The reason I brought up Permagloss is I use it all the time on wood and cork and it is one thing that will hold up to almost any wear. This will be a combination wood and skin handle probably wrap the skin on wood and cap with some exotic wood. Guess i'l make up a pice of wood covered with snake skin and give it a test.
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Have used snake skins on several rod but always as butt decorations, I've used wrapping epoxy to finish it, now I'm wanting to do a handle. What do you use for a finish over the skin on a handle or fore grip? Has anyone tried Perma gloss on snake skins?
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After corrsponding with Ray for several years it was my pleasure to finally meet him in person in High Point. He's every bit as nice a guy in person as he seems to be on line. My only regret is that my wife and I did not get to spend more time with him as he was very busy seeing the show and meeting a lot of other people.
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PermaGloss is a diffucult product to master but it can be done. I have found nothing that will give me the finish I want that is any better. I have used it as a rod refinisher, thread coating and many times on wood grips. There is a learning curve and once you figure out the idiosyncracies of it you can do a good job. Tom is right on when he says use a foam brush for rod coating. I plan on trying
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Ray, I know you were busy and I didn't get to spend a lot of time with you but after corresponding with you for a lot of years it was a real pleasure to meet you in person. I'll tell Steve Cox that you said hey.
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Wade, I set mine up just as Ron does.
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Put em on with Duco cement (glue), place them where you want them and adjust them after wrapping.
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You can color it with a felt tip pen and it will take the color real well.
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A funny thing happened on my way to the expo, I stopped off at my son's place in SC for a visit and ended up with a dozen salt water rods for repair. You know the old "my dad can fix anything " routine. At any rate these are mostly the old solid glass wooden handle boat rod types. He wants me to convert 3 of them to spiral wraps. This should be no problem as I've done a couple of dozen
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Try a single wiped on coat of Tru-Oil, it will work.
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You can use a heat gun like a paint stripper. Use it directly on the spot you want straightened, heat it up and straighten it by hand. DO NOT overheat and be gentle in bending it.
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John, if you do not want to keep the bottom section then make your new handle on it. If you want to keep it and have a 9 ft rod as well as a shorter one then get another piece of bamboo for the handle or use a piece of old rod of any kind and make a new handle on it and get another matching ferrule from mudhole or netcraft and use the female part to match the male on your mid section and use it o
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John, I have made many so called mini rods from longer bamboo rods. I try and be sure that I haven't ruined a "classic" first. The model 59 was a fairly common one and if it is in good shape I would not cut it, however if it is not in pristine original shape then go ahead. I don't know what power your plan for your new rod is but the easiest way would be is to shorten your rod from the
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This tutorial pretty well shows how I do it, there is another by Kevin Graybeal that is very good, he used to post here so maybe he'll see this and answer. I've sent you a private E mail for any further help I can give you.
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A spiral wrap will cure that problem.
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Kyle, try tru-oil as suggested, I think it will give tou what you want. I use it on most of my graphite builds.
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Don't know what the problem you're having but it is not the threads fault, I've used this thread on hundreds of rods and not as trim but as primary wraps. It is not crap but there is a learning curve in using it, yes it will separate if you use too much tension but that does not make it crap. You have to learn how to use it and it will be fine. Sulkey is a bit more foregiving and I use it also.
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Dennis, I have had good luck with using a dremel to cut through the reel seat on all 4 sides of it, being careful not to cut the blank, and then using a screw driver blade to carefully separate the sections. Works for me.
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I have made several rods with eastern cedar wood handles, I've used rings and turned solid handles on my lathe,either method works but the wood is very fragile and a good solid finish has to be used. I favor 3 coats of permagloss, this gives it a tough enough finish to withstand the fishing elements. I have also used this wood for fly reel inserts using the same techniques.
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Get some Gossamer white silk, this is what we use on bamboo. It's a very fine diameter silk and will virtually disappear when the finish is applied.
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I'll have to say I've had the same results as Mike. I've wrapped a lot of rods using HT metallic as a primary wrap and have never had a problem with separation or gaps later on. As to the wrapping itself, there is a learning curve and if wrapped too tight could be the reason for problems later?
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Mike, I would like to make it but unfortunately it falls on the first day of the late deer season.
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Ken, Take a look at Net Craft, they sell a plum blank of their own brand that is very similar in color, I've built several rods on them,they're very reasonable in price and of good quality.
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I use a 1 inch belt sander.
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Kyle, since my brain is only 66 yrs old, I'll kick in. I concur about Garcia and I think it came from the 1960-1970 period. I had one and enjoyed many years with it. Nice fiberglass blank, I think I rebuilt it several times and passed it on to my youngest son.
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You can get a nice lime color in metallic Gudebrod
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I've been building over 30 yrs. and I've never met another builder that I couldn't learn something from. It's what makes this craft move foreward.
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Thin coat of finish and wrap uphill, always wrap uphill to prevent this or to make it easier.
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Have used it for years,heat and press with thumb, if too much oozes out use your fingernail to peel off the excess.
Forum: rodboard

Hey Steve, have you thought about making your own tip by using an old tip with the right taper and making a new ferrule out of a scrap piece of fiberglass rod. This would give you the correct fit and the action you desire.
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