the new worm rod...

[flechero]

Well I finally got to start on one of my Christmas blanks today!  First up is a Loomis MB784 IMX.  My perfect t-rig rod.  Went with a Burnt burl split grip with 2 small accent stripes in Laguna.  Nothing fancy, actually it's getting to be almost standard for my personal rods... I lack the artistic imagination that many of you guys have.  ...lol  

When the weather is nicer, I'll start doing some inlay work in the cork again... the garage has been too cold and all my work (except turning) has been done inside when the wife is out.  

This one will have Ti framed SiC's and will not be weighted. No clue yet on thread... may just go stealth.

[5bass]

Looking good flechero! I like that.

[Alpster]

Awesome grip work Keith. I have to admit that I used premade grips on my latest rod builds to save time. You have inspired me to get the junk cleaned out of the garage and get the lathe set up and start building grips. The dark burl is very classy looking.  

Ronnie

[flechero]

Thanks!  I think the burnt cork is better on the primary rods... even when I finish the cork, i wear through it and it turns the contact points almost black in pretty short order.  I guess that means I use them a lot!  ...lol   I do like the look of the laguna as the primary color better but only when it's new.  

One thing to think about, I also used premade grips on a few... but I pre make them on rainy or windy days that I can't fish!  I always have 2-4 complete grips sitting in the garage just waiting to be reamed.  All my grips are within a ring or two of the same length and all will go up against an ECS seat so it's easy to run them in advance.  It cuts 1-2 days (for us part-timers) out of a build if you are glueing the grip on in day one.  I'm not the most patient of people when I have a blank waiting for me to get in gear!  ...lol

[Guest DavidGreen]

flechero,

Great looking work bud....  

Here is the grip on my current custom build. The rod is a 3C70MHF, the grips are German brown burl, with Andy's burnt burl rings. The rod is going to be right hand spiral wrapped, and marbled pitching rod. Don't mind the blue tape, it just protecting the blank area for the marbling, while I shaped the butt.

Tight Wraps All!!!

[Alpster]

flechero,

Great looking work bud....  

Here is the grip on my current custom build.

RM,

Beautifull work as always! You guys are making me feel bad with all this artwork on the rod grips. LOL Here's how a lazy guy does a split grip. This is my 7' MH Mod action Lamiglas "crankin stik" (spiral wrapped of course). Silver metalic base wraps with Black overwraps. Cork is a store bought 4-1/2" foregrip turned around backwards and a rubber butt cap. The guides are not underwrapped.

Ronnie

[Gatorbassman]

Dang,

Those things look great.

I have got to find my camera. I just finish my first rod build and I am proud of it. It's split gripped and spiral wrapped and it's on the dryer as I am typing this. Thanks fletch and ReelMech for your help. I will give proper thanks when I get some pics.

[56 crestliner]

Do you guys put foregrips on the split grips?

Looking at ur rods i noticed i put my grip on the wrong way , i guess i can make it work

[BORDERBASSER]

Great looking rods guys.  I wish I could afford those high end guides fletch, but the alconites I usually use are pretty hard to beat for the money.  I just placed an order today from fishsticks and plan to be building a rod with the graphite handle tubing split gripped.  I think it is gonna be a little different than anything I have ever seen before in person, RBO photo page or here.  I won't let the cat out of the bag just yet ('cause I don't even know if it's gonna work worth a dang or not) but I'll keep you posted and hopefully post some pics in the next couple of weeks if it turns out good.  I'm gonna build it on a All Star Titanium 807C 6'8" Hvy ex-fast.  Again, great looking rods guys.

TJ

[flechero]

Dang,

Those things look great.

I have got to find my camera. I just finish my first rod build and I am proud of it. It's split gripped and spiral wrapped and it's on the dryer as I am typing this. Thanks fletch and ReelMech for your help. I will give proper thanks when I get some pics.

Sweet!!  For sure get a few pics...  (no lollygagging, get them soon!)   How about some details to tide us over??  What blank, seat, guides, etc.?

Be sure to resist the temptation (later tonight) of touching the finish to see if it's hardened yet.   :-?  Yup, I did that on the first one... figured if it set up in under an hour, it had to be cured to the touch in 4 or 5 - NOPE!!  ...lol  

Now I never throw away my foil with the excess finish until the next day... I stick my fingernail into the extra so I don't screw up the real thing!  

Ahh... humble beginnings!!  ...lol

Do you guys put foregrips on the split grips?

I don't but some people do.  I don't use them for anything so I leave them off.  You just have to find a way to finish off the front of the reel seat... whether it be a winding check, thread/epoxy ramp, or just a finish ramp, what ever suits your taste.  Lots of people use a single ring of cork and make a tiny little foregrip just so it looks more normal.

What grip did you put on backwards??  How about a pic, we can probably help you with a specific suggestions to either correct or improve it.  

[flechero]

Great looking rods guys. I wish I could afford those high end guides fletch, but the alconites I usually use are pretty hard to beat for the money. I just placed an order today from fishsticks and plan to be building a rod with the graphite handle tubing split gripped. I think it is gonna be a little different than anything I have ever seen before in person, RBO photo page or here. I won't let the cat out of the bag just yet ('cause I don't even know if it's gonna work worth a dang or not) but I'll keep you posted and hopefully post some pics in the next couple of weeks if it turns out good. I'm gonna build it on a All Star Titanium 807C 6'8" Hvy ex-fast. Again, great looking rods guys.

TJ

I like alconites too, they are THE BEST GUIDES for the money, IMO!  I just had asked for a bunch of Ti guides and Santa came through with enough for a couple rods so I figured I better use them on the nice blanks!!  ...lol  The All Star 807 is a SWEET blank.  I still have 2 of the 806 Titaniums left but sold my 807's back in the summer.  I still have 2 of the 827's and an 826 but they are +T.

Is fishstick where I saw all the different finish and trim pieces for the tubing handle material?  Someone had several different ends and trim parts for those... I thought about ordering some but lost track of where I saw them.  ...lol  

[BORDERBASSER]

Yeah fletch, they have it all.  Even woven graphite tapered foregrips.  They have the bushings for the tube to seat connection and tube to buttcap connection.  If you have never delt with fishsticks, give them a shot.  They have been VERY good to me.

TJ

[Gatorbassman]

Sweet!! For sure get a few pics... (no lollygagging, get them soon!) How about some details to tide us over?? What blank, seat, guides, etc.?

Be sure to resist the temptation (later tonight) of touching the finish to see if it's hardened yet. :-? Yup, I did that on the first one... figured if it set up in under an hour, it had to be cured to the touch in 4 or 5 - NOPE!! ...lol

Now I never throw away my foil with the excess finish until the next day... I stick my fingernail into the extra so I don't screw up the real thing!

Ahh... humble beginnings!! ...lol

My wife lost the camera but I will try to borrow one from a friend in the next few days.

I already thought about the temptation for touching the finish. I dripped a little on my table and I left it there so I could check it.

I have really taken my time on this rod. I read all I could find and asked some questions and read some more. Then it took me nearly a month to build it.

Here's the specs on the rod.

6'10" MH Shikari Blank

Burl Cork, Split grip turned and shaped to fit my big hands and balanced to perfection.

Fuji ECS exposed blank reel seat.

Fuji Fire Red framed SiC guides. (Spiral Wrapped)

The wrapping colors are Red and Silver. So with a black blank that makes it Georgia Bulldog colors. lol

The next rod will be a 7'6" St Croux Heavy Flippin Stick. I have a few tricks I'm gonna do with that one. I've got a few burnt cork rings to play with.

[flechero]

Sounds top notch!! Can't wait for some pics! I've never seen the red framed fuji's before.

If you have never delt with fishsticks, give them a shot

They also have my card on file. ;D (seriously, they really do!)  I might actually be on Robert's speed dial.  ...lol

[justtrying]

hey guys, GREAT looking rods.  ReelMech, you never cease to amaze me.  your customers have no idea as to how grateful they should be.  ..there are so many people in business today that are just trying to make a buck; not a lot that are trying to produce quality work.

flech, my man, we just gotta get you a shop!  man, if you had a place to work year 'round, you'd have to trademark your rods! LOL    ...Great looking work

alps, i Like the way you work different grips, seats, butts, etc. into your blanks.  it gives them a very nice Personal look.

hey flluke, Pics, man, Pics.  Your First Rod.... man, that's neat ...sadly, now you'll be hooked!  ...lots of split grip, spiral wrapped, rods in your future.  LOL

i just finished a st croix 6'6" med last nite.  it's drying right now.  ...AND, it has "common cork" grips. BAHHHH.   i bought a lot of the st croix handles from bingham & i'm using them on "familyl & friends Work" rods. ..kids & grandkids use them, throw them down, etc.  so, i'm using the cork on these, burl on my "special" rods.

hey, just one little "trick" i found a few weeks ago.  when i marbelize the grip, i'll sprinkle a Very Little bit of glitter on them & it really brings out the colors.

Build 'em, Boys, Build 'em

ronnie

[56 crestliner]

sorry i didnt mean i put the grip on backwards i meant i put the reel seat on backwards.

[BORDERBASSER]

Is it a spinning seat??

[56 crestliner]

no, thats the problem it is a trigger seat :-/

[BORDERBASSER]

I'm not even gonna ask how you managed that LOL!, but that is a bummer.  I left the hood off my first one. ;D  Didn't realize it till I had the whole thing almost wraped.  If you are carefull you can get it off and maybe salvage it with a little heat.  Other wise, I think you'll probably have to VERY carefully cut it off with a dremel.  You need to do a little searching to find the specifics on how to remove it as I have only done it a few times.  I'm sure reelmech would be able to help you a little more than me.  Hopefully you have not wrapped the rod yet.  

TJ

[flechero]

What type of seat & epoxy did you use?  (some epoxies have lower tolorances to heat)  Also I have seen posts on RBO on replacing seats, if you search there you shoudl find very specific suggestions.... look for one by Jesse Buky (sp?) he actually has a method of cutting and sleeving the blank so you don't risk making it mush from heat.  Others claim his method is indetectable so I think it's worth looking for.  

[56 crestliner]

i already glued the foregrip on . but i put the reel on it and it is pretty comfortable so i can live with it

[JimRippe]

Flechero, nice looking grips.  That burnt cork is sweet.  Reelmechs grip is really nice too.  Well, I am still working on this camo rod.  To many things were going on I had to put everything on hold for a while.  Starting back up.  Here's an updated photo.