Yes, all manner of tools that spin are used for cork shaping. If you do a search on lathes, you will find all the different types that we use for this task. There are drill powered lathes that are simple and relatively inexpensive all the way up to full powered lathes used to turn wood. There are examples of builders using drill presses for cork shaping as well. When just using a drill, th
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You might try pledge or similar furniture polish. Make sure the rod is clean first, using alcohol on a soft rag, allow to dry. Spray down with the polish, then buff with a soft cloth. You will be surprised how well this works for returning luster and hiding small dings in the finish. Terry
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Ferrule designs these days really make multiple pieces perform well. A 4-piece rod won't detract from the rod's action as in older designs. You might be pleasantly surprised at this. If you find the length you want in a 4-piece, don't hesitate in buying it. Terry
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One of the reasons I like turning on the lathe with a mandrel is that I have no problems getting the grips round prior to sanding. I use an oval skew chisel for rounding (make sure this is sharp) and square the ends. You really have to use a cutting tool of some kind (the surform tool is good also). I used to use a wood rasp on a tool rest to grind down the uneven surface, including any epoxy
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Interesting that your fore grip is 1 1/4" at the end. Must be something other than cork, probably a composite grip? Anyway, if you are stuck with that end dimension, I would probably use 3 cork rings and turn them into a ramp, then over wrap them with thread and coat with finish. You could also build up an epoxy ramp either with tinted paste epoxy, or untinted paste epoxy then over wra
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Bobbins work fine. Go forth and wrap. Terry
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Since you are building NGC, the choke point is one consideration but the first guide is also one as well. If the spool sizes are similar but the spool angles are significantly different, the location of the stripping guide can be critical as well. You can get close but I would follow the suggestion of building for the middle reel, or the one you are likely to use most often. Terry
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Unless you are dying to have a power wrapper, at 6-10 rods a year, a decent hand wrapper will do nicely. If you plan on expanding to 20-50 rods a year, then a power wrapper might be a good choice. People build a lot of nice rods on hand wrappers, and I used one for years before upgrading. The Sully wrapper is a good choice, as is the Flexcoat wrapper. It's pretty easy to make one yourself if
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A couple of steps I use seems to help keep rods in the chuck are as follows: Hand tighten as much as possible with the back nut loose. Grab the 3 chuck jaws and squeeze While squeezing the jaws, tighten the back nut This works on nearly every rod I put on the wrapper. On rare occasions when I get a stubborn one that wants to come out, I use the rubber band method previously described.
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Sure thing. If you have some less desirable cork you want to use as an arbor, just glue those rings on the end and turn them to fit the reel seat. It works great as an arbor. Not sure it will do anything with the shrinkage issue. I have several rods that are 20 years old with no evidence of this problem but I know it does happen on very old rods. You'll likely strip and rebuild it before thi
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I usually use rubberized cork for my end rings, then fill the hole with a cork plug and then mix some cork dust and rod bond then glue over the hole. Sometimes I'll turn an end cap from wood and glue it on to cover the hole. I prefer either of these options to the rubber butt caps. Terry
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Chester, I traded some email with St. Croix and they alluded to this exact point. I asked them why they stopped using the Powerlux logo from 3M and your reply was essentially their response. Terry
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Living on the west coast, I only met Mike once at one of the ICRBE's. He was great to talk to and share info with on turning various pieces. Rest in piece Mike. You will be missed. Terry Turner
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Sage, not anymore. Lami, yes indeed. One of the better back bouncing rods I've built is the Rainshadow XBB962 or XBB964. Either of these would handle 6oz for backbouncing. It is a popular method here. Remember you are not casting 6oz, but just managing it with short bumps to keep it close to the bottom as the boat moves slowly downstream. Very effective method for salmon and steelhead using
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There are a couple of organizations I donate a rod to every other year or so. I don't expect much in return, but always get thanks and appreciation. If I don't believe in the organization I'm donating to, I don't bother. I always lay out cards and try to be at the event to do a little self promotion as well as support the event. Bottom line, it's a poor marketing plan, but you should feel
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With tip repairs, it is important to reduce the size of the sleeve, or use thin fiberglass material. I typically sand the sleeve after gluing to reduce the diameter as much as I can prior to over wrapping with size A thread. This is all explained pretty well in the library article on rod repair and it's never let me down. The idea is to retain the long fibers in the sleeve and use the thre
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If you aren't able to do the automotive finishes, permagloss or Lumaseal can be used for this purpose. Relatively easy to apply with a foam brush. Terry
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Customers hate it when the rod companies change models. I still have customers that want replacement sage RPL's. You might ask him to consider a Sage One 7136. I just built one for a customer and he compares it favorably to his Z-Axis 7136. The internet search is your next best chance. Available from Anglers Workshop. You might call them to see if they have a line on any Z-Axis outlets
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Yup, CP is required. If you use multiple feathers, you'll need to keep it wet, or attach in layers for the desired effect. Another tip you'll learn soon is that dark blanks hide the feather features, so you might consider an under wrap with a light colored NCP thread first. Terry
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The triangle file works great. Go slow and take your time. A dremel tool with a reinforced cut off wheel will also do the trick. Good idea to wrap a piece of tape around the blank to keep the cut straight. Terry
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So, a pretty generic question without a lot of info. Here's my suggestion: Spey rods are designed to withstand both heavier line loads and rotational forces due to the casting stroke compared to regular overhead casting fly rods. I don't know the blank well you are considering but here is the research I would do: Click on the Common Cents info site and read up on ERN, DBI and all the othe
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This is a pretty general category of ultralight to light blanks and there are really too many good ones to list. I would find your favorite distributor from the list on the left, give them a call and let them know what you need. They should have many choices available for both imported and US made blanks. Terry
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If you are only planning to turn a few grips with these units, you may be okay. You will definitely want the upgraded chuck. I assume you will be using the same unit for wrapping as well so you'll have to take some extra steps to keep your wrapping area clean from all the cork dust. You are right, in that all the models you listed are very similar. Good for wrapping and finishing, marginal
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The same RDR series also comes in Kokanee sizes. The RDR 7L, 76L and 710LGB are all 4-10 lb rated, light power and great for kokanee trolling. Lamiglas' new CG802L would be a good blank to get as well. Both these rods have very light and soft tips perfect for kokanee flat line and downrigger trolling. Terry
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Foam arbors give you the lightest result but if for some reason you have trouble with them, you can use drywall mesh tape. It's superior to masking tape in that the mesh permits connection of the reel seat to the blank. There is more epoxy used so if weight is critical for you, best to use the arbors if you can. Terry
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Spatula for me. Flexible metal artists spatula gets reused over and over. If I forget to wipe it off, I just heat it up and peel off the old stuff. Good control for crisp edges. Terry
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Other good 2-handed blanks besides Batson's that have received good reviews: Pac Bay Quickline for Switch rod lengths. The spey blanks only come in heavier sizes MHX has had some nice reviews for both spey and switch rod blanks. I've built a number of Rainshadow spey and switch blanks for myself and for my customers and would recommend them highly for a value priced blank with good performa
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Other good 2-handed blanks besides Batson's that have received good reviews: Pac Bay Quickline for Switch rod lengths. The spey blanks only come in heavier sizes MHX has had some nice reviews for both spey and switch rod blanks. I've built a number of Rainshadow spey and switch blanks for myself and for my customers and would recommend them highly for a value priced blank with good performa
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Chad, if you haven't worked much with the foam arbors in the past, just be aware that any of the methods described will remove material very quickly. Reamers work great and if you can get a couple in small to progressively larger sizes, it will help keep the hold centered. Use the up and down strokes with a little twist to remove material. Check size often. Terry
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You didn't mention how many sections. Batson RX7 BAIF908-4 (4 piece) from Angler's Workshop and others. Retail about $129. Matte Gray finish. I didn't check but there are 2-piece blanks as well. Terry
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