I ordered 4 X-ray blanks and have to figure out the guides for them. I have an Mb 736, SJ 736, flip 766, and a SJ 732. I would like to make these decent feeling and light weight. I have read a ton and struggled to figure out the difference in guides. Is there a big difference between stainless and titanium, Alconite and sic? I guess I don’t want to have to waste money if there is no ne
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Hi, I'm working on a build for myself using a Black Hole Suzuki Special 10' blank and KR Concept layout using Pac Bay Minima high Frame guides.....I believe the reduction train is a 20 12 6H and 6 runners. I have 2 issues, 1 I think the last reduction guide isn't quite right....I can't get the bullseye with out some pretty ridiculous spacing between the second and third guide...maybe it is just
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I have some guides in the TiCH finish. What exactly is TiCH again? Memory tells me that is Titanium Nitride equivalent which is very hard. Thanks in advance for any help.
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Hello everyone. New to the forum and seeing a lot of information I wish I knew about years ago. Glad to be here. I’ve used the search function and didn’t really find anything on the topic. If this has already been a thread and I haven’t found it yet, please forgive me. I’m new to rod building, started in April with a DIY @#$%& special that has since broken. Can I see your DIY rod roller stand
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Now that I have your attention, this is not actually a battle between the two but simply a test of the old world COF guide arrangement versus Fuji’s modern KR Concept. A few weeks ago, I stated desire to learn the (casting) difference between an old-school COF rod compared to the present day KR Concept rod and it apparently sparked some interest from others of you on this site as well. If you car
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I have decided to build a COF rod to be used as a performance comparison to a KR Concept rod; I am anxious to learn just how much better modern rods perform with their new technology than the rods of the past (1970s). To make the comparison as fair and precise as possible, I will be using a vintage, FG Conolon blank (#155) as I have already built a number of KR rods on the “same” #155 blanks. Bei
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Yes, I am an admitted weight weenie when it comes to guides. I picked up an an extreme ultralight light blank - my guess is along the power of 1-2 wt fly blank recently and need the lightest guides possible for it. Comparing same ring opening size, what guides would be the lightest? If figure if anyone knows, it would be here on rodbuilding. At this point my guess would be the PacBa
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I have been using a lot of stainless guides on spinning rods - particularly the SSR from Mud Hole, and like them a lot. Just wondering - do you guys run the matching stainless tops usually or go with ceramics for the tip tops? Mostly light to medium spinning rods, and med-heavy casting. I have built a lot with Minima's over the years, but usually with a ceramic top. I know the tips can
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Fished with my Dropshot and shaky head rods yesterday for the first time since building them. For some reason the knot on the braid to leader does not want to come through the guides cleanly and is getting hung up on the drop shot rod , other rod is fine. Checked the guides, all good. Using the same braid and fluro on both rods, same reel, same knot ( Braid twister knot). IDK. had to end up remov
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I have been using Minima guides on all my recent builds. Very happy with them I can see that they might be a little less durable than some options. I recently bent during a run through the jungle trout adventure. Bent it back hardly noticeable. Anyways I am planning a rod for my sister inlaw. She is not a fisherman, loves to go, a fishing rod is tool and shes a clutz. So I am leaning towards a l
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Hi all. Recently purchased a NFC FW 662-2(IM LMX) and I am building this for a friend. He fishes spinners on 4 pound test in colorado for trout,and uses a 1000 series Shimano Stradic Ci4. I have gotten so much information on this board over the last few years and I try to contribute what I can. Anyway I want to get him the best guides I can,and I am open to suggestions. Thanks in advance! Robe
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Greetings folks! I had a custom rod building business back in the late 1990s and into the very early 2000s based in the Midwest US. I specialized in light and ultralight rods, particularly spinning, and built for a few bank fishers in the Chicago area who wanted European-style match fishing rods (long, fast action, light tips, tiny guides). I even made several rods (and did a lot of repairs) f
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I'm in the process of building a rod for ice fishing. I'm intending to use it outside the shack, so I'm need a tip top with a large ring size (to acid ice build up) but a tiny tube size. It seems like a lot of guys will listen a fly rod tip top for this purpose but I don't think it would hold up to using braided line well. The other solution I've seen is people using a single foot guide as a tip
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Hey all, this may have been discussed before, but for the life of me I could not find the search bar. For medium action bass spinning rod how would stainless steel ring material hold up. I would be using 8- 10# braided line. Would it be the lightest of ring material choices? I’m looking to replace the older guides on a few spinning rods. Thanks in advance for the input!
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Finally got all around to setting up this rod. Blank is a Phenix FX601-1B elixir series. Reel is a 20 series pflueger president xt 6 pound braid. As you may recall I was going for lightweight and wanted to keep guide size to a minimum. I went with Minima M in 12 and 4 low for my reduction then minima 4 runners. Total of 7 runners fairly close spacing through the tip as I have heard of some durabi
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Let me start by saying I understand that the following question is completely objective. I’m new to rod building. I have 5 rods under my belt and love it. I have spent hours upon hours searching blanks and researching everything rod building related. I know my favorite rod certainly wouldn’t be everyone else’s favorite rod but would still like to know what you like. For someone to say “THIS” i
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I need some help building a fly rod! I've done some homework, so I won't look like an idiot, but there's so much contradicting information, I'd like some specific feedback from here. I've never done western fly fishing, have been fishing Tenkara(fixed line Japanese fly fishing, similar to high sticking/czech nymphing) for a bit. I'm thinking about making this more travel friendly, so looking
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I have used a lot of Minima guides over the years with good success. Recently started using the SSR guides and they actually seem to be made a little cleaner and pretty nice guide foot prep. I know the Minima's have a hard chrome plating, but not sure if the SSR guides do as they appear to be straight stainless. Does anyone know if there will be a difference in long term wear between the two
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A few questions. 1) I am asking for opinions or experience with the CRB SSR spinning guides I am told they are similar to the Pac Bay MINIMA guides, but when I compare them, the Pac Bay rings look better assembled than the CRB. 2) Does any one have any experience with the CRB LZR spinning guides I am tempted to try them but I would like some feed back 3) I would like to go back to cera
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Well I am once again thinking too much. I ordered a blank got the wrong one. Now I am waiting which gives me too much time to think over my build. Had it somewhat figured out I thought. Anyways the blank is a Phenix FX601-1-B fast action six foot 1-6 lb. My whole goal is to build as light as possible. My reel will be a pflueger president xt 20x with 4 pound mono or 6 pound braid. Will be a s
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Looking for some advice on handle length for spinning rods builds. Is there a general rule of thumb in regards to rod length equals a certain rear grip length for spinning rod builds? Do you measure from the back foot location of the seat? I've got a couple of light powered 6'6" blanks rated for 2-6 LB line that I'm going to build here shortly for crappie fishing with light jigs or live m
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Got a UL blank sitting around Rainshadow Revelation REVS72UL-2SB. Blank was not exactly what I was hoping for found a MHX I like better. Anyways since the blank did not fit my vision I figure I will maybe experiment with different components. One thing I am considering is the Airwave guides. The concept seems good. I am sure they are heavier than my go to Minimas. Not going to be weight obsesse
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I’m starting on another lipless crankbait build. Going to use a PacBay Mjnima guide train on a Rainshadow REVCB70M to throw 1/4oz traps and UL Rippin Raps. I was thinking about using one size 6 Model T and size 4 Model F’s the rest of the way with a size 4 top. Not sure if this is the best layout, so any help is greatly appreciated.
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I found two rods that I had left by a buddy’s house almost 2 years ago when I stopped by to see him today. Both were lower end inexpensive rods that I had bought when I first got into bass fishing. I actually really like the blanks... plus they’d be great as spares, but I figured I’d go ahead and upgrade the components and put my own personal touch on them. One is a 7’ medium/fast Halo StarLite a
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First off, thanks to everyone on this forum for your willingness to share your knowledge and experience with those of us that are new to rod building. I've completed 3 fly rods over the last month and have 2 more waiting to be built. For all of my builds so far I've been using Snake brand low-profile stripping guides since I've been using snake universal running guides. I know there are a lot of
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I have done a lot of looking on this site for suggestions on a 7’ to 8’ one-piece blank to use for a walleye slip bobber rod. This will be the sole purpose of this rod. Most of the older post recommended blanks that are no longer available. (they were from 2012 or older) So I thought I would ask again to see if there is something new. I saw there were many comments about using hot shot or pop
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I broke my favorite worm rod this morning and am sick about it. I've been using it for several years and reached down to get the worm off a log and snapped 3" off the tip. It was a Rainshadow blank IMMWS62MXF with Minima guides. The rod and reel weighed less than 10 oz and I used it several times a week here in FL. Does anyone know if there's going to be a sale on those blanks in the nea
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In search of a particular PacBay tip. It is the TiBronze FXT micro. This is the only Tibronze offering with a ceramic ring in a smaller ring size. EFXZT04 is the model number. Looking for tube size 4.0 4.5 and 5.0. A PT model would work if I had no other choice but those are a 6 ring which will just look odd I think with minima runners. I cannot find those either though. Exact model is EPZT06. I
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I am building an 8ft 4wt on an MHX f804-4 blank. I had planned on using double foot snakes with the 18-8 Microwave stripper (3-1-1-1/0-1/0-1/0-1/0-1/0). I found a handful of size 4 Minima single foot guides. Would I be able to go stripper to 6 to 4 for the reminder of my rod or would the guides be too small/kill blank action? Thanks in advance!
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Hi Everyone - New member to the forum. I just finished my first fly rod build (9' 6 weight) using a turnkey kit. I really enjoyed the process and already have a 2nd blank on order -a 8'6" 4 weight Rainshadow Revelation. I'm a bit overwhelmed by the sheer number of reel seat choices and guide choices out there. Guides are a bit easier I think. I'm leaning heavily to Snake Universal Guid
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