To add a photo, and please do: Take a picture with a digital camera. Transfer it to your computer. Click on the photos button at the top of the forum page. Log in with your usual creds. Click on upload photos. It will ask you select the photo file, navigate your computer to find and select it. Hit the button to upload. When you see it on the forum photos page, select the w
Forum: rodboard

If it works for you, that's the way to do it. I guess my hand never grips the rod in that area. I agree that if you're going to grip it, bigger is better.
Forum: rodboard

I have no experience, but if you want dust to match a color, use dust from that material. Turn a piece of it just to get the dust. If you have a clear glue it might take on the color of the dust. But I really think you're screwed and would be better served by just doing it over. You know already, I presume, if done right, the gap is just about invisible.
Forum: rodboard

If you are going to be doing light finesse, like leeches on a jig, then a really comfortable, sensitive , setup is to upock the seat so that you can build an epoxy coated foam ramp off the front of the reel seat hood. Make it about 1/16 inch smaller in diameter than the hood so that you can easily place epoxy up against the shoulder provided by the front face of the seat hood, use 3 or 4 coats o
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The 7 ' 2 " Immortal walleye blank is a nice blank, very affordable now. Take some 4 " swim baits and 1'4 oz bullet jigs with you and snap them off the bottom. You may be very surprised how effective that aggressive technique is on walleyes. I'm not sure what function a "rear grip" has on a split grip spin rod.
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Right on, Roger.
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Wouldn't be hard to test it. Deflect it, modify it, deflect it again.
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I always count on using two coats, whether with or without CP. I use lite Flex Coat and apply the first coat in a thin coat. Then I repair any defects, note where it is too thin, and do the second coat, also thin. And that usually does it just fine. I do it this way to get good coverage without having the "football" shaped wraps
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Wright has it right. (second paragraph - I would edit it to read "From a purely practical perspective. . .")
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Photo link below to a reversed Aero.
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Nice job, Mudhole!
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Nice job, Mudhole!
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Reversed aeros work great for this kind of build. With the big ramp going off the front instead of threads, it is very comfortable. If you want to use the Microwaves because you already have them, do it; it will work fine. I would use a premium grade tiptop as that is where any grooving will start.
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Yes, there is the ability to move guides slightly. Probably less than without the lock. I usually don't use the lock on micros as they are so close to the rod they don't snag on anything. Never had one move after epoxy. I always use it on KLH guides and other tall guides.
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If you think rod building is addictive, don't try fly tying.
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The metallic rod winding threads I've used look the same with or without CP. Gudbrod, Pro Wrap, + a couple other brands.
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Shimming up can be as simple as a couple wraps of tape on the blank, and any gap at the window will be filled with epoxy and can easily be smoothed out. It's almost automatic since you're going to have epoxy being forced out at the window anyway. Either way, in using the rod, you'll never have a bit of a problem, won't be able to tell the difference.
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I don't think the larger seat will be any problem at all. But since you need to prepare the inside surface for epoxy anyway, the smaller seat will work with a little reaming. One way to take a little off the ID (if you don't have the proper reamer) is to put sandpaper into a shotgun cleaning rod (the slot for patches) and run it through the barrel of the seat a few times with a drill-driver. T
Forum: rodboard

I think 5.5's following the RV will work fine. This will make a great rod. Give the guy what he wants.
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You will get much more detailed help if you provide real detail on what you are observing. There are many ways that epoxy can be less than even and smooth. Look at the library article about epoxy. Having to use two coats of epoxy to get it smooth and even is not unusual. I'd say that it usually requires two coats. But if you don't do it right, it won't be right after two coats. The mo
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I think Amtak publishes guide heights so you should be able to lay out the various possibilities and go for the straight line between your first runner and the reel spool shaft tip. It's like doing the 27X table edge method graphically before you buy the guides. I agree a 20 should work fine if placed properly. I have built with just two reduction guides using similar guides to yours, and it
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Take the reel foot from an old spinning reel, grind it to a point, works well too.
Forum: rodboard

Jon, since your are a self-professed noob, here is a caution you may not know about when moving/adjusting guide positions on blanks. Some blanks, especially glossy blanks, are very sensitive to scratching. Some guides may have a burr on the bottom. It's a good idea to run the bottom of the guide feet over a piece of 200 grit sandpaper a few strokes to remove any burr that might be there. And
Forum: rodboard

I have made rods with 31/2 " from the tip when static testing looked like it needed that and as far as I can tell it did not "kill performance." It seems to me like 2 1/2 to 3 is a bit of overkill, but I don't think it affects performance. If one is worried about that, I recommend doing back to back test casting. I'll bet you cannot find a difference. I have a 6' 8" micro,
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I tried the ligatures, didn't like them. Right now I'm still on the old very skinny strips of good quality masking tape. Will try the cable ties.
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I think it is important to remember the first response in this string, and the point is that there is no detriment to the line touching the blank. It will happen with a reasonable number of guides. It won't happen when casting as the rod will be mostly straight. As a matter of personal taste, I just don't like to see the "bowstringing" that can occur with using the normal number of g
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Winn Grip wrap-on tape would feel good and warm and could easily be replaced if it starts looking ratty.
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OK, got it, thanks, Norman.
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Thank you , that should do it, I'll spend some time with it. Mick
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OK, I'm stumped. I've looked for instructions on how to use the chart and come up empty, and I cannot figure a few things out. A 3170 grain (205 gram, 82 pennies) blank on the chart on the left column is rated a 10 ERN. If I find 82 pennies on the top horizontal scale I see an orange diagonal line going up to the right, and it's labeled 10 ERN. If I go to 205 grams on that scale I see an
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