Eric: Thanks for the information on the smaller tip top. I just added this and 4 size 4 LAG guides to the order. I am building in a rod building vacuum here, and without this site, I can only go by the catalog discriptions, and this site for these products. I have deciced to do some imperical testing on this rod build. I am thinking something along the lines of setting the rod up for the lar
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Thanks for all of the help. I just ordered the parts for the rod. The Fuji CYAG guides are tall. I wasn't able to go to the 4's for the running guides. Seems Fuji doesn't make a CFAT tip top with a 4.5 tube smaller then a 6. The running guides will be CLAG 6's. These will still be small enough for my old eyes to wrap. I will let you know what I come up with for guide size and spaceing.
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David: This rod will be built on a Batson SB720-4 blank. This is a 6' rod. I know the 2lb diam braid is light for this blank, but the line is 10lb test breaking strength, and is over the 8lb rateing for the rod. I really don't know how this is all figured out. I will be doing a first time split rear grip on this rod. I don't think the grip area will be much defferent then when I us a 7"
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I am getting ready to order parts for a new build. I have 2 different reels that I want to use with this rod. One has a spool Diam. of 35mm and the other is 41mm. The center of the spool for both these reels is the same. I will be using 2lb diam braid on one reel, and 4 or 6lb diam braid on the other. I know that the choker guide is placed by the diam. of the reel spool. Should I use an ave
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Jim: I am currently using the St. Croix 2S60ULF2, and 2S66ULF2 blanks. I love these blanks, They are just a little on the light side for some of the fish. I am useing 2lb diam. 10lb test braid. I have hooked fish that stressed these blanks to the max, and even though the line was a little over a year old, broke the line. I know that I am asking for that magical "all around" blan
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I have been building rods for a long time, but now find that I want to step out of my comfort zone. I built my first rod using the new concept guide system, and liked the way the rod felt and cast. I really liked the Batson SB720-4 blank that I built this rod on. I am just worried that the SB720-4 blank might have trouble casting the 1/32oz tube jigs, light Mepps, and Rostertails I use. The a
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Ken: Did you find the Doc Martin's ink at Hobby Lobby? I know the local one didn't carry it. Basically I have found that there are only 2 places that stock this ink. Doc Martin's had some trouble with the first formula they produced. The ink didn't flow very well in a steel nib pen. The ink also had a tendancy to eat the plastic eye dropper that was in the bottle. They reformulated the ink
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I know this isn't rod building related, but figured I would ask here since some rods have cord wrapped grips. I have a friend that wants a grip wrapped on a walking staff. The staff is round and the grip area is about 12" long. I could do a simple wrap for him, but thought a cross wrap would really look nice, and add some grip. Have any of you done a cross wrap in cord, and if you have,
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Ken: I originally found it at an art store close to me. Since then I have been buying it either from the makers of the product, or some of the on line art suppliers. Do a google search for Doc Martin's.
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Dr. Ph. Martin's Iridescent here. This will flow through a dip pen. I don't have to us cp with it. it cleans off the blank with alcohol. The effect of this ink in full sunlight is unbelivable. It glows. I have used their Gold, Silver, and White. I just got a bottle of their Black Sparkle. It looks a little on the grey side. I will let you know how it looks on the blank tomorrow.
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Thanks Tom: I am not looking at doing a big deal. Heck, if we can get some of the rod builders in Idaho together for coffee, we would be farther ahead then we are now.
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I am wondering if there are any rod builders in the Boise area that might want to get together? I am includeing the areas of Oregon and Nevada that are close to the Boise area, or those that don't mind traveling. This is completely off the cuff. I am just wondering how many rod builders there are in the area that would like to get together?
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I am getting ready to build myself a new rod. I built a Batson SB720-4 for a friend, and really liked the feel of this blank. The problem is that this blank is rated for 1/16oz lures and 4lb line. I often fish for crappie and use 1/32oz tube jigs, and 2lb braid. I know that Batson makes a SP720-4 that is rated for this. The other problem is I fish waters where you might catch bass, catfish,
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Rick: Look at Anglers Workshop (on the left). They carry the CPW.
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I have the CPW @#$%& carriage. I am not overly happy with it. The way you change the thread tension with this device is by adding or removing different thicknesses of paper washers. If you start a wrap, and then want to change tension, you have to seperate the magnets, and change the washers. This is sort of a pain. I really liked my old hand wrapper that had the sewing machine thread tensio
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I am using Varathane Spar Urethane to finish a new bamboo rod. I have run 2 coats on the rod so far. The first coat stayed slightly tacky after several days. I scuffed the surface, and ran the second coat. The second coat is still slightly tacky after a week. I am doing this in the house where the temp is set for 71 degrees. I stirred the Varathane well before I applied it. I am using a fo
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I use masking tape. I was having problems with the tape leaving a residue on the blank and guide foot. I don't build a lot of rods, and with my current situation, I was tapeing the guides, and testing the rod, and it might be a week or a month before I wrapped it. I started using the blue "painter's tape, and didn't have any more problems with the residue. Don't over think this. I can b
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Bill: Rawhide woven rope wrapped for the grips with a silver concho butt cap.
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Thanks George, that is sort of what I thought, but didn't want to mess things up.
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Tom: Thanks for the quick relpy. Now how do I get the dried CP off the blank where I went beyond the thread?
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I just finished wrapping a bamboo rod. I used nylon thread in Cardinal red with metallic black trim. The blank is very light in color (not flamed, and not varnished). I ran 3 coats of Flex Coat CP on the wraps. I tried to keep the CP off of the blank thinking that the CP on the blank might show through the varnish, or not let the vanish get to the blank. Now I am wondering if this was a real
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I used Johnson's paste wax for years, and then switched to the U-40 sealer. The U-40 seems to go deeper into the cork. I still do 2 coats of the paste wax after the U-40 dries. It gives some depth to the shine.
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Adam: First off, don't force the cork down on the blank. You don't want to clean all of the glue off the blank/cork. Forcing the cork down will cause splitting of the cork. I have a set of reamers that are made from pieces of rod blank with grit glued on them (FlexCoat). I have been using these for 20+ years, and they are still working. I know that this is the old slow method, but then ag
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I have ordered the book "Shadowcasting: An Introduction to the Art of Flyfishing" This book was written by the guy that did the casting in the movie "A River Runs Through It". The author is John Dietsch. The book is listed as an "introduction to the art of flyfishing", but also has stories about the making of "A River Runs Through It". I will let you kn
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I built a fly rod for my Dad, and since he passed, I have been looking for it. I finally found it today. It is a 9' 6# LCI graphite. I signed and dated the rod. It was built for Father's Day in 1986. This old rod has seen many miles on the creeks, rivers, and lakes of Idaho and Oregon. It is in surprizingly good shape. I have cleaned the cork, and it will need a little filling and light sa
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Sorry for high jacking this subject. Tom, the Hexagraph blank does appear to be made from a flat piece of graphite with a foam core backing, and is then cut, and tappered just like bamboo. The blank does appear to be solid. I contacted the Hexagraph company, about some of the comments on this thread. I received this reply: "First off, the movie "A River Runs Through It" was
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i was wrong on the name of the rod blank. I called it Hexilon. It is actually Hexagraph. "rod builder extraordinaire Walton Powell created the revolutionary Hexagraph fly-rod. Featured exclusively in the film version of A River Runs Through it, all Hexagraph rods duplicate the appearance and actions of fine, custom-built, split-cane fly rods, assembled by gluing six tapered sections toget
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Looks like the old Hexilon blanks. I was told that the rods used in "A River runs through it", were made by Hexilon, and were graphite rods instead of bamboo.
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Bert: How much too short are you with getting the 2 pieces to go tight? If it is a short distance, just trim the male section of the rod back a little until the 2 sections are tight.
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I just took a new rod out of the dryer. I had trouble getting the rod tight enough in the chuck so that it didn't slip. I wrapped the area of the rod where the 3 screws thightened on the cork with a rubber turniquet. There are now 3 dents in the cork. I am wondering if I can raise these dents with seam or warm water? I did seal this cork with U40. Any ideas?
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