Rod Blanks - Cheap Cheap

[Nurse Ratchet]

I am brand new to rob making and i would like to start out learning on some super cheap rod blanks.  If anyone has a lead on them i would love to make a connection.

 

thanx in advance

[crypt]

check with Mudhole.they have closeouts all the time.

[MickD]

Good plan to start at the lower end and move up with your skill.  Mudhole not only has closeouts often, but they also have a good line of reasonably priced blanks.  Their color series, which I believe, based on weights, is graphite and priced less than $30.

 

[Darren.]

Mudhole. Got a buddy who uses 'em.

 

And welcome to the forums.

[Andy007]

The first rod I built (12-14 year ago)I was going to use the cheapest blank I could find for practice, but the rod builder that got me started suggested to build the rod I wanted with a mid price blank. I wanted an ultra light jig rod for panfish, and I built that rod with a mid priced blank. 10+ years later that is still my goto rod when jigging for panfish.

You can buy a 60-70 buck blank, add some components and have a nice usable rod for many years!

Not saying that starting with budget blanks is wrong, I'm just giving another option. An when it comes to rod building the options become endless!

And as suggest before Mudhole  has many video's to help and free ship over $99.

Good luck and if you have questions there are some very talented builders in the rod building forums!

[Nurse Ratchet]

thanx all for the advice appreciate the feedback

[grub_man]

Jann's Netcraft used to sell some low cost fiberglass blanks that you could get 5 of the same model for about the price of a nice mid-range blank.  I don't know if they still do that or not.  It's been a while since I checked.

 

The Mudhole CRB blanks are pretty decent graphite blanks at a reasonable price.  However, they are not technique specific powers and actions.  They are more of a general purpose type rod.  If you want something a little nicer that will find a place in your rod collection for life, take a look at the MHX blanks.

 

My first two builds were on high end blanks.  The finish work may not be stellar on those rods, but they are still the first rods I reach for in a great many situations.  I keep telling myself that maybe I should go back and rewrap them, but I haven't talked myself into it yet.  Most of my personal rods have some sort of experiment going on anyhow.  Guides wraps with color preserver only and no finish, guide foot tunnels unfilled, and a few other things.  Since they aren't built to be works of art, some cosmetic defects don't bother me.  Rods that end up in someone else's hand on the other hand get held to a much higher standard.

 

By the way, as you are learning, if you want to experiment with different guide sizes and or layouts, wrapping the guides and coating the thread with color preserver is a great way to experiment.  You can take them out and fish them like normal.  If you want to try something different, cut them off, clean up the blank with alcohol and try again.  I have rods that have been in service for several years with only CP on the thread.

[Batson]

Personally, as Andy007 also noted, if you're going to build then build something that you're going to want to continue to fish - doesn't have to be super expensive to be better than off the shelf rods.

 

If you're just wanting to practice wrapping guides, then take an old rod that you already have cut off the guides (that's a learning experience as well for repair) and wrap on new guides, cut them off and wrap again.

Wrapping guides and finish coats are where most people struggle with when learning, so focus on that.

 

I also suggest Get Bit Outdoors to order from - honestly there's lots of great dealers out there. 

[spoonplugger1]

Batson made some fine suggestions, as did grub man, Batson's RX6 blanks are more technique specific than most blanks in their price range. Get Bit's first brand, the one they made a name as an international company was with was Batson products, I've been using the line for near 20 years I think, they only get better as the years go by. Customers, family and myself all have rods built on their blanks in all the series, not one bad build, or dissatified customer.