What is the purpose of the winding check?

How does blowing on an air bubble through a straw cause the bubble to be removed from the uncured thread finish?

Are there rods that should be avoided the first time out? I was thinking about building a 4pc 3wt.

Where can I find scrap pieces to learn on before attempting the real thing?

Is finding the spine on a blank as easy as AC makes it out to be or is it a lot harder than it sounds?

Is there a sure fire aligning technique to ensure the reel seat assemble and guides all line up? I fear my first creation could end up looking like a barber pole.