New Bfs Rod, Almost

[.ghoti.]

Almost got this danged thing finished. It has been a comedy of errors since day one.
 
The grip. A nice Winn grip, I got on sale. These grips trim very easily. They do not ream easily at all. You can see I stretched and distorted the skin while reaming.

[.ghoti.]

the under wrap for a holo wrap in the hook keeper area. This is the third time I've done this. The first time a spider got into the epoxy, and made such a mess of it before he gave up the ghost, I had to cut it all off and start over. The second time, I just didn't like how it looked, so I cut it all of and started again. this is the base wrap of the third attempt.

 

[.ghoti.]

stripper guide(Alconite size 5) and bumper guide(Recoil size 5)

[.ghoti.]

Just noticed, I should have wiped off the dust. OOPS.

[buzzed bait]

really digging those colors on the rod!  

this is why i cannot do rod builds, i am not a perfectionist!!

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

the under wrap for a holo wrap in the hook keeper area. This is the third time I've done this. The first time a spider got into the epoxy, and made such a mess of it before he gave up the ghost, I had to cut it all off and start over. The second time, I just didn't like how it looked, so I cut it all of and started again. this is the base wrap of the third attempt.

The wrap looks nice and neat but it should be burnished into a random pattern to get the effect you want. I made the same mistake. Wrapped to tight and neat and didn't get and effect.  Guide wraps look great. 

[Big Bait Fishing]

stripper guide(Alconite size 5) and bumper guide(Recoil size 5)

very clean and tight thread and epoxy work   

[Big Bait Fishing]

Just noticed, I should have wiped off the dust. OOPS.

did you take the pic with a cell phone ? when i do real close up pics with my cell phone , it shows up any dust like that .

[.ghoti.]

iPad pics. Didn't notice the dust until I cropped them and posted here. Another lesson learned.

 

Mike, that's the bottom wrap. Fuji thread; black and teal, wrapped left to right. They have been burnished to distort the pattern, just not a whole lot. I pushed it all to left, rotated the rod 90 degrees and pushed it all to the right, 90 degrees push left, 90 degrees push right. Went around the rod three times, pushing gently each time. I pushed them around a lot more on the previous attempt, and did not like how it came out. Tried to do a bit less this time. If I had taken the pic straight on, you would be able to see a wavy pattern. From this angle it doesn't show up. Sorry; I still need to learn how to get good pics, up close and personal.

 

I forgot to add the details. This is an Immortal blank. 7'2" ML-F walleye spinning blank, 1/8 - 3/8oz, 6-12lb. Trimmed down to 7'. Alconite stripper and tip, Recoil running guides. Trimmed ACS reel seat. Fuji thread, teal with #8 blue trim. Teal and black for the bottom holo wrap. I'll do the top holo wrap with the same #8 blue used for the trim bands.

[Jrob78]

Very interested to hear your thoughts on the blank as it applies to BFS, once you've finished it of course.  It sounds like a good choice.

[.ghoti.]

Very interested to hear your thoughts on the blank as it applies to BFS, once you've finished it of course.  It sounds like a good choice.

I have three reels which don't have rods; an SS SV, a PX-R and an Alphas R. I've had the SS SV, spooled with #8 Supernatural mono, mounted on the rod and done some test casting. A 3/32oz Gopher mushroom jighead and a TRD bait loaded the rod enough to cast a usable distance. Same bait on a 1/16oz head, not so much. Doable, but not something I would want to do all day. Maybe it would be better with 6lb line, who knows. If I have to go down to 6lb line, I'm going to spinning gear.

 

I'm impressed with these Immortal blanks. Being a St Croix fan, I have several Avids, several LTBs and one Legend Extreme. In terms of sensitivity, I'd rank these Immortals right along with the LTBs. At about 2/3 the cost of an LTB, I'd call these things a bargain.

[Batson]

I have three reels which don't have rods; an SS SV, a PX-R and an Alphas R. I've had the SS SV, spooled with #8 Supernatural mono, mounted on the rod and done some test casting. A 3/32oz Gopher mushroom jighead and a TRD bait loaded the rod enough to cast a usable distance. Same bait on a 1/16oz head, not so much. Doable, but not something I would want to do all day. Maybe it would be better with 6lb line, who knows. If I have to go down to 6lb line, I'm going to spinning gear.

 

I'm impressed with these Immortal blanks. Being a St Croix fan, I have several Avids, several LTBs and one Legend Extreme. In terms of sensitivity, I'd rank these Immortals right along with the LTBs. At about 2/3 the cost of an LTB, I'd call these things a bargain.

 

Your build looks great! Congrats on the rod!

 

Well now you have done it! You gave everyone the secret Those RainShadow Immortal rod blanks have the same designer as your beloved ST Croix's! Mike Thorson really did a great move and the Immortals should be not only a great buy but performance as well! 

 

Thank you for being loyal customer! PM me privately when you get a chance! 

[Jrob78]

I have three reels which don't have rods; an SS SV, a PX-R and an Alphas R. I've had the SS SV, spooled with #8 Supernatural mono, mounted on the rod and done some test casting. A 3/32oz Gopher mushroom jighead and a TRD bait loaded the rod enough to cast a usable distance. Same bait on a 1/16oz head, not so much. Doable, but not something I would want to do all day. Maybe it would be better with 6lb line, who knows. If I have to go down to 6lb line, I'm going to spinning gear.

 

I'm impressed with these Immortal blanks. Being a St Croix fan, I have several Avids, several LTBs and one Legend Extreme. In terms of sensitivity, I'd rank these Immortals right along with the LTBs. At about 2/3 the cost of an LTB, I'd call these things a bargain.

Thanks, the info about the weight you casted was exactly the info I was looking for.

[FD.]

Nice job on the locking wraps Gary.  I can't get mine to look that good.

[Senko lover]

really digging those colors on the rod!  

this is why i cannot do rod builds, i am not a perfectionist!!

 

Yeah I could only do that in winter.....if I lived back in MN where I'm from. Here I just go fishing haha

[georgeyew]

stripper guide(Alconite size 5) and bumper guide(Recoil size 5)

 

Looks awesome. I love that you wrapped and epoxyed past the guides. You don't find that very often on store bought rods.

[kickerfish1]

Nice work Gary!

[Hogsticker]

That blank should be great for bfs. Get an SV spool for that Type R and you can cast anything you want. I don't like my SS for lighter stuff. My Alphas SV takes the cake for that.

[.ghoti.]

Nice job on the locking wraps Gary.  I can't get mine to look that good.

 Thanks Lee. All I can say is I screwed up enough of them trying to get one to look like I knew what I was doing. And I still screw up about a third of them, and have to unwind and find the correct starting point for the first locking wrap. It's a different spot for every different size and type guide.

[.ghoti.]

Looks awesome. I love that you wrapped and epoxyed past the guides. You don't find that very often on store bought rods.

 That is my attempt to fix one of my problems. I could never seem to get the epoxy looking neat behind the guide. Adding the trim wrap on the back side extended it out far enough that a clean neat edge is something I can do. Without that extra few turns of thread, the back side of my guide wraps is fugly.

[.ghoti.]

Here's the finished holo wrap. Not exactly what I was going for, but after three tries, this will do.

 

[Dwight Hottle]

Nice job. Almost looks psychedelic. 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Looks good. Ya a red and orange would look like a lava lamp. I've seen them in old pictures (clears throat). lol

[.ghoti.]

Here's the finished holo wrap. Not exactly what I was going for, but after three tries, this will do.

 

I was shooting for something a bit more subtle. I ain't doing it a fourth time. Unless I get bored mid-winter, that is.

 

Lava lamp, Mike? You old enough to have had one? I am, and so is Dwight. LOL

 

Yeah, I had one.

[S Hovanec]

Never gave much thought to the label, but I guess you could say I have a BFS build slated for myself when I find some free time!  It is an old SCIV Inshore 4SW70MLF from before they were discontinued and reintroduced a couple years ago.  Want it for weightless plastics and Slender Pointers.