Do any of the sponsors have any Lew's speedstick graphiteTennesee tube handles laying around to sell. I can't find any on the sites but not sure if I was looking in the right spots? Thanks for any help.
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What are the CCS numbers.
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Ours came from a company called Insulation Products Corporation. It is a wholesale only company. It is called Heat shrinkable Pololefin Tubing, the product numbeer is IP33po, It is the one and a half inch diameter clear that shrinks down to 0.75 inches. It is 0.040 thickness, not sure what that is in Mils. Mudhole has some on their site that is 2 mil but have not used it yet. Perhaps some o
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Another option is the use of shrink tubing, We have been using it for years. It comes in clear or a variety of colors. A one to two inch band of it on each end of the reel is all you need. I use the clear as it lets the color of the handle and reel show through making the whole setup look really clean.
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Isn't that what makes this site and rodbuilding what it is today. When people stop going outside the box and trying new things the craft would stagnate. It applies whether it be tools, techniques, art, and a myriad of other things. If we had stopped with what the first generation of builders learned we might be in a stale craft. Seems some things work and some things don't, but if we don't st
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What I have found is that, if you research the rod blank companies, the good ones list their different qualities and most generally they explain it very well. It is the difference in materials used along with some things that aren't listed like the actuall process of building the rod and proprietary materials although some of them even let you build a rod. It was made clearer for me by St Croix
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The only thing I rely on for the company rating is to get me close if I haven't actually fished a finished blank. I have found that the CCS numbers on the better quality blanks are quite consistant. I don't eyeball anything. I have found that St Croix, Batson, Pac Bay, and Shikari blanks were extremely consistant in their CCS numbers. All companies were within 3 to 10 pennies in the power ran
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Bob, you are correct, not knockin any blanks or any person, just they don't make what i'm lookin for. Yet.
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Roger, which of these new blanks would you recommend in the 7 to 7 and a half foot range that would be as fast or faster than the SCV older models. I have some 6 footers of the old SCV that I extended to 7 foot that are extremely fast, as fast as the Shikari,s but along with that comes the power. I am seeking that almost perfect lightweight extremely fast 120 to 130 penny rod like the old Shika
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I concur with your evaluation Roger. I was hoping to find something along the lines of the old Shikari IWR 7000 walley rod. Perhaps when NFC expands their lines, such an animal will be in the offerings.
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I have purchased two IM blanks. I was looking for some ex-fast blanks that could possibly compare to some of the old Shikari line. The two I purchased are of good quality and not sure what they would compare to. The only disappointment I had with them is that they are not as fast as I had hoped they would be. They are not as fast as some of the old Shikari rods or the Old Loomis rods and ther
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I have done it with a dremmel tool to get the guide out then the stuff chips off fairly easy once the guide is removed.
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If I have a blank that I really like with a butt diameter of .475 and a tip size of 4.5, but that blank is no longer made, is it possible to use only those same numbers from a different manufacturer with as close to as possible similar material and get the same or similar blank? Would it help if I also threw in the line and lure rating with those numbers to get what i'm after? Would all blanks
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Jeremy, the nice thing about trolling rods is that there are lots of blanks out there for the application. The best ones in my opinion are the ones made of fiberglass. I have several of them in different lengths that were built out of old school blanks that were around for years. Several of the sponsors on here carry blanks that will be perfect for your build. Mine were so old of blanks i co
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I've found that lure weights are pretty subjective from the manufacturers also. I use that particular build for vertical jigging 1/16 to 1/4 oz jigs, I think it is great for that application and a few others even. I'm not sure but i believe it has more to do with the tapers and actions when looking for blanks or rods to do the job.
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Roger, if you havn't already, take a look at some of the technique specific drop shot rods. If price is of no concern NFC drop shot rod fits the bill nicely. I recently bought one and it would fit that niche nicely. I also have an RX8+ built with a graphite tube tennessee handle with wooden arbor at the front and rear. The arbors are about an inch and an inch and a half. It has Fuji alconite
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I bought some of this sulky thread from a JoAnns fabric store here. for 165 yd spools it was regularly 4.59 but they ran it on sale for 1/2 price they had well over 50 or 60 colors.
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Maybe something along the lines of a Batson 841 2 or 3 popping rod would work.
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How would this be too much different than doing a total rebuild on a factory rod? Most of the time on a rebuild all you are doing is adding a new handle or a guide or two. Sometimes it is just replacing guides. As long as you are not having to warranty the parts they give you I don't see how you could go wrong. It seems to me to be part of custom building. If the job is not to your liking be
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There are many attributes that make up a reliable rod, materials and workmanship are a couple. Lots of tools to use like CCS, company name, and suggestions from those who may have held a similar rod or the rod you are looking for in their hands. I am not sure that an accomplised fly fishermen could give me any better advice than an accomplished rod builder, or an accomplished catfishermen. Pro
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Batson 7' 822.5 RX6, excellent power, speed, and toughness for bass fishermen.
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Speaking fom a hobby builders standpoint, I give kudo's to all the componet suppliers for trying to offer the best product at the best price possible, you guys appear to be in a very competitive business. My particular dillema is that i have a very reputable supplier within 60 miles of me. This supplier has no storefront sales and is mailorder only. Because of the law, if I purchase from this
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Well that is certainly interesting but that style is not for me, too old school I guess. Never say never though. I can understand the theory behind it though. Thanks for the information.
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For those who know the actual value of a custom built rod, I think it would be many years of use since most are above average fishermen. However there are still many above average fishermen who a custom rod may not last very long for. One would have to know how that individual takes care of their fishing equipment. I'm thinking a custom built rod would be better taken care of than those who ju
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Can you direct me to where I can find that information? I am not familiar with the term.
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Okay, you got my interest now. How are you attaching the handle to the blank? I'm using two one inch pieces of hardwood, one at the front and one at the back turned down on a lathe creating an empty chamber with the tube. Tennessee handles must not be all that popular I figure, otherwise I would have thought some manufacturer would have taken a design like the old Shimano Bullwhip series and in
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Steve, I build exactly as you do with the possible exception that I don't use cork with the graphite tubing. All my spinning rods are built that way. I was intrigued by the thought that with reel seats it appeared one would be sacrificing balance and or weight. It appears that some are making it work with the reel seats. I was toying with building a rod with a very light weight seat using ver
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I'm wrapping guides on one of them Loomis rods I got from you. Thanks for the e-mail card I got from ya. Hope you have a great rodbuilding new year!!
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I was a little intrigued by the split grip handle responses so I thought I might pose this question to you all. What are the advantages of using a fixed reel seat over a strictly tennessee style handle in freshwater fishing? Doesn't a fixed reel seat lend itself to only one spot on the rod? Does this not effect balance and weight? Is balance and weight not important to the average custom rod
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I get to learn something here. Not being around salt water stuff, I never get to see them. The site I looked at that sells these reels suggests they be paired with a salt slammer rod, I am assuming that since this rod matches up with the reel there is a supply of reel seats that would fit it, and i am assuming that someone would carry these seats for custom builders. I know when I build a rod,
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