Latest Build

[clayton86]

Had a guy fall inlove with the rod I built my self for the trout derby and offered to buy it off me. After refusing he handed me some cash and said " build me one this should get you started" he pawed threw my mudhole catalog picked out a different reel seat then mine and said do gold/yellow and black. So this is what I came up with. Going to do a wrap of the yellow/black tiger thread under the front grip and butt so that its visible threw the window. It's built on a MHX S842-2 blank and then microwave guides with Tigold hook keeper.

Time to stop fishing everyday and work on this rod considering I'm getting paid for this one.....

[FD.]

And now you are officially a rod building prostitute.  

 

Keep the pictures coming. I like to see other builds.  Maybe I can steal an idea from you.

 

FD

[clayton86]

Day two update:

Did some wraps of tiger thread on the butt and front grip last night at work. Started the tiger wrap on my rod also finally since I knew I wasn't fishing till atleast Sunday I had the time to take it out of action.

With the grips on it will look like this after a few coats of epoxy.

A side shot to see the color in the reel seat matching the tiger thread wrap(they won't be mounted this way only doing it to show the port holes)

Start of the tiger wrap on my rod. Kinda nervous how it will look.

And then there is this issue I'm trying to figure out as well. One of the grips the little slot was tiny like I'm talking 1/8" little dot of a hole the other was like nice clean cut 1/2"ish hole. So I took my exacto knife and made the small one bigger and now it looks like crap around the edges. I tried sanding it with some rolled up 220 sand paper that didn't work next I'm thinking maybe the dremel or maybe heat up a screwdriver red hot and melt the foam back a tad. Not sure how to clean this up any ideas.

[Nice_Bass]

I would think a hot wire cutter or extremely fine tooth serrated blade would work best?  (I am not a rod builder). 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Try fine sanding the finger slot instead of down in the hole itself. Also, is it reamed enough to fit? A few swipes on the inside might clean it up some too.  

[Batson]

Cool build with some different type of techniques! 

[clayton86]

Try fine sanding the finger slot instead of down in the hole itself. Also, is it reamed enough to fit? A few swipes on the inside might clean it up some too.

They did fit and were a little big till this last coat of epoxy I just did now they don't fit so they need to be reamed out a little. Next I gotta figure out how I'm going to epoxy them on without getting it smeared over the hole. I was thinking put it on the bottom only and spin it only like half way around not all the way if that makes any sense. Or just clean it up with acetone and a q tip and hope it doesn't make the rest milky looking cuz it's nice and shiny now

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Couple things. Eva should be reamed to fit several inches ahead of the final placement. Butter the blank and and push it into place. It will stretch. No acetone. Clean up the excess with denatured alcohol.

[clayton86]

Why not acetone? It's what I've been using to clean up with a little on s rag or q tip. I ask cuz I get acetone free at work they let me refill my little jug of it.

[FD.]

Why not acetone? It's what I've been using to clean up with a little on s rag or q tip. I ask cuz I get acetone free at work they let me refill my little jug of it.

 

It will melt stuff you don't want melted.  Denatured alcohol is cheap at walmart.

[clayton86]

Dang I just left Wally World to

[clayton86]

Ok used denatured alcohol and got the handles mounted on the one build and then set my tiger wrap in epoxy.

[clayton86]

Added this tonight while bored. I put CP on the wraps to try and keep the brightness of the red inlay so it doesn't bleed out.

[EvanT123]

I really like the look of that is that the albaone?

[clayton86]

Yeah above the hook keeper that I just added is abalone then the split grip section is a holographic tiger wrap

[clayton86]

Almost done few more trim bands and it's done other then waiting for the decal to come in. Sorry the pic quality isn't the greatest.

This is finally done so

[Batson]

looking good. But what happened to the finish coat near the hook keeper or is the pic just amplifying something? Your finish coat on your wraps looks smooth. Just wondering.. 

[clayton86]

The black and gold? It's the CP i haven't coated with epoxy yet

[clayton86]

Well it's like 90% done just waiting for the decal to come in and then depending where it goes putting a band or two by the split grip. I'll set it in epoxy probably tomorrow after work let the CP sit over night.

I know you can see the foot threw some of the wraps it was tight till I wiggled them to align the guides I'll re burnish before I epoxy them no worries. This one I'm super proud of and taking a ton of time to build the customer spends stupid money and will want more if this one comes out good he's already seen the handle and freaked out so I think he will like it.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

No need for CP on black or metalic thread. You can save a step going forward. 

[Batson]

Ya the black and gold.. maybe its because of the metallic thread its making it look wet/finish coated over it... Anyways.. your build looks great!! 

[clayton86]

No need for CP on black or metalic thread. You can save a step going forward.

I know it was for the tiger thread

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

I thought the Tiger thread was NCP. Ya, you don't want that orange going brown you and lose the whole effect. Be sure to epoxy over CP on the blank or the finish may lift and allow moisture underneath. 

[clayton86]

I thought the Tiger thread was NCP. Ya, you don't want that orange going brown you and lose the whole effect. Be sure to epoxy over CP on the blank or the finish may lift and allow moisture underneath.

It says to be sure to use CP with it so that's what I did. I cleaned up what CP was on the blank and also epoxied over what I didn't get being closer to the threads and not wanting to accidently wash it off the threads also.

It's on the dryer now with the first coat of epoxy I already see a couple tags in gonna have to sand down and recoat tomorrow once it sets up fully to sand.

They just shipped the decal today I ended up ordering it from mudhole.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

I sue the Mudhole decals sometimes. They're not bad. I order 2 in case I mess one up (it happens). Be careful rolling or rubbing the decal down. I've rubbed the letters off. CP over it to seal the edges and it will look good under the finish.