Finished this rod yesterday. It's a Batson RB783 with custom walnut handle. The zirconium guides are wrapped using the simple spiral with size 5 micros for running guides.
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I was asked to build an ice rod for retiring Minnesota Viking Jim Kleinsasser.
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Here's an ice rod that I finished this weekend. The handle and fore grip were turned from birch. Sometimes on ice rods and ultra light rods I like to create my half-pipe reel seat from Batson's pipe style seat. It feel it gives the rod a more custom look
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I recently finished this rod. It's primarily going to be used for largemouth bass but will also serve well for northern pike. The blank is a Batson RX8 XMB783-TC. The guides are PVD TiCh with zirconium rings and were placed using the new guide concept and static testing. I turned the split grips and reel seat out of dark walnut wood. I blinged up the rod with a closed scales wrap. Thanks to Al an
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This is my current build. I thought these thread colors would look great with the finish Batson uses on the RX8 blanks.
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Spiral Axis Closed Wrap
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Built this one for a mink rancher in northern Minnesota. His preference was for a 4' trolling rod so I ended up cutting a Batson RDR70M down to 48". Put the size 6 guides on using the simple spiral method. The customer's favorite colors are brown and yellow so I used those in my first try at a double axis closed wrap using the "scales" pattern. The handle is eastern
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Finally got this build completed and off to the customer. The blank is a Rainshadow ISJ782. The handle is eastern red cedar with a deer decal I made myself. The butt inlay is a 20 gauge shell with a coat of Lumiseal over it. The trickiest part of this build was finding a deer antler big enough to use as the reel seat. I found a 10 point set that I was able to use. Thanks to Bill and A
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Had a customer request a bass rod with a baseball theme. I used a Rainshadow RX7 ISB843 blank with size 17 reel seat. The wrap is the circle wrap from Billy V.'s book. Also used the NGC with size 3 micro choker and running guides. All guides feature the Forhan locking wrap. The handle is oak with CA finish and custom decals. I had to make the handle twice as the first one got to thin in t
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Something new for me, turned an eastern red cedar fly rod grip and matching reel seat insert. Also tried the shadow wrap from Billy V.'s book and ended it with a wrapped epoxy ramp.
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Was asked to come up with a walleye rod for a banker. I decided to use casting resin to create my own split grip handle. Each end of the grip had two one dollar bills stuffed into the molds. The reel seat also contains a one dollar bill. The butt insert is the reverse side of the new penny. The guides are placed using the 27X NGC and Forhan locking wraps. Also am getting into wrapping so I
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A Fighting Sioux crappie rod for a family member. Tried my first attempt at using casting resin to create and turn my own custom split grip handle. Got the supplies at a craft store and watched several videos and it was pretty straight forward.
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I wanted to build myself a two piece travel rod to keep in the car for when I come upon that unexpected pond or river! I painted the blank silver and added a coat of Lumiseal to protect it. I turned and black flocked a wooden grip. The reel seat is a modified Batson pipe style. I turned a pen blank to complete the reel seat as well as the trim piece above the grip. I also tried my first wrap
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Finished a rod that will be displayed at my booth in an upcoming craft show. This was my 2nd attempt at a wrap and I used the US flag pattern in Billy V's book. A great book and easy to follow once I got my mind wrapped around it. The blank is a Rainshadow RX8 XSW62MX using NGC spacing with size 3 running guides. The oak handle was finished with CA. I used the Batson shims inside the p
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I had a customer request an ice rod for her father-in-law's Christmas gift. He makes arrowheads and she asked if I would be able to incorporate one into the rod. Here's what I came up with. The arrowhead is imbedded using casting resin. The cedar is sealed with CA and everything was polished up using micro mesh on the final step. Thanks go to Bill and Al at Midwest Rod and Reel for all t
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Recently finished my topwater rod. I saw a woodturning show on PBS and on one episode they were turning topwater lures and that gave me this idea for my topwater rod. I used a Rainshadow RX7 CB70MH for the blank and turned the split grips using bass wood. Got myself an airbrush to paint the grips...used one of my 6 year old daughters umpteen butterfly nets to simulate the scales. (I had her
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Last fall I unfortunately broke my original Sioux hockey themed rod. So I built this replacement, although this time it's a crappie rod, not a bass topwater rod. Stay tuned for that build, I've got a neat idea that I'm working on. This was built on a Batson RDR70L from Bill and Al at Midwest Rod and Reel. I created the reel seat with stainless skeleton reel seats surrounding an acrylic whit
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My son plays soccer and chose this theme for his rod. Built on a Batson SB722 with G-16 reel seat and stainless guides from Bill and Al at Midwest Rod and Reel. Used NGC and Forhan locking wrap. The grips are covered with black flocking and the decal above the foregrip is under wrapped with silver metallic Gudebrod thread. The graphics near the butt grip are printed on the silver metallic paper
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Another recent build using a Rainshadow RX7 IFT904. Features a black flocked split grip handle and is spiral wrapped with micro running guides. I also created some wild Vikings decals above the reel seat and between the grips. It looks great with my black Quantum Code baitcasting reel.
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Decided to strip and rebuild a rod I had from Gander Mtn. I think it was an RX7. The finished length is 5'4", the ERN is 14 and the AA is 73. I'm going to use it for skipping docks. I prefer split grips but had trouble getting that area of the rod clean so I turned an oak "faux" split grip. Even created a decal on gold metallic paper for the butt inlay. I could
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Another Christmas gift, this time an ice rod for those Devils's Lake walleyes and jumbo perch. Used gold skeleton seat and oak wood for the grips. The blank is ML action carbon.
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My oldest son is a Twins fan and chose this theme for his rod. Built on a Batson SB722 with G-16 reel seat, Double Black Chrome guides using NGC and Forhan locking wrap. The wooden handle was turned using oak and I created all the decals myself.
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My 7 year old sons favorite driver is Jimmy Johnson so we worked up a rod with that theme. I used an SB722 Forecast blank with Batson components. The reel seat was painted using Krylon Fusion silver paint. The grip is EVA with lines etched into it every 3/4". It's supposed to simulate racing tires stacked together.
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My daughter wanted her rod to have a puppy theme. I used an SB722 Forecast blank and turned a pine handle. To give it a puppy "feel" I flocked the grip with white and black flocking to give it a dalmation look. I created a collar decal and applied it to a band of the handle I left just a 1/8" high. Puppy tracks and lettering are decals placed over white thread wrappe
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This was a general use rod built for a friend of the familys son as a confirmation gift. The son likes fishing off the family's dock and can catch anything from panfish, bass, etc.
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A recent build. This is a bass topwater rod with a simple spiral using the smallest guides possible. I used Forecast components that I bought from Al and Bill at Midwest Rod and Reel.
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It's been a cooler than usual summer here in Minnesota. A guy asked if I built ice rods and having not yet built one, of course I replied "Yes". :) I wanted it to be lighter, comfortable, funtional and yet unique. I used a St. Croix carbon ML blank, Batson Double Black chrome guides, and a Batson Pipe Style seat. I modified the seat by first shortening it an inch. I cre
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Finished another rod. This time a fellow wanted a personalized Indy 500 themed rod for an uncle. As always, I used Forecast components from Al and Bill at Midwest Rod and Reel. I used a 7' RX7 ISJ842 blank, Double Black Chrome guides using NGC. I turned the grips using aromatic cedar. I used metallic gold Gudebrod as the underlay color for the walleye and scarlet and metallic gold for the guide
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Finished Mom's crappie rod. I used Forecast components from Al and Bill at Midwest Rod and Reel. I used a 7' RX7 IP840 blank, pipe style reel seat, Chrome guides using NGC and Forhan locking wrap. I turned the grips using pine. The decal of Elvis was applied over a white thread wrap. The name was done using a tutorial I found that was authored by Dave Rogers. Under the name decal I did a tiger
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