I'm just wondering what guides you fellows think about these guides for an ice rod for sunfish and trout. I'm probably going to have a 34" or so blank and i'm thinking about using 3 giudes. Maybe a size 30 LVLG for the lower one a 16 for the middle guide and then a large sf wire fly giude for the last guide and a fly top. I'm hoping the wire guide and tip top might be easier to get the i
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I finished my first rod a while back, but have been too busy to take it out so far. It is a 6 ft 6-12lb test spinning rod in matte finish with green and gold threadwork. I finally got to take it out a couple of days ago and it was great! It casts nice, and pulled in the largemouth and smallmouth bass like a dream. I really appreciate this site. I haven't posted more than a couple of times so far,
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Hello to all, I have written this in order to ask you all what you would think of an illuminated ice fishing rod with an illuminated bite indication. This illumination of this rod would be constantly on while the rod was turned on and the light would move when the line was moved. This illumination of this ice fishing rod would be visible at dusk or just before and increase in intensity as the li
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Hi Folks, I do some very special work for people sometimes and I have a project that is way outside the norm for me. I have been asked by a gentelman to build an ice fishing rod. I know nothing about ice fishing and less about building a rod that is going to be worth the effort of build for this man. This would be a build of a prototype of a manufactured ice rod that would be brought to market an
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We have overbought! We are having a sale on the following blanks:Shakespeare,Pacific Bay,St.Croix,Seeker. In addition,we have special prices on guides and reelseats.Our cork specials are still in effect while supplies last.Email us for more details. Tomari Custom Rods and Tackle
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I got a request to do a special wrap on a pool que. Have any of you guys had odd requests like this, and if so how did it work out? My thinking was that it should work fine, but might throw the balance of the que off just a bit. Any thoughts?
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Hello everyone! When I first started rod building I made my self a 24.5" light action ice fishing rod for bluegill. The blank was of unknown origin, might have been a broken or blemished fly rod top. I don't know. I was wondering if anyone knows where I can find blem fly rod tops or what would be the ultimate, premium, actual ice rod blanks? I want to make some more and ship north to
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OK I know this is a little off but the board seems slow today. I was curious as to the most common geographical location of builders. It appears that the majority of the builders here are from the Coast be it West or East. California seems to pop up a lot. Myself , I am from Indiana just ten minutes south of Lake Michigan. Not totally landlocked!!! Mark Schulte
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How do you pros typically warranty a custom rod that has been broken by the customer, whether it is a defect or misuse? I am on a fact finding mission for when/if I start to build for profit. Thanks, in advance.
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Rod Builders, As a supplier, I often get asked for 'wish list' blanks that could interest some but not readily available from a manufacturer of choice. I've decided to keep some sort of track of blanks that rod builders or their clients "wish" were available in certain powers, lengths, or pieces. Some that come to mind are multi piece spinning blanks or take down travel b
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I'm considering puttting a "tennesee" graphite tube handle on a spin jig rod im building. Anyone out there have any experience/feedback with them? They sound great in theory anyway. p.s.-this site is killer!
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I had a customer tell me that he would not buy ice fishing rods made with IM6 graphite rod blanks, because he has had them shatter into a million pieces periodically, when it was very cold out on the lakes. I thought that his problems were self created and did not debate the issue, for lack of further knowledge concerning IM6 blanks. I have never had complaints back about any of my ice rods that
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This thing about craftsmanship levels continues to get my goat. I fought this subject with the 'Guild' leadership a lot longer than I had planned to and then just gave up. First, let us for a moment differentiate between amatuer and professional rod builders. For these purposes just assume that somebody that builds rods for free are amatuers and those that build rods for profit are professional
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I've read here and there that broken rods can be repaired, but I've never met anyone that can do it. Is this just fantasy and heresay, or is there really a way to do it? I'm guessing the answer is no, but I figured I'd ask first! TH
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My dad wants me to build him a surf rod with a white tip. The complete rods are available in sports authority and other sporting goods. Does anyone know who sells these blanks? I would really appreciate the input! Thanks, ~Don~
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Could anyone tell me the pros and cons of the spiral wraped guides?
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I seem to have caught this rodmaking hobby (obsession) like a case of bad flu. Its all I think about and its starting to affect the family life and distract from energy at my real job. I am also getting more rods than I can ever use. It seems that the only solution would be to try and sell something at some point (I am definitely not good enough yet). However, with the component prices the wa
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I am working on some ice blanks that have an OD of under 1/4", does anyone have any grips with an ID this small or smaller?
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I have read the discussions on here about people who sell "custom" rods off the shelf already made. I agree that they are not truly "custom", but.... I also think there is definitely a market for high quality rods built using the techniques we all (or at least should) use. A rod hand built with great care and skill can still be of much greater quality than a lot of the fact
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While reading all the posts lately about different guides it occurred to me that people may not realize the huge inventory of guides and tops Merrick Tackle carries. Currently in stock and ready to ship are Fuji’s Folding Surf Guides. These new guides are super-light, not like the heavier older version. They are durable, high framed, surf/spinning guides made to fold down for easy traveling
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Where can I find some oversize tips to make ice fishing rods?
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To all you hard water fisherman and rod builders. What would you recomend as far as guide sizing for , say, a 40" medium rod or an ultralight 40" Just curious. Richard G. I will ask you the same when I speak to you on the phone. Thanks in advance, Mark Schulte
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I had an early christmas at the landfill this morning. I pulled in next to a guy who was about to throw some rods onto the pile, so I asked if I could have them to use for repair parts. So he started handing me stuff, I got a downrigger rod (looks to me to be custom) 4 ice rods,a 39" fish measuring board, a line winder box, a minnow bucket aerator,a 12 foot long minnow seine,all these in pe
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Hi guy's. Since I have started building rods in the past year I have become more critical of all rods now. Just this morning I disassembled a rod built for my boss. It was trashed ,so I wanted to check workmanship. It was an All Star blank with unknown guide and seat manufacture. It broke six inches from the seat and splintered bad. Also had a missing tip top. I was going to try to salvage the g
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I am about to get started on building some ice rods, and being a transplant to the grat white north, I am not real familiar with the whole ice fishing thing yet. I have looked at some factory rods, and some of them look like a guide salesman's dream to me, I am talking like five or six guides on a 24" rod! Is this done for a reason, or should I just follow my instincts and static deflect
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Hello all, I'm having a little argument with a friend about the guides on two Berkley rods the one rod is a ice fishing rod by Dave Genz and the other is a baitcaster these both have the same guides there newer rods they have light steel frames with steel rings can anyone tell me who makes these and are they called Concept ? Can someone also give the web site address Fuji? Thanks for your time
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I have been reading this board for some time and I just recently started my first project--a nine foot, five weight Lamiglas fly rod. Everything is going great so far, but I need some help at this point. I need to construct my drying setup before I apply the finish to the guides. I have bought a motor from allelectronics.com and I am going to mount it on a stand. Can anyone offer advice on what
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I have seen a few rods (a pic of a factory Sage rod in Angler's Wkshp mag) with the cork turned down to a small taper and thread wrapped over it to make a nice looking transition. (thread finished of course). THose of you with experience doing this. would you do it again, what are pros and cons, durability. I had read somewhere to put a thin coat of finish on the cork to make a smooth bed to
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Recently, I have noticed more questions about building rods with solid fiberglass blanks. I didn't believe anyone still mad the blanks let alone made rods with them! Why would a fisherman or builder suggest a heavy, restrictive solid fiberglass blanks for a rod over the newer, lighter "E"glass, "S"glass, or graphite composite blanks? Is there an advantage to solid fiberglas
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