The Gorilla Glue I use is the original, which is a moisture curing polyurethane.
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For a good review of the gorilla glue finish, google Tim Anderson gorilla glue. He uses the finish on bamboo rods and reel seats. Jim
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I use gorilla glue and love it! Jim
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For vintage stuff online take a look at Rick's Rods website. He has vintage guides that are not listed, might have to call.
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I fish trout with ultra-light spinning gear almost exclusively. I like the Phenix Elixer 6 foot ultra-light.
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I've ordered blanks from NFC on four separate occasions and each time the blanks were shipped within several days and arrived in less than 2 weeks. I've been very happy with their service.
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I have used North Fork 601 and 602 both nice blanks. They arrived in less than 2 weeks. Also consider Phenix Elixer the Elixer blanks have a nice fast action which I prefer. 6 feet is my go to lenght for stream trout in SE Minnesota.
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Ray I build ultra-light spinning rods almost exclusively. I use minnima M series for the first two guides, usually a 16 and a 12, then recoil 6s in the spinning series for the running guides. For the tip top either a conventional ceramic tip top or tie on a minnima 4L as a tip top. I have tried tying on a recoil 6 for a tip top, but the noise drives me nuts.
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I have used YLI 100 Natural (3/0) with good results. I would think either of the Hitena silks would work. Use natural as white tends to look blue in the sunlight.
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Ray Lee has an @#$%& store, RL Reel Seats, very nice and very reasonable.
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dorbeR has one listed on their wesite. F602. Rainshadow used to make one but I don't see it listed anymore. I have the Rainshadow blank in the basement and would be willing to part with it, forest green. If your interested shoot me an email. I have used the dorbeR blanks and like them.
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I was following a discussion on max seal from a couple of years back and decided to try it as a wrap finish. I did four coats, the first being very heavy requiring the rod to to rotated for about 10 min. I let the first coat dry overnight and applied three additional coats in the morning. I let the finish flow from the brush unto the wrap with the bristles barely touching the wrap. I am quite
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6920 1 25/64" I don't have a 6925, but the 8325 Supreme is 1 17/32" Hope this helps Jim
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Thanks fellas for the advice. I have given it all a good deal of thought and figure if I am going to build one I might just as well shell out a few bucks and make it a good one. Length is no problem plenty of room for backcasts. Probably a 5/6 wt.
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Suppose you were to build a fly rod for a guy that was never going to be a very good caster, but just wanted to have a little fun with it. Sun fish with poppers on the Mississippi back waters and maybe an occasional smallmouth on the Root River down in SE Minn. What weight, what length, what material etc. I would be that hack. Thanks
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I build rods for a friend of mine that uses them every other day when minnesota weather will allow. He is the best fisherman I know. He demands a cork tennessee grip and attaches his reels with black electrical tape. This is on all his rods, trout, bass and walleye. Don't knock it until you try it. Jim
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Thanks for the info. I haven't bought the reel yet, but will probably pick one up saturday and give the minimas a shot. By the way if anyone is looking for a good light line (4 lbs. and under) give Silver Thread Trout a shot. Lou if the minima's are to low I will give you a shout. Thanks Again Jim
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I have been following the KR concept guide discussion with alot of interest. As a side note Ralph O'Quinn toll me about 20 years ago that he built backpacking spinning rods with #12 strippers. Back to my topic. About 18 years ago I built an ultra-light spinning rod for my 10 year old son and soon learned that an open faced reel was not the best one to start a kid on. I went to Fleet Farm and b
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For years I have used gudebrod 840 one part rod finish top coated with Lumiseal or Perma-Gloss on my thread wraps with great results. My supply of 840 is about gone anyone know of a good replacement or better yet any vendors have any left? Thanks Jim Reinhardt
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Thanks for the info Roger. I think I will use size 6 runners and a size 6 fuji sic titanium tip.
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I am building a walleye spinning rod for my neighbor on a St. Croix 5S68MXF-G blank. He has requested recoil gudes and a fuji sic titanium tip top. He fishes the Mississippi around Winona and is a bit concerned with the guides iceing up. I plan to use a 14" split grip handle with an #18 fuji seat and he will use a pflueger 6730 reel. I could use a little advice concerning guide sizes and
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Thanks for all the replies. Might have to build a couple of rods. Oh darn! Jim
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I have read every post I can find on smallmouth blanks. I need to build a spinning rod for smallmouth on the Root River on SE Minnesota. I usually use 1/8th oz jigs with a plastic grub and 6 lbs. fireline. I am thinking about a St. Croix 3S63MLXF, 3S69MLXF or 5S69MLXF, but I am open to suggestion. Fish will average 14"-16" with an occasional 20" fish. Thanks Jim
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I have a fairly small hand, but I use a size 20 seat even on UL spinning rods. I have used 18s and 17s, but like the feel of the 20.
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I am sad to hear of Gudebrods difficulties and am especially sad for the workers who lost their jobs. I know that there are not a lot of builders that used 840, but I did and liked it. We used it in our high school class where we sometimes had 25 rods being built at one time. Pretty hard to get 25 on a drier without destroying someones work. 840 was user friendly, dried quickly, was safe and pro
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If anyone is looking for a good ultra-light blank at a great price this is it! I have been making ultra-light trout rods for almost 30 years and have used every thing from Fenglass to Loomis IMX and this blank is up with the best of them. I cut a foot of the blank to make a 5'6" rod and used the rod this morning to cast 1/32 oz jigs on one of my favorite streams and the rod just felt right
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Thanks for the advise fellas. If I could find a retailer around here that carried the full St. Croix line I would be in business. There are a lot of stores in my area that carrry the avid series and down, but not a lot that carry the legend elite, which is what the blank would be when built into a rod. I guess I will keep looking. Thank you Jim
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My favorite trout rod is built on a St. Croix 5S59ULF blank. Yesterday I came really close to breaking the rod, which is bound to happen one day so I need to build a replacement. Does any one know how the 5S60ULF2-G compares? The 5S59ULF had an extremely light tip and a nice fast action that made it easy to cast very light jigs. I have tried the 3S60ULF, which is a fine blank, but not as much t
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Thanks for the advise. Double foot it will be. Jim
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I have read every thing I can find on setting up a simple spiral. I am building a friend a casting rod for northerns and muskies. The blank is 7' and it is supposed to be moderate action, but it seems to be more of a fast action blank to me. It will be used with 30 lbs. braid on an Ambassadeur 5500C3 reel, which is level wind with a fairly narrow spool. I plan to use a stripping guide followe
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