Mike, I do have decals from the Decal Connection, but I always seem to end up with some imperfection. Either I tear it, bend an edge, etc. They scare me! LOL!
Forum: rodboard

Chris! Great inscriptions. My writing has always been bad. I need to practice a lot more on a scrap blank, I guess. Thanks
Forum: rodboard

Last night I tried to inscribe a rod with a Pentel Gel Micro Fine Pen and discovered something important; it dries extremely fast and you don't get a chance for a do-over if you don't like your first attempt. The is the kind with a ball inside that you have to shake to mix the paint. I only waited about 10 seconds to try and remove the first try and I had an extremely hard time getting it off. I
Forum: rodboard

Hi Bob! My trouble is not with the wrap, but with the long signature area of the rod. I use parallel strokes because of the length of the area receiving finish.
Forum: rodboard

Hi Tom! My buddy, a rodmaker that lives 2 hours away and gets annoyed when I call him, thinks it's dust particles. My apartment is as clean as it's going to get. What gets me is that the finish on my guidewraps is normally fine.
Forum: rodboard

Steve! I mean from left to right in a parallel manner.
Forum: rodboard

I'm having a very hard time getting a smooth finish over the signature or decal area of the rod. It seems I'm always getting very tiny bumps in the finish. I place the finish on the blank with horizontal strokes of my brush. Any suggestions?
Forum: rodboard

Can nobody advise on the finishing pad post? I'd appreciate it.
Forum: rodboard

I bought a gray 3M finishing pad from Lowe's. It says, "replaces '00' steel wool." Can I use it on my rod blanks? I thought it would be useful to scuff up a blank prior to inscribing it, or for other uses such as polishing a guidefoot,etc.
Forum: rodboard

Bob, Do I bathe them in alcohol or just wipe them off with an alcohol-soaked rag? They are the feathers that have fallen off the birds and there is no skin attached.
Forum: rodboard

A neighbor gave me feathers from her exotic birds. Well, not all of them, they still have enough to cover themselves. Do I need to clean them before I use them for inlays? And, if so, how do I do that?
Forum: rodboard

I'm sorry, Terry. I meant DVD's. I can't remember, right at this minute, where I bought them. It was from a vendor on this site, for sure.
Forum: rodboard

I've purchased 2 of Putter's CD's and they are excellent. I had a question on feaher inlays. Randy suggests using a hi-build finish when creating feather inlays. Would more coatings of a lite build finish do the same job?
Forum: rodboard

I just want to thank Tom K. and Mike B. for their help. I do have the back issue Vol. 8 #1 RM and it's a great article. It did, indeed, answer all my questions.
Forum: rodboard

Pat, Tom advised me it is the Volume 8 #1 issue. I hope I still have it at home. If not, I'm going to backorder it. Thanks, Pat.
Forum: rodboard

Mike, that's exactly the photo Mike sent me. Thanks
Forum: rodboard

Oops! Bad me! Mike Barkely sent me a photo thread of a finished guidefoot from the archives. I'm just wondering is their a definition of a finished guidefoot. What kind of profile are we aiming?
Forum: rodboard

Hi Tom! I may have started to receiving the magazine after the articles ran. I'll have to go through my back issues, but I can't remember seeing any guide prep articles since I've become a subscriber. Are those back issues still available? I read the latest issue and I'm aware things will be changing in your new digs.
Forum: rodboard

Can someone define what a properly ground guidefoot is? I do snake and singlefoot guides mostly, and I'm not sure how a prepared guidefoot should look. Should it be rounded over the top or a slowly sloping flat surface back to the guide itself? I can't recall any of my books actually defning the process and the result. Thanks
Forum: rodboard

This may sound silly, and it's not meant to be, but why are the pits in cork seen as unsightly? I think pits give the cork some character. Is it purely a subjective thing?
Forum: rodboard

Thanks, Tom! I do have a wrapping jig.
Forum: rodboard

Okay! I won't open this debate again. Sorry if I opened Pandora's box. Question: How does one align rod blanks to find the straightest axis for 2 and 3 peice rods? Is there a certain method? Thanks!
Forum: rodboard

Okay, then. How do you go about finding the straightest axis for 2 and 3 piece fly rod blanks or any blanks for that matter? Is there a method to it? Remember, I am a rookie. That's why I ask these kinds of questions. Thanks All!
Forum: rodboard

I just read an old post by Tom Kirkman and some lights went on in my head. "The spline isn't a physical thing, but an effect," he explained. I'm a bit slow about understanding that, and for some reason, re-reading that post I finally made a connection. But I do have a question: As you hold the rod in your hands in a pronounced curve and roll the blank, it usually jumps to what feels
Forum: rodboard

In my previous post I inquired about purchasing rod building DVD's. I should have mentioned Fly Rod Building DVD's because I build them most often. I'm a novice and learning with a lot of help from my buddy, Ed. But, he lives 2 hours away, and I bug him over the phone more often than he prefers, I'm sure. Thanks, Bruce
Forum: rodboard

Let me preface my remarks by reminding this is not a sarcastic question. I'm looking for the cheapest shipping. I checked out some Basic Rodbuilding DVD's and the postage for shipping was crazy. On one site the postage on a $25 DVD was $10. Is that crazy or normal shipping rates? WOW! I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED I WAS SEARCHING FOR DVD'S DETAILING FLY ROD BUILDING, WHICH IS WHAT I BUILD MOST
Forum: rodboard

To: Scott Throop or any interested persons. I read a thread and saw your photo of the single mylar tinsel inlay. Is there any easy way to explain how you completed the single wrap?
Forum: rodboard

Is it possible to place trim wraps on guide wraps after 1 or 2 coats of finish has been apllied? Wondering!
Forum: rodboard

Thanks for the replies about humidity and putting finish on rod wraps. I have another question: I finish my rods on my kitchen table during the cold weather months. During the summer I have an air conditioner in the kitchen that would blow cold air across the table. Would that present any finishing problems? Thanks
Forum: rodboard

Hi Jeff! I finish my rods in my kitchen during the cold months. In the summer I have an air conditioner in the kitchen nearly blowing right across the table. If the humidity is not a problem, would the air conditioner be one? I'm in Altoona and it's probably about 2 1/2hrs. from Penns Creek. I was planning to camp there this past weekend, but my buddy had some emergency kitchen problems to repair
Forum: rodboard