Let's Play a Rod Building Game!

[Michigander]

Well, as many of you may have noticed, it is winter and that means for many of us that there isn't much fishing to be had, so I figure we can play a rod building game to help pass the time. This might be fun for our seasoned artisans and novices like myself.

 

Here's the rules:

• I'll post a picture of an off the shelf bass rod every week until spring.
• The goal is to try and replicate the photo as closely as possible.
  • You tell us how you'd build it and what components you would use.
• You'll pretend that you are either building for a client or as a personal project for yourself.
• The budget is up to $1,000 before labor, but you need to use materials from sources available to most people or reasonably scratchbuild/fabricate parts yourself (i.e. no custom industrial processes).
• We're mainly focusing on the handle/grip/reel seat setup but you can mention guide train or anything else if you want.
• Assume all rods are about 7'0" long and a general purpose M or MH.

 

So that's it! Here's our first rod, how would you replicate it?

[.ghoti.]

reel seat
http://www.matagi.co.jp/english/prs/silvermetal.html

hood and trim parts

http://www.matagi.co.jp/alumiparts/index.html

 

i would pick some black framed guides and tip. Eva you can get anywhere.

 

 

 

[Michigander]

1 hour ago, .ghoti. said:

reel seat
http://www.matagi.co.jp/english/prs/silvermetal.html

hood and trim parts

http://www.matagi.co.jp/alumiparts/index.html

 

i would pick some black framed guides and tip. Eva you can get anywhere.

 

 

 

How would you do the keeper?

[MN Fisher]

If you want my opinion - I like the rods that have the keeper in front of the handle, 90 degree off-set from the reel position. Keepers in the gap of split-grips drive me nuts and I install Fuji keepers in my preferred location in those cases.

 

I'm thinking of getting the basic parts to install keepers in my preferred location on all my rods.

[Michigander]

1 minute ago, MN Fisher said:

If you want my opinion - I like the rods that have the keeper in front of the handle, 90 degree off-set from the reel position. Keepers in the gap of split-grips drive me nuts and I install Fuji keepers in my preferred location in those cases.

 

I'm thinking of getting the basic parts to install keepers in my preferred location on all my rods.

You're like my tourney partner, hates them anywhere other than forward and under. I'm the opposite.

 

However, per the game rules, the hook keeper needs to be rear of the grip and floating above the blank for this week's rod.

 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Whenever a customer asks me if I can duplicate a production rod I scream into a pillow until the homicidal rage subsides. Then, I’ll quote a price that eases the pain. 99% of the time they’re the tire kickers. 

[Michigander]

28 minutes ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

Whenever a customer asks me if I can duplicate a production rod I scream into a pillow until the homicidal rage subsides. Then, I’ll quote a price that eases the pain. 99% of the time they’re the tire kickers. 

Well, I can find a wacky custom rod for next week's rod deconstruction if you want. ?

Just wanted to use production rods because they can have oddball components that might be a little more challenging to puzzle through.

[spoonplugger1]

I've fished a time or two with persons that can't keep their hands out of the hooks, in front is probably safer for them if they have a foregrip to space it out away from the reel seat.  I drill a hole in my trigger and call it good for my casting rods. I was also shown years ago the idea of using a fly snake guide as a keeper, makes getting your hook free easier and traps the lure a bit better than a dropshot keeper style does IMO.

[S Hovanec]

On 1/29/2021 at 8:19 PM, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

Whenever a customer asks me if I can duplicate a production rod I scream into a pillow until the homicidal rage subsides. Then, I’ll quote a price that eases the pain. 99% of the time they’re the tire kickers. 

 

My reply is for them to go buy that production rod because I'll never match that price.  The biggest request was to duplicate Avids back when you could buy sc3 blanks.  What I would do was look up the price of that particular model rod and add $100.  They would then just go buy the Avid.

[Michigander]

19 hours ago, spoonplugger1 said:

I've fished a time or two with persons that can't keep their hands out of the hooks, in front is probably safer for them if they have a foregrip to space it out away from the reel seat.  I drill a hole in my trigger and call it good for my casting rods. I was also shown years ago the idea of using a fly snake guide as a keeper, makes getting your hook free easier and traps the lure a bit better than a dropshot keeper style does IMO.

I think the hook in hand thing is a main reason my tourney partner likes the keeper up front. I seem to get my line wrapped around a forward keeper once or twice a year so I don't like them up there. Having it integrated into the lock nut is also a cool way to go, like on this broken Intenza rod that I am repairing.

[Michigander]

Ok, here's this week's rod. How would you do it?

[S Hovanec]

1 hour ago, Michigander said:

Ok, here's this week's rod. How would you do it?

 

Not possible to replicate that without some specialized equipment.  Maybe foam core and heat shrink tube, but you won't get the rubber tac of the St Croix grip.

[Michigander]

15 hours ago, S Hovanec said:

 

Not possible to replicate that without some specialized equipment.  Maybe foam core and heat shrink tube, but you won't get the rubber tac of the St Croix grip.

If someone knows of a grippy coating, that would be fun to learn about. Thankfully this is just about replicating the look. ?

 

I think the handle could be replicated by turning and shaping foam on a lathe, covered in the carbon fiber mesh and then coated with the finish that had white dye in it.

[S Hovanec]

3 hours ago, Michigander said:

If someone knows of a grippy coating, that would be fun to learn about. Thankfully this is just about replicating the look. ?

 

I think the handle could be replicated by turning and shaping foam on a lathe, covered in the carbon fiber mesh and then coated with the finish that had white dye in it.

 

Plastidip can give that similar feel, but I think it's kinda heavy and not very durable.

[Michigander]

6 minutes ago, S Hovanec said:

 

Plastidip can give that similar feel, but I think it's kinda heavy and not very durable.

Based on my experience with it on tools, I don't think I would add that to a rod.

[woody osborne]

i'd try and try  until mike pederson(riley rods) gave in and made me the grip. pac bay minima seat. fuji torzite guides/tip,  MHX rod blank.