Got a great deal today on a couple blanks

[SkinnyWaterBasser]

So a friend shot me a message today, he knew someone with "a bunch of rod building stuff" for sale and sent me some pictures. Low and behold there is an untouched PB731mhxf and a what appears to be partial built pb691mf in the mix Along with a what looks to be a very nice set of I think batson dream reamers, a dryer, wrapping station, and a bunch of other stuff that I'll definitely use. So I ask " how much?" He says "200", I say "sold" 

 

So here I sit pondering some things. The 6'9" point blank looks like it's got a Fuji sk2 casting seat on it. Not sure if it's just dry fit or if it's tight. So I  wonder ? if it's glued up, can that stuff be removed without damaging the blank? How do I go about that?  I suppose if it's more work than it's worth it it may make a decent jerkbait stick? Thoughts on this blank?

 

Second, the 7'3mhxf. I've been doing some checking around and I think I could purpose it as my big jigs, frogs in slop, and very occasionally small swimbait rod. Thoughts on this blank?

[casts_by_fly]

A dremel tool and cutting disk will make short work of the seat. Cut a slit lengthwise down the whole seat just deep enough to cut the seat and barely touch the arbors (assuming there are some and you can see that). Then take a wide flat screw driver, put it in the slot, and twist. You should be able to use the screwdriver to pop the seal on the seat glue. 
 

if you can look into the seat and see blank to seat contact then don’t do the above. 

[SkinnyWaterBasser]

Same could work with the cork grips that are on it too I imagine. Thanks for that tip!

[WC53]

Boiling water? Or lately, just set it in the sun  measured my back porch last week. Thermometer in direct sun only 117. Thankfully it was only 70% humidity 

[Lead Head]

Use channel locks to just tear the cork off if you really want it gone. I would suggest just finishing the build and fishing it, stripping a blank is a delicate process and that is way too nice of a blank to be learning on.

 

As to the 731mhxf, I have this blank and love it for 3/8oz jigs. Haven't fished anything else with it yet but its tip is amazing. This is the first xf rod I have ever liked. Its rated 1/2-1oz but the light tip should let you go lighter without too much hassle. As far as sensitivity... I would very much like to hear about any rod you have fished that you would consider more sensitive than this blank. Its very impressive. 

 

Not that you couldn't do it, but it would be a waste of a top tier bottom contact rod to throw frogs with this thing. 

 

Be sure to let us know how you like it and what your opinions are on it when you get it finished up. If you are new to building your own, do a lot of dry fitting and practice wrapping before you finish these up, they are very nice and high-end blanks. 

[SkinnyWaterBasser]

37 minutes ago, WC53 said:

Boiling water? Or lately, just set it in the sun  measured my back porch last week. Thermometer in direct sun only 117. Thankfully it was only 70% humidity 

Not quite that warm in Wisconsin so boiling water might do it. That won't harm the blank?

11 minutes ago, Lead Head said:

Use channel locks to just tear the cork off if you really want it gone. I would suggest just finishing the build and fishing it, stripping a blank is a delicate process and that is way too nice of a blank to be learning on.

 

As to the 731mhxf, I have this blank and love it for 3/8oz jigs. Haven't fished anything else with it yet but its tip is amazing. This is the first xf rod I have ever liked. Its rated 1/2-1oz but the light tip should let you go lighter without too much hassle. As far as sensitivity... I would very much like to hear about any rod you have fished that you would consider more sensitive than this blank. Its very impressive. 

 

Not that you couldn't do it, but it would be a waste of a top tier bottom contact rod to throw frogs with this thing. 

 

Be sure to let us know how you like it and what your opinions are on it when you get it finished up. If you are new to building your own, do a lot of dry fitting and practice wrapping before you finish these up, they are very nice and high-end blanks. 

I'm leaning towards just finishing his build as long as that seat is aligned properly. I've built 2 so far. One on an NFC 722sb x-ray it's nice, also built a 701mlf point blank and it's AMAZING. I've caught fish on both but I feel the PB is superior. As far as frogging with it goes, I don't frog often but I feel like it would do it well when I do. Definitely heavy jigs will be the majority of what it does. I'm sure it will impress just asking for different opinions on them and what guys like to use them for. 

[Lead Head]

Ahhh... now I remember when you built those. I would guess that 6'9" would be a really nice senko/light t-rig rod. While I can't confirm yet, I suspect the pb731mhxf will get too mushy in the tip for me with anything heavier than a 3/8oz jig + rage bug (nearly 1oz total weight right there). While I still prefer my NFC x-ray SJ-736 in chunk rock (because of its slightly stiffer tip), the PB really shines everywhere else, especially in brush. To me, the PB is more sensitive, but not by much. I'm mostly braid to leader (because of the chunk rock I mentioned earlier), so straight FC or mono might give a more noticeable difference in sensitivity, but I can't say for sure.

 

Thats a screaming deal you got, over $350 worth in blanks alone! 

[MickD]

14 hours ago, WC53 said:

Boiling water? Or lately, just set it in the sun

Epoxy does not melt, if that's what you're thinking.  It will degrade with heat but you have to be very careful because the temp that does that is close to the temp that will degrade the blank.  I don't use heat at all to loosen epoxied parts.  The mechanical means is your best bet, least risk.  

 

That 691 is a very nice blank.  I'd just complete the build unless I didn't like the seat location.  

[SkinnyWaterBasser]

On 7/21/2022 at 5:37 AM, Lead Head said:

Thats a screaming deal you got, over $350 worth in blanks alone! 

I didn't even have to think about it. Lol

I really hope that's not the case with the tip being too mushy for 1oz baits. Point blank specs puts that range easily Into the wheelhouse according to them. The 701mlf I built I tested the upper limit with a finesse jig and trailer that weighed about a gram under 3/8 oz and it seemed capable. Time will tell!

[Lead Head]

Its a personal preference thing, I'll bet the blank can handle it just fine. I don't like a super soft tip for bottom contact. I hate blanks that load too much when I hop a jig (very common with x-fast blanks). Many people are ok with it, but it makes me feel like I'm dragging a sock on the bottom. 

[MickD]

10 hours ago, Lead Head said:

I don't like a super soft tip for bottom contact. I hate blanks that load too much when I hop a jig (very common with x-fast blanks).

Yup.  Very common with X-fast blanks.  To avoid this with X-fast one has to go with significantly higher power than normally expected.  Good observation, IMO.