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4 weeks ago
Tom Kirkman
For many years I've watched rod company personnel browse the floor at the Expo to find ideas for what they'll be producing in one or two future model years. Most anything you'll see on commercially made rods this year, was displayed at the Expo a year or two prior. Most of this stuff originates with the custom builders.
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Forum: rodboard 5 weeks ago
Tom Kirkman
The opening on the tiptop should be at least as large as the opening on the smallest guides. Larger will work as well, but isn't necessary.
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Forum: rodboard 5 weeks ago
Tom Kirkman
Ross is correct. It is very typical that the manufacturer warranty against defects in materials and workmanship will be voided by any alterations (sanding, painting, shortening, lengthening, etc) made to the blank. When in doubt, contact the manufacturer and ask.
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Forum: rodboard 5 weeks ago
Tom Kirkman
Why do this? You always want to use the smallest guides and top that will pass your line and required connections. If a #8 will do that, what advantages does a #10 offer?
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Forum: rodboard 5 weeks ago
Tom Kirkman
When people claim masking tape is heavier, I think it is because they either are, or they assume, that you should fill in the space between the tape arbors/bushings with epoxy. That would indeed be heavy. It would also be completely unnecessary.
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Forum: rodboard 5 weeks ago
Tom Kirkman
I would use 10 guides on a 9 foot rod, plus tiptop. You could possibly do it with 9 but 11 would likely be overkill.
There is only one stripping guide on a fly rod (the first one past the reel) and I count that in the total number of guides.
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Forum: rodboard 5 weeks ago
Tom Kirkman
Robert,
Why would there be any extra epoxy?" Surely you aren't filling in the space between the masking tape bushings (at least I hope not). Encapsulating means you're just coating over the ends of the tape to seal out any moisture.
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Forum: rodboard 5 weeks ago
Tom Kirkman
I would advise using about 1 guide per foot of rod length, plus one. This does not include the tiptop.
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Forum: rodboard 5 weeks ago
Tom Kirkman
Note the epoxy in your mix cup - it'll be level every time.
The particular brand of epoxy is of no concern - they will all level equally well. The trick is to "do less." Don't poke and prod it to make it level - it will level on its own if you will only leave it alone. For a few tips read this-
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Forum: rodboard 5 weeks ago
Tom Kirkman
I used a soft pastel green. Easy on the eyes but offers good contrast.
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Forum: rodboard 5 weeks ago
Tom Kirkman
The line is much smaller than the ring ID on a 5mm, but in use you want to make sure the line passes freely. The only way to determine this is to tape on a set of guides and go try it.
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Forum: rodboard 5 weeks ago
Tom Kirkman
If you can find any Seeker CLB706 blanks you'll have what you want.
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Forum: rodboard 5 weeks ago
Tom Kirkman
I do a lot of this type fishing, but pull crankbaits. I like the Seeker CLB704 and for lighter use lean towards the CSB706. These are glass blanks with an outer wrap of carbon from the butt up about 2/3rds towards the tip. This allows a smaller diameter butt, lots of power but a very light, soft glass tip. I do not know if Seeker still offers these but anything in similar construction from anothe
Forum: rodboard 5 weeks ago
Tom Kirkman
Joe,
I have used ceramics on fly rods for 35 years. I have never killed the performance of any of them. Other aspects are actually enhanced such as line pay out while stripping or fish fighting. Just be sure to use the smallest and lightest type ceramics you can utilize.
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Forum: rodboard 5 weeks ago
Tom Kirkman
I would echo what Michael said about shortening the pull-through or start tag. Also, if you locate them all on the same axis they look as if they are intended rather than some sort of random helter-skelter type thing.
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Forum: rodboard 6 weeks ago
Tom Kirkman
On rods as light as those you could even get by with single foot guides in the #1 and #2 positions. Typically I don't use them because a 10 or 12 is high enough that there could be some durability issues with single foots in those positions. However, many others use them and do fine. Pressure from a fighting fish is highly unlikely to tax them so if you exercise some care in handling you could g
Forum: rodboard 6 weeks ago
Tom Kirkman
One of the recent threads below featured a post touting the old myth about prepping surfaces with coarse sandpaper for best adhesion. For the newer builders out there that may have never seen it, this is the article by chemist and epoxy formulator Ralph O'Quinn from RodMaker Magazine on proper surface preparation for best epoxy bonds. It's worth a read.
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Forum: rodboard 6 weeks ago
Tom Kirkman
Chris Rosell Wrote:
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> Epoxy likes a 80 grit finish for adhesion, I would
> score all bonding surfaces just prior to
> application, Clean first with DNA.
Chris,
Unfortunately, that's not actually true. Epoxy prefers a smooth, deglossed surface (water break free) for best adhesion. See the article by chemist Ralph O'Quinn in
Forum: rodboard 6 weeks ago
Tom Kirkman
51. Re: X-Ray blanks
If you sand, stop as soon as the sanding residue goes from clear (resin) to black (carbon). Also keep in mind that altering the blank's original condition can void a warranty. When in doubt, contact the maker and ask.
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Forum: rodboard 6 weeks ago
Tom Kirkman
The NSG were plenty beefy enough for this type rod. The TLKWTG has, I think, a much thinner and lighter frame. I doubt you can put more than about 20lbs of pull on the rod, which is a lot, so they might be okay. I just haven't used that particular frame so I might be tempted to stay with the TKWTG.
I think your choice of sizes is fine. Pretty much what I used.
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Forum: rodboard 6 weeks ago
Tom Kirkman
I have built dozens of these type rods. Typically used high frame double foot spinning guides for the first three guides off the real. Then drop down to low frame double foot casting guides. Keep in mind that you won’t be pulling any harder than what your leader and or tippet tests out at, regardless of how big the fishes.
For the double foot casting guides, I always used the TNSG model. But
Forum: rodboard 6 weeks ago
Tom Kirkman
You can put a 3rd application on after a few hours if you wish. If 3 weeks have gone by you can do that as well. But the longer you wait the greater the risk of having an issue.
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Forum: rodboard 6 weeks ago
Tom Kirkman
55. Re: line rub
Unless you're using your reel as a winch, the line may touch the blank but since you would never be retrieving under load that's about all it's going to do - touch.
However, one rule of good guide placement is use enough guides that the line isn't going to touch the rod. The smaller your guides, of course, the more of them you'll have to use to achieve that.
The spiral wrap gets rid of the
Forum: rodboard 6 weeks ago
Tom Kirkman
I think that's the correct nomenclature (CBS) but I might have it wrong. So look under their live bait and/or crankbait series.
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Forum: rodboard 6 weeks ago
Tom Kirkman
The epoxy manufacturers have made it easy and formulated rod building epoxies to be mixed by volume. No math, no scales. Just 1 to 1 by volume.
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Forum: rodboard 6 weeks ago
Tom Kirkman
The Seeker CBS Series for instance. RodGeeks had something similar a few years ago. They might still offer them.
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Forum: rodboard 7 weeks ago
Tom Kirkman
A lot of things Edison did turned out not to work. At any rate, the only control you'd have over what you suggest is cutting the pattern to move the overlap to a different point. But even that is going to be a bit haphazard as it is only one of maybe seven or eight variables that create what rod builders call "spine." Even if you got lucky, the difference between the softest (spine) and
Forum: rodboard 7 weeks ago
Tom Kirkman
The original New Guide Concept was initiated in the mid 1990's.
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Forum: rodboard |