Author |
Message |
Glass Stixs
|
Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 7:51 am • # 1 |
|
|
Full Member |
Joined: 11/18/08 Posts: 245
|
I know several on the board have rod builds going on and wanted to start a thread to talk about the progress of the rods under construction. Let us know what you are building, how far along you are, materials used (guide type, thread color epoxy or varnish, reel seat etc). Feel free to post pics! I am currently building: Riffle glass blank 7' 6" 2pc 3/4wt Black Struble D3 reel seat with deer antler insert Perfection black snake guides Golden Witch speckled jasper stripping guide Tan silk wraps with black (5 turn) tipping 1st coat Flex Coat Lite thinned 50% with denatured alcohol for translucent wraps 4-6 coats of Ace spar varnish for finish The rod is wrapped except for two guides and tip top on the tip section (backordered parts ) I put the first coat of finish on the butt section yesterday Doug
|
|
Top |
|
jkurtz7
|
Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 7:59 am • # 2 |
|
|
Administrator |
Joined: 11/17/08 Posts: 4828
|
I wish I had a project to work on right now. I have no funds to support a new build. I'd like to do a 1wt or a longer 2wt though as soon as the funds are there. By the way Doug, how do you like the Perfection snake guides? How much foot prep is required, and how is the overall quality compared to Pac Bay snakes?
J.
|
|
Top |
|
Fly Chef
|
Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 8:21 am • # 3 |
|
|
Newbie |
Joined: 12/05/08 Posts: 31
|
When I was building - long ago - my spinning rods I used single foot guides. Now that I am preparing to build fly rods I'm curious about single foot snake guides, is there much difference in the action? do they work well? What do you guy's think?
|
|
Top |
|
Glass Stixs
|
Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 8:38 am • # 4 |
|
|
Full Member |
Joined: 11/18/08 Posts: 245
|
J. I started using perfection guides last year on a couple of builds. There is little if any prep needed with them. I have used Pac Bay on a bunch of builds and it seems like every new batch needed more and more work to get them usable and some of the pre grinding they do leaves thin spots in the metal causing a weak spot and rough edge. Perfections are more expensive but worth it to me not only in time saved on guide prep but the lack of frustration in trying to hold the guides while filing on them and keeping from bending them in the process. As far as quality, they are hard chrome and one of the best in terms of wear resistance. It's just a personal thing that I use snakes instead of single foot guides. I like the looks of the snakes better, I guess I'm just old school.
Doug
|
|
Top |
|
jkurtz7
|
Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 9:17 am • # 5 |
|
|
Administrator |
Joined: 11/17/08 Posts: 4828
|
Doug, are the Perfections pre-ground then too? And where are you buying them? Directly from REC, or from Angles Workshop?
Thanks,
J.
|
|
Top |
|
pearow
|
Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 9:19 am • # 6 |
|
|
Hero Member |
Joined: 11/18/08 Posts: 1359
|
I just finished a 5 piece ultra-lite pack spin rod for a friend who wanted a spin rod to go with his fly rods when hiking up to the lakes in the high country. I'm re working an old W&M fly rod for a friend. I'm building a 8 foot 3 weight diamondback graphite rod for me; its almost finished. I just finished a 7'6" 3 weight built on the batson forecast blank for another friend. If you've never tried that blank i urge you to do so; it'l change your attitude about graphite 3 weights; and its a true 3 weight; much softer than most 1 and 2 weights I've owned or cast. Ultralight rods dont have to have a 0, 1 or 2 on the side of the rod to be ultralights!!!!-p-
|
|
Top |
|
Glass Stixs
|
Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 10:38 am • # 7 |
|
|
Full Member |
Joined: 11/18/08 Posts: 245
|
Jeremy, I buy the Perfection guides from Hook&Hackle. They are not ground like you see on say the Pac Bay guides but rather they are manufactured to a closer tolerance using better materials than other brands. I love the translucent look so the guide feet show through the thread. I hate all of the grind and file marks showing through. I wish the Perfections were just a little bit more rounded at the end and the edges of the foot to make thread transition easier but they are doable as they are right out of the package and they look great through the thread. If you are doing regular wraps, then the grind marks don't show but the outline of the guide foot in the thread can show unevenness in the wrap especially on light colors and low build finishes. Dang Gene, slow down a little or there won't be any blanks left to build for the rest of us. Doug
Last edited by Glass Stixs on Sun Dec 14, 2008 10:40 am, edited 1 time in total.
|
|
Top |
|
flyflingerandy1
|
Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 11:24 am • # 8 |
|
|
Hero Member |
Joined: 12/22/11 Posts: 1602
|
Gene, that 3wt Forecast blank, can you link me to that blank for pricing, etc? Thanks!
|
|
Top |
|
jkurtz7
|
Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 12:35 pm • # 9 |
|
|
Administrator |
Joined: 11/17/08 Posts: 4828
|
|
Top |
|
pkrotine
|
Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 3:22 pm • # 10 |
|
|
Global Moderator |
Joined: 11/20/08 Posts: 303
|
I have an 8ft 2wt blank coming from dan craft, and I also am building a 7'6" 3wt lami.
|
|
Top |
|
flyflingerandy1
|
Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 7:59 pm • # 11 |
|
|
Hero Member |
Joined: 12/22/11 Posts: 1602
|
Thank you J. That seems like a sweet little rod for lakes...
|
|
Top |
|
armyflyfisher
|
Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 8:03 pm • # 12 |
|
|
Hero Member |
Joined: 11/20/08 Posts: 594
|
I'm obssessing over my Dan Craft 1wt build........I'm looking at all my options and trying to get every component to work in concert and coordinate with every other component......
Blank: Dan Craft (Five Rivers) 6'10 1wt Reel seat hardware: Pacific Bay DL5 in TiCh finish Real seat insert: Custom turned Buckeye burl (shopping for a turning blank now) Guides: Forecast single foots in TiCh size 1 or 2 Stripper guide: Fuji gold cermet ring in ti frame (gold ring to match the tan wood in the insert) size 9 or 10 Wraps: Black thread with 1 or 2 turn tipping (maybe gold to match the buckeye burl insert) Grip: I really like the shape of the old "Fenwick style" grip, and although it isn't tradionally found on a light line rod, I'm going to custom turn a grip this shape. I am designing a grip now with some different colored rings for accents.
I finished my Lami in Flexcoat Lite cut with acetone and got a nice "low build" look. I'm not going to use color preserver so that I get a slightly translucent appearance. Someday when I get brave I'll try to use spar varnish!
I'm trying to find a preferred way of making alignment dots that aren't too obtrusive or hard to execute.
I am holding off ordering anything until I get the total design down to limit the number of suppliers I have to buy from. Right now I'm looking at Dan Craft, Mudhole and a supplier for the wood blank.
I'll definately document this build with photos, looking for constructive advice and pointers from all the (way) more experienced builder on this site.
Thanks,
David
Last edited by armyflyfisher on Mon Dec 15, 2008 4:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
|
|
Top |
|
janus73
|
Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 7:29 am • # 13 |
|
|
I'm just about finished with a rx6 6'6" 2wt 4pc. It's seems to lean more towards a 3wt but is a nice blank and am happy with the results. I will post pics soon. I ended up using a "boat guide" size 8 for the stripper always liked the way they looked. Used a jannsnetcraft slidingband cork seat and pacbay single foots black thread with some olive trim.my wrapping came along much easier on it. I rigged up a tension device w a carboard box and some duct tape using a fly tying bobbin to hold the thread and it worked much better for me than my previous efforts. This is my 3rd complete build. I am going to start a pacbay tradition II 6'6" 2wt..after the holidays..might end up using the same cork/reelseat combo from janns but have been looking at the sprinkcreek seats from landmark as well..just want to get a closer to true 2wt..so far have built 2,4,+ 6 just need 8 and then I can ponder the question "who do we appreciate?" Janus
|
|
Top |
|
pearow
|
Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 7:51 am • # 14 |
|
|
Hero Member |
Joined: 11/18/08 Posts: 1359
|
Janus; dorber has the cork and ring grip/reelseats also. Their rings are a little nicer than the jannsnetcraft; not on their website but you can call; about the same price. Also, i heard that orvis still had some of them they use with the superfine series. I like the netcraft ones and have used them a lot, but i just wanted to tell you about other sources of that same type setup-p-
|
|
Top |
|
janus73
|
Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 8:20 am • # 15 |
|
|
Thanks pearow. Hey I don't want to do a seperate post for this because it's really kinda a non-issue and didn't want to call much attention to it. But I had to order a custom rod bag for the rod and ended up ordering from a bamboo maker. It's been about a month now. How long does it take to sew a bag? I'm not in a hurry but it seems a bit ridiculous. I emailed and asked and he said he would email when he shipped it..If I was handy with a sewing machine I would have made one myself. Wanted to patronize a smaller shop/builder... Janus
|
|
Top |
|
flyflingerandy1
|
Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 9:59 am • # 16 |
|
|
Hero Member |
Joined: 12/22/11 Posts: 1602
|
You can sew a bag in a matter of an hour. Lay out your cloth, and begin with making your vertical stitching, followed by sealing the bag at the end, and finally, overlay the trim around the outer seams to give it that finished look. If I had a sewing machine, I would start making the durn things.
|
|
Top |
|
janus73
|
Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 10:11 am • # 17 |
|
|
Right..my thoughts exactly. Confused on the time it is taking, might send an email of concern.
|
|
Top |
|
pearow
|
Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 10:17 am • # 18 |
|
|
Hero Member |
Joined: 11/18/08 Posts: 1359
|
you can go to walmart sewing section and find some iron on hem glue that is used to hem things like dresses, shirt sleeves, pants, etc. Take that and iron the rod sock together. You have to do it inside out so that when its finished and you turn it right side out you have a nice seam; then if you want to split the sock in half for a two piece rod put a couple of pieces of the "hem glue" where you want it to split and iron that in; the split will not be all the way down, but will be enough to seperate the two pieces of rod. You can put it all the way bottom to top, but you have to "shuck" the sock down, put a piece of glue, iron, then move up. i fnd thats too difficult for me, so I just do the top 12 inches or so. I buy the cloth remnants from walmart; the end of the stuff they sell; it only costs a little bit. you can build a rod sock for les than a buck, usually and you dont have to have a sewing machine; and they work well to keep the rod pieces from banging around-p-
|
|
Top |
|
littlejr
|
Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 11:18 am • # 19 |
|
|
Newbie |
Joined: 12/14/08 Posts: 4
|
Blank: Lamiglas fiberglass 7'-0 (3) piece 3wt Reel Seat: Bellinger Walnut slide band. Guides: Fuji titanium stripper with Snake Brand running guides. Thread: gold tipped with black, no CP Finish: (2) coats of Threadmaster Lite thinned with denatured alcohol. Will finishing wrapping tonight.
Jim
|
|
Top |
|
armyflyfisher
|
Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 11:22 am • # 20 |
|
|
Hero Member |
Joined: 11/20/08 Posts: 594
|
P...
Is that glue permament?
My wife doesn't have a sewing machine, sooooo.....I got the hairbrained idea to hand sew a sock for my Lami, with the intention of making a few more for sock-less rods that I have. Well, after sewing that D%#$ thing for like 5 hours, I changed my mind about hand sewing!!!
That glue sounds like a good alternative to sewing!
David
|
|
Top |
|