Thinking about making my own rods...........

[GitRDoneIke23]

Hey ya'll,

I was considering starting to make my own custom rods. I'd like to know......

What stuuf/equiptment I need.

and

How much will it cost to get me started.

Tight Lines    8-)

[Cory20]

Wait, so are you a member here still...

Have you checked the stickies?  They're at the top of every section and are awesome.

[basschaser66]

Good luck!!

[MickD]

As mentioned before, check the stickie posts at the beginning of the forum, and in my opinion:

-  Determine whether or not you want to buy prepared handles or turn your own cork. I highly recommend the latter because it gives you so much freedom to affect the shape and appearance (check out exotic burl-using regular color with simple burnt cork accents is very attractive).  If you want to turn rings, a drill press and a little ingenuity mounting your rings onto 5/16 threaded rods will allow efficient and accurate turning.

- I recommend you start with a couple rods with fairly inexpensive blanks and guide sets.  I have not yet made a rod without learning something, and my first few rods left a lot to be desired.  Check sites like Mudhole.com and jannsnetcraft.com + others for blank specials.  Both have  their own line of reasonable blanks.

- I recommend you start with simple winding schemes.  I think a lot of the rods being done today with complex winding schemes look too gaudy and lack class.  Factories can do about anything with windings now, and the complex windings look like factory rods. IMHO

-  Check out http://www.rodbuilding.org/list.php?2 for great info, and seriously consider getting the magazine offered there.  It is a great source of information, every single issue.  Check out the library articles at the web site for great info on guide sizing and placement.

-  I highly recommend a turning motor for drying your finish.  I just could not get great looking finish until I got mine built and running. YOu can buy the motor and a chuck at eBay pretty reasonably and mount it yourself.  Also build other supports-pretty easily.

-  If your motive is simply to save money, it won't work.  You'll soon find yourself going up market with components and your rods will become more expensive than you're probably spending now. At the end of the model year, Bass Pro and Cabelas have some pretty good closeouts with really good $100 rods for about $70.  You can, however, make the equivalent of the top of the line St Croix and Loomis rods for about 2/3 the cost, but that is still somewhat steep.

I figure that I normally spend about $50 over the blank cost for my rods (using very high quality components), more if I use titanium framed guides.