Hi everyone, I'm building a bass/pike/musky casting swimbait rod (NFC SWB-807 1/2-5oz) and planning on using 65lb braid. Built number of rods, but first spiral. I've read the Simple Spiral article in the Rodmaker SE Guide edition, and searched quite a bit on this forum. Some things/info seem to have changed over time so wondering if the following assumptions are correct: 1) Article refer
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OK, here’s a good one; has anyone devised a method of eliminating, or at least reducing, the inherent reel cranking torque imposed on a casting rod? I’m referring to the likes of a heavy saltwater tuna rod, not a lighter freshwater bass rod. Possibly even for bringing-up a pound of lead and a couple of rockfish 300ft. Sure, shorter guides or, better yet, spiral wrapped guides significantly reduce
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Is there someone I could call and discuss my setup for my spiral wrap steelhead rod? It’s 11 1/2’ long, medium power. I have the first guide at ~20” from the bait casting reel, set at 0, next guide is about 4.5” at ~ 60*, next guide another 4.5 inches up at ~120* and the last guide at 180*, 14” up from the first guide. I placed the remaining guides where they need to be. Took it out to cast an
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I want to make my first cork handles. I have read there are basically 2 techniques commonly used to make a handle . 1) glue the rings on the rod and turn the handle on the blank or 2) glue up the rings on a mandrel and file out the center using a tapered reamer . The idea of turning the cork glued up to the blank does not appeal to me ,to many chances for a snaffoo on my part . Then theres gluing
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I'm hoping to collect some advise...I'm working on an offshore rod. The tip section of the blank tapers to about a size 7 at the tip. The smallest tube tip-top available in the guide model we selected is a size 10. In the past, I've often used a thread wrap to fill the void between a blank and loose tip-top but I've never filled a void this large. I'm thinking I may need 3 or 4 layers of thre
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I have read a few threads on reamers. Very few on cementing loose grit on old blank. I tried one this week with not very good results. I used 5 min epoxy and silicon carbide grit. The heat ended up destroying it. The epoxy was only dried for 2 days. And thinking about it, silicon carbide might have been a bad choice. So I am thinking of aluminum oxide for grit. But, I need a cement tha
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I have done some research and would like to confirm what I plan to do since this will be the first spiral wrapped rod for me. I have an 11 1/2’ steelhead rod that I plan to run the first guide at 0, then 60, 120 and finally at 180 degrees. Is it standard practice to run the two middle guides the same size? I see it done both ways but want to make the best setup possible. Thanks, Dave
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Hi Everyone, What’s is your personal best/knowledge of/build for the most lightweight MH bass rod (7-7’4”) range. I’ve seen around the 3oz range as a custom build (6’6 or so). (Reel seat, grips, guides, blank) Sources / links if possible please :-) Aleks
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What builds have all of you done that you consider most difficult to achieve in regards to functionality related to difficult fishing parameters? Most of my builds over about thirty years have been aimed at fulfilling very specific fishing functions better than anything available from factory offerings. I’ve honestly hit and missed at doing this. I’ve built everything from halibut and salmon shar
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Is it advisable to use Pro Wrap Metallic thread for the entire guide wraps from butt to tip or should it only be used sparingly for trim bands or inlays????Thank you for any information in advance.
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Bo rod blnaks.th CTS, and Epic are renowned for their rod blank quality. I have a friend hwo is an avid fly fisher, and swears by Winston, and Epic. I love my Winston, and CTS gear, but have never used Epic. Why would you choose CTS over the Epic,, besides the fact that Herb is so great to work with?
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Hi all ... I've built a couple lighter casting rods, worming and drop shot. Now I'm going to build a 7'6" heavy Liberty blank for throwing 1/2 to 1 oz weight Carolina rig, 18lbs main line and my question is how the guide train should look . I think id like to start with a size 10 ( if that seems correct) and finish with # 5 runners and tip top. With this being a heaver outfit how many d
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I'm waiting on the delivery of a PB 7'10 XXH. And I was wondering what guides I should use. I'll be using a Lexa 400 or an Accurate Tern 300 and 40lb braid throwing 2oz flairhawks and won't need to cast a knot through the guides. I fish heavy drag and horse fish away from the bridge/fenders. I was thinking of using the Fuji KW in SiC. But I'm not sure how many guides or what size. I'm set on goin
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Does anyone have tips for finishing wraps without an electric dryer? Do I really have to spend the money on one? Should I use high build or low build finish? I'm building a two piece blank, any tips for ferrules? Thanks for all your guys' help -Hunter
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I'm 99% spinning so that's basically all I've ever built. So I apologize in advance if this question is too basic for those of you baitcasting rod pros. Been intending to build a BFS (bait finesse system) rod at about 5 1/2 feet long, and UL in power using a spiral (acid) wrap. I'm curious about the distance of the butt (1st) guide to the reel. Since the line is already going through a
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While my “removable guide, telescopic rod” (RG Tele) may not be a milestone in rod building history or a trend-setting design, it accomplished its goal of producing a multi-piece pack rod which protected the fragile tip sections within the butt section while still affording PROPER guide placement as per 2-line static load testing for optimum performance; protection AND performance in one rod. Alt
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Hello everyone i got a question for building a 80-150# class rod blanks with roller guides and swivel tip. 1. What type of rod blank do you prefer to start a rod build with E Glass, S Glass, Composite, or Graphite? IGFA class? this will be paired with 80-130 tiagra or penn international or any other brand in this range spooled with Mono. Thanks,
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I researched and bought the T2-RVSG6S guide for intended BFS casting rod build for the first stripper guide. Do I need to revers the guide placement as for the flat ring side facing the reel? Or is it ok to place it as regular guide orientation? Might be a dumb question but this is listed as reverse guide so I don't know if it's really needed to place as reverse. This guide is small in footprint
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I have an ultralight trout rod that the diameter of the blank is much smaller than the diameter of the carbon fiber grips I ordered. After reading a heated discussion about tape arbors I was thinking of using epoxy to build up the diameter of the blank. Is this okay or recommended? Thank you
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As an admitted weight weenie, I am looking for some arbors that are (as the title states): rigid, light, and thin. The outer diameter needs to be at least .55 inch or 14mm. The inner diameter, the smaller the better. Even a solid disc would be better as I can drill it myself. Some of the blanks I have is 4mm or so and no arbor I have found has a hold that small. I suppose that I can ge
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To date, everything I have read concerning choker guide placement seems to be based upon spinning reels. Is the principal basically the same for a casting reel? Can the measurement of a fully loaded casting spool be used and multiplied by 27 to get a good location for the choker? Also on blanks over 10' is it proper to use the larger guide, immediately before the smaller running guides. Once
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Just wondering what brand / model reamer you guys could recommend? I am new to rod building and will do it as a hobby only. I have the parts to build 6 rods this winter and then maybe 1 per year or so after that. I have seen the all-steel ones with the machined cutting teeth but don't want to spend $350 each since I'm not building rods for profit or that often. I also looked at the Batson econ
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I’m new at all of this… A mention of rod weights on a recent thread got me thinking. I use a factory rod (an older FTU Green Rod) that weighs right at 4 oz. I fish for redfish and trout with topwaters and soft plastics. A friend came fishing with me who had a couple of rods that felt a lot lighter. That was rigged, so the reel could have made a difference. How light can you reason
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One of my pet peeves - why don't reel seat manufacturers offer bushings that fit their seats??? Or - alternatively - at least make the I.D. of the seat compatible with existing bushings now on the market.. Herb
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Gonna make my 1st travel rod. I have everything I need - 2-pc blank, guides, grips, seat, etc - any tips from experienced travel rod builders? Is there a rod maker article that covers travel rods (I have all the issues just don't recall if there's a volume/issue that talks to travel rods). I'm assuming I just layout everything the same as I would on a 1-pc, but when it comes to guide placement do
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Hello all , i was wondering if you could pass on some guidance, im asked to build a short trolling rod and have chosen a united composites CX40XO blank , anybody here have a "recipie" so to speak? Looking for guide and seat suggestions customer wants a roller tip , but are roller guides all the way really the only option ? Any help appreciated TIA
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Has anyone experienced any durability issues with this blank in the HM line? Not counting abuse of course. I have a friend who fishes here in AL with ultralights exclusively. His favorite setup is a Zebco 33 on a pistol grip. I have reworked a handful of his old rods and they are all IM5 style solid core blanks. Some of his blanks have definitely taken a beating but they were his loaner pond r
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Working my first 2 rods. I have the handles installed on both of them anow working on the reel seats. I was wanting to use the supplies arbors that came with the reel seats but they do not fit snugly. I can flick them with my finger and they will come right out the other end of the reel seat. Do I just make sure to Epoxy good? See if I can find slightly larger arbors, I have measured the ID of re
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I acquired an older Calstar 6465 XH-B that I thought would make a great rail rod. It's so stiff that finding the spine the usual way by having the butt on the floor and applying pressure against the blank while supporting the tip just wasn't getting it, so I used the straightest axis to find it. That worked well. Everything was going smoothly until I glued up the aluminum reel seat. It required v
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I have been reading the archives for info on using cork tape on rod handles. I see two types of tape available, 1/16" thick and 1/8" thick. Other than the difference in weight and the added diameter between the two thicknesses, are there any other things to consider in deciding which thickness to use? Also, some prior threads have discussed using rubbing alcohol as a lubricant on t
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