Latest build

[Mike Popick]

Built this rod as the fundraiser for Georgia Fly Fishing For Vets and Project Healing Waters this year - new owner is located in Canada -


First and last attempt at stabilizing splated maple - stabilizing agent - plexiglass disolved in acetone and then forced into the spalted maple under pressure - maple turned rock hard with 100% penitration, used an old pressure cooker and air compressor - many mistakes before finding the right pressure and acetone to plexiglass mixture, reel seat finish - Super Glue, birchbark coated with cork seal.

Pac Bay Rainforest Series II 9wt. Silk wraps with 3 coats of color preserve, maroon trim wraps





Mike

[flymaker2]

That looks cool. Where is the birch bark? The stabilizing process sounds messy. I can see why you don't want to perform that again.. What did you use for the winding check?

Great looking rod

[Mike Popick]

The birch bark is the 3/4 inch ring in the middle of the fighting butt and the main portion 6" of the Wells Full grip, the winding check is made from shedded elk antler

[MontanaMoose]

Looks great Mike, can you tell where you got the reel seat hardware? Presumably you made the insert.

Cheers,

MontanaMoose

[Mike Popick]

Montana

The reel seat hardware is a Pac Bay A8 model with a removable fighting butt, the A8 model is a one piece seat - I cut the reel seat off at where the treads met the aluminum reel seat, then I had to remove front cap from the reel seat. then I turned the reel seat insert to fit the skeleton components - the owner wanted a wood insert, the front cap is recessed 1/8' into the end cap of the grip

[MontanaMoose]

What an effort for the owner. Ok, i couldn't remember if i'd seen a
skeleton anywhere like it would have to be configured to take a wood
insert but there might be something out there, who knows.

Good job Mike.

MontanaMoose