, dont remember which one specifically but it is one of those two
Forum: rodboard

The looser one. Scuff the blank tip and it'll hold just fine. You could also wrap the tip and then put a touch of finish over the connection for added protection, just don't overdo it. That said I routinely lift 25# weights when stress testing offshore rods via the tip using only tip adhesive
Forum: rodboard

B was the one that was crushed, if you look a little closer you can see how its ovaled in on the top right and lower left. C i've got no clue on but looks like some kind of sheering force, and D I have an idea on, but not enough to say yep, this is it.
Forum: rodboard

IMO, get/make a standalone lathe, then do your rodwrapper seperate. I have a do both version like you are talking about that I made and can turn/wrap adequately, but neither are the best they can be for what they do. There were tradeoffs on both ends.
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The MHX are indeed an excellent replacement to the IMX blanks formerly offered by Loomis. I have put them side by side to several potential customers and asked them to tell me which is which. I had one marked inside the blank, and from a consumer standpoint, not one could tell the difference, but I did have one say he liked a certain one better because it was an overall lighter blank. He thought
Forum: rodboard