He wants a long cork grip, ~12" - 14", and will use a low profile baitcaster like a Shimano bantam, a Pinnacle Inertia, or something similar. He talked about recoil guides, but isn't sure. I haven't used them but they look pretty light. Maybe a butt guide and tip top with an insert since I understand the recoils tend to get grooves. Thanks for the response. Anyone else?
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I haven't done anything like that, but it seems like you could make it like a fighting butt. Some fighting butts screw in. Does the butt of the blank have enough room for that? Would that weigh too much? Just a thought.
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A friend of mine just gave me an AMSH 1141-2 blank that he wants to be a bait caster for trout. I told him I thought it would work better with an acid wrap. At least I could space out the tip guides a little further, but he wants the guides on top as a conventional casting rod. I haven't really started anything with it yet, just got it home today. My problem is when I do a static guide distribu
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You can look at the minima type seats, or go to swampland's page. They have an example of how to do it, a picture. The material is not to hard to cut and shape.
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That was one I found from a quick look at the photo section to show the idea. The blank would be in contact with the reel seat along either the top (for a spinner) or else the bottom (for a baitcaster). I thought putting the blank in contact with the reel seat would better transmit vibrations and maybe allow better contact to the blank with the users hand / fingers. Mostly I use baitcasters, my f
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Here is the start for one.
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Why do some builders recommend to apply a layer of finish before applying a decal? Why not apply directly to the blank?
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I was contemplating a spinning rod with the blank off-set (not centered) as I have seen in some of the photos posted here. I had thought about it before, but seeing some other rods built that way brought it back to mind. SInce the blank is a bit further from the spool do we need to adjust the 27X factor? Or is the small change/shift in blank relative to reel enough to get concerned about? From t
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I use U40 rod bond for cork rings, attaching cork grips, reel seats, and butt caps / rings. What "problem turning later" are you refering to Phil? Is the Titebond III easier to turn? Thanks, Andy K
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Wow, that is one WAY different way to fish. Watch some of the other little clips on using their type of pole. No guides, no reel, no nothing . . .
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So you place O-rings along the blank at the potential guide locations and run the line up through the O-rings to do a static load test? Where do you get the smaller ones to fit the top part of the blank? Currently I cut short bands from small diameter tubing to make small rubber bands and use them to hold the guides in place. I can move the guides around easier than using narrow tape, but I li
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After letting it settle and getting some sleep things don't look quite as bad as I was thinking. I can see all the smudges in the light, but none of them are obvious bumps or raised areas. I think a little smoothing and a light coat should be fine. Perfectionist? Just tired? Both . . . obviously there is NO "going back over areas" for touch up or smoothing. Just put it on quick and smoo
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The guide with 3 coats on the wraps looks nice, so does the one with eight. Kind of a wavy look to a glassy smooth shiny surface and crystal clear finish. When I get to the guides I will try to reference those. I think I would like the "no thread ridges" with a finger nail stage and then stop. That sounds / looks like three or four thin coats on the wraps. But right now I have a bar
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From step #6 on the instruction sheet included with the permagloss: "There is virtually no limit to the number of coats that may be used. Just be sure that one coat is tack-free (usually one hour) before applying another coat - or bubbling will occur." Not trying to sound smart-alicky (sp?) Just since this is my first time using this stuff I must have read that little sheet about five
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So I am putting on a few thin coats of permagloss on a two piece blank. I am using some nylons held in a wad for a "brush" because they are lint free. (No lint free rags at this time.) The first coat goes OK on the top and bottom halves, not bad for a first time use of PG. I feel pretty good about it, so I set it to cure for about six hours or so and then try to apply a second coat on t
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Do a search using the tool bar on top of this page for spine finders, rod spine, etceteras. That should give you something to ponder / read for awhile and will likely answer a few other questions you may not have thought of yet. Take a look at the photo section of this page also. Enjoy!
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I was browsing through some listings and found this list for Star rods, maybe it will help. Can I list another site like this? Breaking a rule? Hope not.
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Well then. Sounds like I need to finish it up and take it out fishing! I totally agree with a fishing rod feeling good in the hand. Maybe on a next rod I will play around with the whole "less is better idea", as long as it still feels good. Thanks for the feedback! Andy
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The few I've done so far were pretty straight forward cork. I found it easier to have sandpaper on a sanding block to keep it flat. Using sandpaper by hand was harder to keep a flat surface. I turned some with my drill press and some with a rod wrapper I built. I held the sanding block below the work on my wrapper and to the side on my drill press with a vacuum cleaner hose very nearby on the out
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I am working on this spinner for steelhead. After seeing some work in the photo area I got to wondering. I have only built a few rods and pretty much went with how I see other spinners "in the store", but with the components I wanted. This one is for me. So my question is: Will I notice the difference in sensitivity if I remove the fore-grip and cut the seat down to a skeleton seat?
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how would you compare the auto coat, urethane, and permagloss? I have seen several folks on here talk about urethane for a top coat. I have a can for brush on things, it is pretty amber in color. Does the amber show in the thin spray on application, compared to PG? Thanks.
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Thanks Tom. Bob, I sent an Email. Didn't want to fill up this page with stuff. Thanks for all the replies so far.
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Thank you all. At this point I plan to attend that show at Lamiglas. I hope to make a rod, but I was not fast enough to respond. Still, "stand-by" is not a "no"and Kendra seems very nice from here E-mails. A local builder I know recently told me about that so I have made plans to go. Just need to get a room. I am in the Tri-city, Washington area. It is a few hours drive f
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Sorry about that.
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I just bought a speedball pen kit with a few points in it and a hunt crows quill since it came with a vial of gold calligraphy ink. Using it is a bit frustrating . . . I found some charts on the speedball sight that have instruction on how to use the pens to make different letters and I noticed in really small print on the chart it lists numbers for left handed tips. And I am left handed . . .
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Washington state. Looking at some of the work in the gallery is quite inspiring . . . and somewhat intimidating. Obviously I first need to learn to stand, then walk, then . . . Anyway, some of the pre-made jigs are a bit pricey to just find out if I like to weave or not. I am relatively new to rod building and have much to learn. I made a nice 7' spinner for my son to steelhead with since he
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I was thinking of making a weaving jig to see if I care for weaving. Looking around I see some round jigs that wrap around the rod, some flat jigs with "V" foam blocks, and some like the flat jigs that are just curved 90*. Any preferences? Is one better than the other, or does it just depend on the type of weave being done? Has this area already been covered on here? Thanks.
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Great. I am glad I saw this post. I have used a gelly roll metallic pen followed by a spray acrylic top coat. It was ok, could be better. Near the back of this Rodmaker is a short on signing the finished blank and there is a litho pen and some india ink . . . imagine that. I think I would like to try the litho pen.
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I was talking to a local rod builder friend about ways to paint a blank and we talked some about using auto paint and then a clear top coat. He said that was a good hard coating, but it added some extra weight to the blank. I haven't done it myself but I thought it might be worth mentioning. I guess it depends on what type blank and how it will be used.
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I also had some bearings around. Some while ago, after looking at different designs for spine finders, I just put two 6" uprights on each end of a 14" piece of cedar I also had around. I put snug holes in the uprights to hold the bearings in place and then put it to use. I works OK, not great . . . certainly not any better than just having the big end on a flat surface (table, smooth fl
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