first rod started

[56 crestliner]

I started my first rod 3 days ago i now have the grips and reel seat. I was suprised as it wasnt as hard it was more just tedious. tonight i started to put the hook keeper on i have one side done. I think it looks pretty good. I got the whole side wrapped and i messed up the lock on the end. i wasnt to mad i expected to do something like this i got it all wrapped good and i got a trim wrap on it. i have a question though can i do a butt wrap if i have a hook keeper?  Battery is dead on digital camera i will post pic. tommorow

[flechero]

Awesome!  I love hearing about 1st rods! (and 2nd, 3rd, etc., etc.!!)  Yes you can do a butt wrap w/ a hook keeper.  If you have the hinge type, just wrap it in and keep going.  If it's the U shaped one, you have a few choices...  Wrap it in and then butt wrap beyond it (like most factory rods are done with a small gap) or I like the look of a false wrap where you measure the gap in the keeper and pre wrap that area (between the legs) and if you measure correctly, it looks like one continuous wrap with a hook keeper sticking through.  Or you can do an accent color or a combo of trim wraps in the gap.

You can re-do that one section of thread in a few minutes... I know, it sucks but if you don't (trust me on this one!) you will see it everytime you pick up the rod.  ...lol  No one else will ever notice it but you will.  If you made a long section, you can back it off by about 7 wraps and insert a pull loop again, it will end up only 1-3 wraps shorter depending on the blank diameter at that point.  (that's a time saver when I screw up a long wrap.  ...lol

Most of the skills in rodbuilding are tedious, as opposed to real difficult.  Some of the decorative thread work is a killer and takes years to learn correctly and good.  A lot of it is just common sense.

I just finished wrapping the primary guide wraps on a 2 wt fly rod a few minutes ago... the tip section is 0.046 in diameter (skinnier than a toothpick and flimsy as a blade of grass)    My eyes and fingers are a mess from those wraps...  talk about tedious.  

Give us some details... what blank, seat, guides, did you turn your own cork or use a pre-made grip,etc.

Keep us posted and ask away if we can help!!

[56 crestliner]

Well being my first rod i didint want to go over $100. so the rod blank is a light action 5'6" it feels more like an ultra lite though. I think the company is AMerican Rod. the reel seat is a graphite reel seat by pacific bay and the handles are pre made. i have a lathe but i dont have a cork clamp and i want to take it one step at a time next project will have cork ring handle. how do you guys keep your guides in line do you just eyeball it? I really like working on it. here is a picture of my hook keeper. it has a brown trim you cant really see. sorry it is so blurry.

[flechero]

My camera blurs it if I try to get to close, maybe that's what happened.  How about a shot of the grip and reel seat  together, that way it will be far enough away to focus good?

I'll let you in on a little secret about cork clamps.  You don't really need them.  I made one but don't use it.  I have only used it twice ever.   Next time you are at home depot or any hardware store, just buy a 1/4" bolt or two(or small piece of threaded rod), 2 fender washers and a wingnuts.  I can glue up a cork grip in less than 5 minutes, without rushing. (and it comes out tight and square every time)    All the cork rings you buy will have a 1/4" hole in them.  Apply epoxy, stack them up on the bolt and tighten a single wingnut... doesn't get any easier or faster than that.  ...lol  I do use pliers though to hold the bolt head, I usually tighten the hack out of it.  

[flechero]

I know it's a "small potatoes" kind of thing but here is what I was talking about with the bolt... it's just a lot easier to glue up.  Oh and another reason I like to work fast is I use a 6 minutes epoxy gel for everything except long, full length grips, so being able to get everything situated and tightened up quickly is a must.  

[56 crestliner]

HEre is the real seat and forgrip. this is much better shot of the hook keeper. I am thinking of my next rod already. it is going to be a soft plastic rod im thinkning a med. action. can anybody make a suggestion in a sensitive rod blank around $50. here is the link to the place i will be buying it from they are close to me so i dont have to order over internet i dont want suggestion from anywhere else.http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/rod-blanks-fishing/ i will be putting a shimano citica reel on it.

[flechero]

You are on your way! Do you have the guides taped on yet? You might be able to finish it this weekend! (wrap and static test on saturday and apply finish sunday or even saturday night??)  I'm just not real patient on my own stuff.  ...lol

I looked at what they carry... you are kind of limited at $50. There are some really good $50 blanks out there but only a few options are listed at janns. (they probably have way more than the website shows. Be sure to ask them when you are there, just in case) I have an RX7 blank and I'm really impressed with it for the price, it's under $50. Also St.Croix SCII is within a few dollars of your target and the Matrix blanks are great looking... I haven't used one personally but have heard nothing but praise on the rodbuilding.org site about them.

Of the stuff listed in your price range, the RX7 would be the one I'd buy first and the SCII would be a close second. If the rod was for something other than plastics or jigs (feel baits) I'd try a matrix because they look cool and you can get reel seats and handles in the woven twill to match.

[Alpster]

The rod is looking good! Looking forward to the pics of the finished rod. Just like Flechero, I have a piece of 1/4" threaded rod for gluing cork rings & it works like a charm. Rainshadow RX7 and the Shikari blanks are pretty solid and close to your budget. After you build and fish a couple of rods, you will start to look at higher end blanks. That's how the bait/blank monkey works.   Keep up the good work and keep us posted.

Ronnie

[Guest DavidGreen]

portageriverangler,

From what I see you are on your way to fishing your first personal build. Good Job!!!

I am thinking of my next rod already. it is going to be a soft plastic rod im thinkning a med. action. can anybody make a suggestion in a sensitive rod blank around $50.

Since your walking into Jann's. I would visit and ask if they carry a St.Croix® SC2 6'6" MHF., that is if your dedicating the rod to just worm like fishing...If you are thinking more of a general purpose rod then I would suggest the SC2 6'6" MF... It's listed on the site at $59.00

SC2 = St. Croix® Premier Blank

Tight Wraps!!!

[56 crestliner]

Flechero cant finish it this weekend i had to work all day today. :-/ but it gets me money for the new rod and reel . and tommorow i will be at the ohio state trapping convention. but here are some pics of where i am.

[56 crestliner]

HEre is a picture of the guide

[earthworm77]

Alpster, I'm in the market to build a rod this winter, what model shikari are you referring to?

[Alpster]

Alpster, I'm in the market to build a rod this winter, what model shikari are you referring to?

earthworm, check out this link for shikari blanks...

http://www.shikariblanks.com/shikariblanks/Product.html?Construction=SH+II

They also have some nicer blanks if you want to spend more $. Check out the whole site. This link is just for shikari's around portageriverangler's budget.

Hope this is helpful.

Ronnie

[56 crestliner]

Reel mechanic i heard you saying that the rod muddy man boought the triumph which had a SCII blank on it was poor quality so im assuming the it is the way they put it together not the blank. but  if this is poor quality i was looking at the G Loomis GL2 Mag Bass Castinbg rod it only comes in MH and H i was looking at the MH 6'6" for 71.95. Whast do you think of these blanks. i would rather save money so i can buy a reel for it but i want a good rod.

[Guest DavidGreen]

portageriverangler,

Reel mechanic i heard you saying that the rod muddy man boought the triumph which had a SCII blank on it was poor quality so im assuming the it is the way they put it together not the blank.

yes it is mostly because the Triumph series rods are built in China. The SC2 blank is also the blank St Croix uses in their Premier series built here in the US. It is a decent blank and can be a good rod with the proper build.

i was looking at the G Loomis GL2 Mag Bass Castinbg rod it only comes in MH and H i was looking at the MH 6'6" for 71.95. Whast do you think of these blanks.

The last GL2 blank I built was in 1995 for a gentleman who was into tournament fishing at the time. He brought that rod into my shop a couple of weeks ago to show me how it had held up. It looked brand new, so he asked me to build him another 6'6" MHF, but this time we built it on an SC3 Avid blank. The day he picked it up, he took it to his favorite honey hole and caught six 4+lb. bass with it and called me from the waters edge to thank me for the rod and that it was more sensitive than the GL2 ever was.

Tight Wraps!!