Steve, save yourself, it's too late for me!!!
Forum: rodboard

Thank's Tom, Yeah the wraps are REALLY long. I decided to err on the safe side because I built the rod to handle up to 16 ozs. of weight, if need be. The surf in Cape Hatteras can get pretty rough in the spring and fall. I can see one major problem in this whole rod building process, and it's finding the time to do all the rod's spinning around in your head!
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Well, I just finished my first rod! It's a 12' two piece surf caster, and was a very enjoyable experience. I learned a ton of stuff from this forum, and about a half a ton from my mistakes. I can't wait to start my next project ( a 10' spinning rod for the surf). I already have the blank, and am trying to decide on guides. I want to try the new concept system, and am sure I'll be asking some que
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Mike, I just finished the same blank that you are currently working on. I cut 6 inches off of the tip (I want it extra stout) and ended up using eight guides plus the tip top. My giude sizes are two 25's, two 20's, three 16's one 14, and a 14 tip. I would have finished it out with all 16's and a 16 tip, but they didn't make a 16 tip top in the color guide I'm using. This combo should be just fi
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Daniel, I just finished a salt water rod using Pac Bays blue guides (very nice), you can find them on Donarts site. Here's a link,
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I purchased a rod drying motor from mudhole, set up the butt section of a rod to coat various parts with flex coat, turned on the motor switch, and the butt was turning toward me instead of away from me. Just as I was getting ready to set the whole thing up from the other end of the work bench, I decided to spin the rod by hand for some reason and it wouldn't turn while still chucked up to the m
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It must be the magnified lamp that I purchased at the local Office Depot. It shows every flaw in a wrap, so you can correct it before it's too late.
Forum: rodboard

Samer, I had the exact same thing happen on a test wrap on an old gloss black blank. I used bright pink thread (nylon size A) and when I applied the water based color preserver the thread went translucent. After about 1 hour I checked the wrap, and it was back to the original color. I would inspect the tightness of your wraps, or suspect the color preserver. My color preserver is clear, not milk
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I'll take that as an extreme compliment Samer. You are right of course, it's not my first wrap. I did two practice underwraps on an old blank, then double wrapped an old guide onto the same old blank...so technically this is my fourth wrap.
Forum: rodboard

Phil, I'm currently building what your co-worker is looking for. I bought the same blank that your looking at. Cascade 12' 6" two piece from mud hole. I'm using Pac Bay guides starting with a size 25 then two 20's, three 16's, two 12's and a 12 tip top. I'm very pleased with the blank, and hope to finish it soon.
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Thanks for all of the nice comments! To Fred; I did notice the eye was leaning a bit forward, and when I tried to straighten it during guide prep, the front foot kept lifting-up. I may try to bend it some after I flex coat it, but with my luck I'll pop the ring out of the guide. It really isn't that noticeable on the rod itself, the zoom of the camera makes it stick out. Again thanks to everyone
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Don't set yourself on fire yet.....I didn't mention how many times I screwed-up....cutting the wrong thread at the end of a wrap, running out of thread during an underwrap, etc, etc.
Forum: rodboard

Well, after a few practice wraps on an old blank I couldn't wait any longer!! I've learned so much from reading the posts on this site, and from my visit to a local rod wrapping professional (thanks Jesse) I just had to get started. I now fully understand where this addiction comes from, and am already planning my next rod! I would welcome the board's comments/suggestions....the pic can be seen
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Thanks Putter!!!
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Just finished overwrapping with silver metallic thread......do you need to put color preserver on this?
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I agree with Ken on this one. I do alot of casting in the surf, and having the rod butt under my forearm is the most comfortable position for me. Your reaction time when a fish strikes is immediate, because it's just a matter of snapping your arm back. You can try this position with any rod that you have to see if it feels right for you.
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I see your point Emory! The initial line-up was done with 50lb line going through the guides, and my eyesight not being what it once was, made this harder than I thought it would be. I'm going to get some fly line and probably use both techniques once I wrap the guides. Providing the blank is straight (this one looks pretty straight to me) using one method to verify the other should work out pr
Forum: rodboard

Well, my first rod building project is underway! I'm building a 12' heavy-duty surf casting rod, and am almost ready to start wrapping the guides. Last night I positioned the guides on the blank (masking tape) along with the reel, ran the line through, clamped the rod in the trusty workmate, and then took a pretty good tension on the line to check guide placement. After some repositioning and a
Forum: rodboard

Well, I've almost finished building my rod wrapping station, and I received my first blank in the mail yesterday! The blank is a 12' 6" two piece monster from Cascade (surf casting). My question is where can you purchase the rubber plug that goes into the top half of the blank (where the two join together)? What do you call this piece? I was also wondering if it's possible to attach a pictu
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Thanks guys! Looks like from the back and over the top it is. How many thread stations/tensioners should I mount to the carriage? I was thinking four thread spools with two feed arms comming off the carriage.
Forum: rodboard

I'm new to rod building, and decided to start from square one. I just finished building my rod wrapping station, and am currently working on the thread carriage. My question is; From what side or angle (when facing the blank) do most of you prefer the thread to feed onto the blank when wrapping? My wrapping station is 6' long with three "blank Guides" that are moveable along the base.
Forum: rodboard