Some folks put a short section of EVA grip on, especially for surf rods. Might measure about 1-2 inches, depending on desired optics. I am not overly impressed with that look as it reminds me of someone's shi-shi poodle with the new haircut. Lately, after installing the shrink tube I tape up the ends where they meet the edge of the reel seat with electrical tape, then put on a couple laye
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I'd look at the ferrulled reelseats at Mudhole. For a blank I would use an AMTAK glass blanks that Mudhole sells. I have bought a number of those and they are very satisfactory. They even sell a shortie version. If you are also trolling with it, I can recommend the Stuart slick butts for the butt section, but hypalon if you are not going to be sticking it into a rod holder. Hypalon f
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I start with what looks right (when compared to other rods) then do the static test. That answers a lot of questions about placement. The key guide for me is not the stripper but about the second or third or fourth one from the top, that is at the apex of the rod when under load. Under load witha biggun, I don't like the line touching the blank at all.
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I fish the Indian River Lagoon, just south of you, and wade a lot so I like a longer rod than normal. I use steelhead blanks in the 8-10' range, the longer ones being especially good flipping an unweighted shrimp, and the lighter line. Sure they are a little parabolic, but for this app, I find them pretty much perfect.
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In my experience, there is only so much you can do with guide foot preparation, when using relatively inflexible guides such as the Perfections or Pac Bays on flexible blanks. These blanks get really stressed when under full load with a tuna or yellowtail, and unless you whittle the guide foot down considerably you will get the cracking of the epoxy. The composition of the foot material is
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I've built on this blank as well as the 196 size, and fished both. For me the answer to your question is not in the blank but in the guides. If using the chrome Perfections or Pac Bay's in the West Coast style I would use a heavier thread or double wrap the structural thread because the guide feet are relatively inflexible and will wear through the thread and/or causing the epoxy tro crack righ
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The only thing I might add to the above is a suggestion to not go below a size 10 on the guides. The tip is already a size 12. There are optic reasons as well as the practicality of nearness of the line to the blank, albeit fractional. I'd also use fewer guides, no more than 9 on what will wind up being about an 8' blank. My experience fishing this approximate size/weight of rod is SoC
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Everyone has done a nice job answering the question posed. Often the gimbal (on a saltwater rod at least) is the last thing to get lined up with the reelseat and the guides. One method is to place a sharpened pencil vertically accross the slots of the gimbal once it is glued in, and then just use the point to align (by rotating the gimbal clockwise or counterclockwise) the gimbal up wi
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Mudhole has a whole bunch of nice blanks for under $19 in that 7' range. They call them e-glass specials, I think. I have built a number of those and can vouch for them.
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I'd rather sand than use heat, to avoid structural damage to the blank in a key area, JMO So I scrape first, with an exacto knife, then sand with fine grit sandpaper. Works fine for me, but everyone has their methods. If you do blow it, the fix is easy, just epoxy another blank section up the butt of the one you are redoing, and yer good to go! I did that on a brutish yellowtail rod
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Sean: "Travel" and "heavy" could be broadly defined. What is your application: species/geography? Judging by your referenced choices so far there is till quite a range: Jigging/long range? mahseer/Himalayas? threadfin/Maldives? tigerfish/Africa? dorado/South America? cobia/Thailand? Albacore/ benguela current? yellowfin/Ecuador? cod/Sweden? GT's/Midway? etc.
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The FS was "Fly Spin" and much more parabolic that the PLS which was a faster taper. The FS70 mentioned was a classic smallmouth rod on the upper Potomac way back when. Memories!
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I use both, and combinations of both. Just finished an 8 1/2 foot baitcaster with double footed guides all the way, and I plan to use 10-15 lb line on it. Soon up will be a 10 1/2 ft trigger rod that I plan to use to throw shrimp on the flats - it will have one or two double foot guides at the stripper end and single foots the rest of the way. I don't like the single foot fly guides for cast
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Gents. I'll try and figure out how to unblock my e-mail. Thanks for the leads. I really only need one or two guides to round out a set.....
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It was for a butt section that extended through the entire handle to the very front of the foregrip, then extended 6" or so into the tip section. Overall, perhaps 20 inches of aluminum.
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Folks: Just came up with a brainwave that works (i.e. has been reduced to practice). Over the last few years I have used aluminum tubing for a wide variety of purposes in butt sections of rods, including boat, surf, and more. Mostly saltwater. I recently needed a small diameter tube and happened to notice an old aluminum ski pole: it fit perfectly into a fiberglass tip section and w
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Does anyone have a source for these? These are a heavy duty saltwater boat rod ring guide, with a gold platesd frame and a SIC insert. I'm looking for size 10 or 12. I think Fuji stopped selling them in the US a few years ago. Thanks in advance
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I have some old guides and tips. Can you please post or send me a picture of what you are looking for? If I have a match and it is just for one rod, I'll happily just give them to you.
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