I probably shouldn't be posting here as I have no intention of motorizing my board. Mine is quite simple.
Mine is made out of two 1x6x8" boards. Can only furl to 6.5'. Thinking about adding a 4' connectable extension that can be removed. I have no problem with the initial board being 8' all one piece. I have the space to work with it.
I calculaed where I wanted all the holes to be and marked them. I drilled holes with a drill press that did not take near as long as you would think. Piece of cake.
I drilled mine out in 6" increments from 2' to 6.5'. Meaning I can make a 2 foot furled leader or even just make a two foot butt end for the fly line. Then it steps from
2-2.5-3-3.5-4-4.5-5-5.5-6-6.5. I do not need a tape. I just know if I want a 5' furled leader I start counting 2....2.5...etc pointing to the holes and at 5' I stick in a peg. I might label the holes with a sticker I can write on. I am not into fancy...just utility. But for now I just know where to put the pegs and may never mark it.
Now....I drilled out both boards the same, painted one black for working with light colors and painted the other one white for working with dark colors. Then turned one around so the holes do not match up anywhere on the board. Meaning on the black side the starting pegs are on the left end....if you turn it over the starting pegs are on the right end. Meaning all holes have a positive stop at the bottom. Then I screwed them together to make all one board. To work with dark colors I use the white side. To work with light colors I just turn it over and work with the dark side.
I do not like big pegs. I went to the archery club...which I do not belong to....to attempt to buy blank graphite arrow shafts to cut up. They gave me a whole bag of pieces approx 6" long that were in the trash. Scraps from them making arrows. I like the small pegs and the graphite is slick and easy to slide the material off of.
I am very satisfied with the board and do not feel any need to modify it any further. It seems to work for ME quite well. Probably not for somebody else....but I like it. it's neat, clean and simple I have no probs with it. As far as I'm concerned mine is complete. No more effort mentally or physically trying to do anything more to it. It is finished....done. Now it is just a tool for me to use.
Just FYI