Best wishes for great hunts and great fishing trips.
Forum: rodboard

What do you plan to do with your current inventory?
Forum: rodboard

Cut a small section ( one inch or so) of the shrink wrap and test it on the area you want to cover. It will remove easily after testing. If it shrinks tight, you are good to go. I would cut to length (as noted, I have not found shrink wrap to shorten) coat the area with a thin coat of epoxy, slide on the shrink wrap, heat and you should have a nice finished product. One thing to consider is you
Forum: rodboard

I did a rod with CTS epoxy and was very careful to mix according to instruction. The finish ended up tacky. I let it sit for several days and it never did cure. I mixed up a batch of Flex Coat Lite, recoated, and the finish was cured within 12 hours. CTS may be a good product, but I find the ratios are hard to manage. Maybe others who have had success can share their knowledge of how to mix
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I got another message from them that states "all Xray blanks will have ridges and matte finish and all Deltas will have ridges and shiny finish". Sounds like it's intentional.
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I sent a request to NFC about the ridges and the warranty. They specifically stated that the blank was designed that way. They did not yet have a stand on the warranty if sanding. Will add warranty info if/when i get it.
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How do you sand the NFC blanks? Do you spin the rod on a lathe or sand it by hand? What grades of sandpaper do you use? Do you use wet or dry paper? Thanks for the help.
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Thanks to all for the responses. This answers my questions.
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I know the spine is different from the straightest axis. I am attempting to find the straightest axis of the four pieces combined. I mounted the butt section in the rod lathe and supported it close to the lathe. I set up a vertical piece of graph paper at the end of the butt section, for reference. I rotated the butt section and found the straightest axis. I then attached the second section,
Forum: rodboard

I am building a 4 piece fly rod. I am at the point of trying to align the pieces to find the axis for the guides. What process do you use to find the axis when dealing with multiple piece rods? Also, how big/small of a loop is acceptable for the tip when rotating the blank?
Forum: rodboard

Remember, everyone is different. I like Phil's response to just beyond your reach. That way it fits you, not a dimension.
Forum: rodboard

One thing to do is to research the wood type you are turning. Some are toxic when particles are inhaled. One needs to understand the hazards going in.
Forum: rodboard

Remember weight is weight. The heavier a rod is, the more downward force it puts on you when holding it. Even if it balances the rod, it is added weight. I found making the lightest rod is the best answer. You will probably find the lightest rod is not that far out of balance, and is easier on the body over a long day of fishing.
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What is your ultimate goal by taking the measurements? Is it a more sophisticated form of CCS?
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I found that using flat tipped chisels are also very useful. I have two 1/2" Stanley chisels that I use often. They are cheap and they are easy to sharpen with a wet stone. Sharp tools are essential.
Forum: rodboard

I am building an 8 weight fly rod and am considering the Hopkins and Holloway guides. Primary use is for bonefish. What experience do any of you have with the Hopkins and Holloway single foot snake guides? Where can you buy these guides? Is there a better single foot guide out there? Or, is it better to stick with the traditional snake guides? Also, What size guides do you recommend
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I know a lot of people have posted about NFC. I have to say I was very satisfied in my dealings with them. I ordered two blanks on Black Friday. While ordering I made a mistake and entered the order twice. I noticed this when two billings showed up on my credit card. I sent them an email explaining the predicament. I got a response within 24 hours and they cancelled one of the two orders.
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Thanks
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I'm starting into my first surf rod build and have some questions. At what distance do you place the reel seat from the base of the rod and why? I plan to build with a normal reduction train based on the Angler's Resource guidance and use size 5 or 6 running guides. Does that sound logical?
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The shear number of responses tells how much passion there is for braid versus mono/FC. Several arguments I have for braid over mono/FC are mostly listed in other posts. Some additional items to consider are: 1. Backlashes on casting reels. When I started fishing 50 or so years ago, I started with dacron line on a Shakespeare casting reel. I backlashed the line so badly, my mentor spent at
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Depending on how anxious you are, look into Craig's list or other want ads/want ad sites. I found a Jet variable speed that was barely used for $300.00. It has been a solid performer since I bought it.
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Forget this. Just tried again and it went through.
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Anyone having trouble with the NFC website and placing an order? Tried numerous times and doesn't seem to want to accept the order.
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Thanks to all for the info. Never thought of chalk, jig head powder, or the powder marbling pigments. Have tried dry pigments and had good results. Not so good with paint mediums. Never thought of the solvents in the paint mediums and can see how that would be a problem.
Forum: rodboard

Has anyone tried to color epoxy? What do you use for a color medium - dry pigment, oil based paint, water based paint, other paints, or something else? Does any brand of epoxy take to coloring better than any others? What is the best way to mix the epoxy and color medium? What ratios do you use? Does adding a color reduce the effectiveness of the epoxy? Thanks for the info.
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You can also buy them on line. They are not expensive at all. The on line suppliers can supply different materials and any size you need.
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Try cork 4 us or mogo cork.
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Mark, Thanks for the pics. Being an engineer myself, I can appreciate your attention to detail and desire for something better. Very nice stuff! Ed
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Mark, You mentioned a curing cabinet. I have often thought about that to reduce the possibility of dust intrusion, etc in addition to providing a good environment for finish. Some questions: 1. Would be please provide the details of your curing cabinet? 2. What is your process? I.e. Apply finish outside the cabinet and insert for curing, or insert rod in cabinet, preheat rod, apply finis
Forum: rodboard

I wasn't happy with guide placement on the original build. Thus the reason for redoing the guides.
Forum: rodboard