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Current Page: 3 of 19
Results 61 - 90 of 564
5 months ago
Kendall Cikanek
The point I was trying to make is that the rod seemed more about being a device to generate high line speed than to actually be effective at fishing. It had spots that didn’t flex much lying away from the single ferrule. Instead of being a fair curve when loaded it was stiff at the tip, then bent a little, stiffened again, and then hinged a little above the grip. The first few years after “A Rive
Forum: rodboard
5 months ago
Kendall Cikanek
Herb Ladenheim Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Tom, > I understand - but these guys were serious > designers with serious companies. > Only three out of the eight though fast/slow were > static measurements. > Herb I don’t see a trend in how this impacted their rod actions. I own rods designed by several of these men. Subjectively, one
Forum: rodboard
5 months ago
Kendall Cikanek
Tim Scott Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Thanks, that was/ is a great blank. My wife’s > favorite spinner for trout. > > I always struggled finding blanks that would load > easily and yet have junk in the trunk for redfish If my memory is correct, the SCIV, brown-colored Legend Elite blanks were the first to feature both Integrated Pol
Forum: rodboard
5 months ago
Kendall Cikanek
I vote down locking.
Forum: rodboard
5 months ago
Kendall Cikanek
I figured I should document my claim from above. I built this in about 2005. It's functioned very well catching many smallmouths and walleyes. It is on an SCIV Legend blank (SCIV66LF), which was state of the art. For some reason the integrity of the thread finish on the hoop keeper looks compromised in the photo. That's not the case. The AT micro-click reel seat no longer works, so I need to repl
Forum: rodboard
5 months ago
Kendall Cikanek
The Silver Wolf will be my next reel purchase as I’m interested in its line lay system configured for braid. I’m using Sufix 131 with really good success on an Alphas SV TW in the weight class slightly heavier than finesse. The Wolf with 131 might get me all the way down to finesse with braid. I’m a big fan of the St. Croix/Rod Geeks SCV/C5 series, but the SCIV/C4 series works a little better
Forum: rodboard
5 months ago
Kendall Cikanek
I’ve been building and using BFS rods since the beginning of eShopping made it possible to bring in the reels in from Japan. I don’t think there was even this term and acronym back then. Here are a few thoughts. I find that the action angles at the lower end of the “fast action” rod range work really well. The lighter lures cast better when the rod loads amply but still rebounds quickly. Along wi
Forum: rodboard
5 months ago
Kendall Cikanek
I use a half moon micro-file that works very well and quickly. The chamfering tool seems like even a better idea. There are probably a bunch of other ways to successfully sand or grind the little ring off. Any appropriately sized abrasive or fine cutting tool should work if carefully used.
Forum: rodboard
5 months ago
Kendall Cikanek
In the same range as the other options given is the United Composites, GUSA UC70H. The double helix construction is strong and still pretty light. The moderate-fast action is very versatile with bait and jigging. The more I build on and use blanks by United Composites, the less I look at other makes for vertical saltwater fishing.
Forum: rodboard
5 months ago
Kendall Cikanek
Greetings to you in your beautiful and historic country. The 21 1/2” distance is absolutely fine. The KR concept trains I’ve built have been in the 20 1/2 to 21 1/2 range. I tape them on at software suggested positions and then line-up on a straight edge. I usually nudge one guide less than a 1/4 inch to get perfect alignment. The numbers, straight edge, and casting performance all agree. Thus, I
Forum: rodboard
5 months ago
Kendall Cikanek
Here are the resources needed to successfully do this. It’s quite easy to get it right by following these instructions and using these tools. Without all the information that is needed by the software, a remote attempt on this forum would be inaccurate. Without having the rod in hand, the “straight edge test” also isn’t possible. If you do it yourself, the results will be better and you will have
Forum: rodboard
5 months ago
Kendall Cikanek
I find that this class of Daiwa and Shimano to be able to go at least 15 years with regular use and proper maintenance (I use revolving spool reels a lot, though). The more precisely made and aligned hardened brass gearing lasts a lot more use cycles. Line management gets better with this class, too. The Procyon looks to be the Ballistic minus the magnetic lubrication and some bearings.
Forum: rodboard
5 months ago
Kendall Cikanek
The 3000 is the Daiwa size I would use. The Ballistic MQ is becoming my favorite spinning real ever. The numerical sizes aren’t standardized across the industry and they relate more to line capacity. Some makes and models vary between when they jump their numerical sizes to different base frame sizes. This can affect weight, drag strength, and spool diameters quite a bit. Shimano often puts their
Forum: rodboard
5 months ago
Kendall Cikanek
Hello, The VSS seat has a proprietary grip pattern. Only those designed for it and listed as VSS will fit. CFX makes a wonderful looking woven grip for it, but they only sell it in minimum lots of 50 to OEM’s. If you just had to have one, it looks like you re-import them from the UK at Royal International shipping rates. The SeaGuide Octa Carbon spinning seat looks really nice and takes commonly
Forum: rodboard
5 months ago
Kendall Cikanek
It’s good to know this. Some metallic will be on my next order.
Forum: rodboard
5 months ago
Kendall Cikanek
Because of much more important family, job, and other commitments, I tend to mostly build from November through April. It’s been fun this week to start to get orders arriving. I love the Spring through early Autumn seasons, but building season is nice to start, too. I’m starting with RX10 blanks, and the quality continues to impress. I ordered a spool of the new Justace thread selection from Case
Forum: rodboard
6 months ago
Kendall Cikanek
Kerry Hansen Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > How does to frame react to bending, accidental or > not? The photos in the OP show that the guides are manufactured with unusually large radius bends, likely to limit bending stresses. I’m guessing this tells us something about how they react to bending.
Forum: rodboard
6 months ago
Kendall Cikanek
Dennis Danku Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > No, not for me. Too much bulk in the frame. I agree. I’ll happily wait for a sleeker generation, if one arrives. There are multiple problems with the really thick frames. Along with using more carbon fiber, It takes a thick ring of ceramic to span that material. The thread tunnels will also be very tall and volu
Forum: rodboard
6 months ago
Kendall Cikanek
The Halloween sale on Eternity blanks at GetBit was beyond spooktacular at 45% off. I should have bought at least one more than I did, and then a couple of more.
Forum: rodboard
6 months ago
Kendall Cikanek
I always figure that a person can’t get closer to the volume of a small bubble when lining up the plungers to the graduated marks. The plunger is the full inside diameter of the syringe so being off a hundredth of an inch has to cause this level or more of variance in volume. I can’t remember ever having a finish related failure, so extreme levels of precision don’t seem that important. Decades a
Forum: rodboard
6 months ago
Kendall Cikanek
The only thing that I would add to Lynn’s technique description is that inserts and syringes are a very affordable way to have zero failures and virtually no cleanup. I have blue and red syringes. I make a blue mark on one bottle and a red on the other so they always get used in the same bottle. Simplicity is a good thing.
Forum: rodboard
6 months ago
Kendall Cikanek
Spencer Phipps Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Guess I don't understand the concept unless you > buy a short blank and make up the length > difference with the XO skeleton system. …and even this build technique should be heavier than just using a full length blank with a carbon weave over foam grip. Replacing a smaller diameter piece of carbon with
Forum: rodboard
6 months ago
Kendall Cikanek
I can believe that TNF has some value for comparing the sensitivity of bare blanks that match in length, action, weight range, and butt diameter. A higher frequency should respond to denser materials with less resin use and tighter wrapping, if all major variables are very similar. Once building starts, though, I have a hard time rationalizing how it can be useful. Even thread tension should have
Forum: rodboard
6 months ago
Kendall Cikanek
Welcome to rod building. I’ve been building since either the late 80’s or the earliest part of the 90’s, and I’ve never sanded down and repainted an entire blank. You’re starting at a deeper part of the pool, which is totally okay. The couple of really old fiberglass blanks I have are memories that I don’t wish to alter or use myself. I also don’t have a lot of interest in making this kind of dus
Forum: rodboard
6 months ago
Kendall Cikanek
Short and stiff in that weight range gets into a pretty small spectrum of blanks. The ideal one might be the UC DHX-US60XO, but it’s a bit deluxe for charter use. The Seekers, Calstars, and Black Holes cost even more.
Forum: rodboard
6 months ago
Kendall Cikanek
I have my builds with RV6’s and a St. Croix factory build (close-out sale) with KW’s. These cover every opinion offered so far. All work very well while being thoroughly tested designs. My preference is the RV6 system, but I wouldn’t pass up a great deal on a rod because it carried a well executed KW train. However, the RV6 system will cost builders less while also being lighter.
Forum: rodboard
6 months ago
Kendall Cikanek
Spencer Phipps Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > The Rod Geek XC 733 was dialed in for Togs I have > heard from very good sources. I was thinking either the XC 733 or XC 734 would be hard to beat in that price range without knowing Tog specifics. If staying short is important for some reason, I would be quite comfortable that the United Composites US65
Forum: rodboard
6 months ago
Kendall Cikanek
Michael Danek Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I assumed spin, if cast you can start with the RV6 > and a couple KB's, then KT's to the end, all the > same size. I’ve done TRVTG trains with all the KB’s and KT’s as 5.0’s and some with a preliminary 5.5 KB. I think the ones with the 5.5 cast slightly better, but I don’t have identical setups to reall
Forum: rodboard
6 months ago
Kendall Cikanek
I’m assuming you are building a rod this heavy as a baitcaster. If that’s the case I would go with TRVTG06 (1), TKBTG5.5 (1), TKBTG5 (3), TKBTG5 (5), and a TKGTT5 tip-top in the appropriate tube size for your blank. If you are using full fluorocarbon or tie Alberto knots well, you can easily go down to 4.5 runners and tip top. If you do, use only one TKBTG5 and then two TKBTG4.5’s. You don’t need
Forum: rodboard
6 months ago
Kendall Cikanek
I’m on the wrong side of the country for Tog, but do some reasonably parallel bottom fishing with rods I build. That length seems a little short. It takes more information like: jigging verses bait rigs, jig type and weight range (if applicable), intended reel, and line preferences to really nail-down a good match. You might want a slower, more parabolic action or a fast one depending on these pa
Forum: rodboard
Current Page: 3 of 19

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