LF, I read Al's articles a while back, and I've been rereading each section as I come to it. I also bought "Fly Rod Building Made Easy" by Art Scheck.
Since this is my first attempt at this, I'm just paranoid that I'm doing everything wrong.
I'm ready to take a stab at wrapping the guides, etc. now. I built some inexpensive stands to hold the rod, I just have to find the time to give it a go.
I appreciate all the help, everybody!
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Im expecting delivery of a 9wt kit from H&H later this week, H&H is a great company to do business with.
When you do your guide wraps and your satisfied with how each one looks give it one coat of color preserver before doing the next guide. Sometimes a perfect looking wrap will come loose from handling the blank while wraping the next guide. At least one coat of CP will keep the wraps secure until you finish all the guides.. FB.
Until I met my friend, Wrangler, I built three rods on a cardboard box with two V's cut on either side. Worked quite well. I'd still use it if it weren't for the convenience of the contrapion we now share. Anyway, please relax. The butt portion of a rod may be too stiff to worry about a spline. The upper sections are easier to spline and mark. I would differ a bit, though, with Plain Old Jim. I am not a fan of color preserver. I tried it on a rod and simply hated the effect. If you have a broken rod or something you don't need any longer, wrap two side-by-side thread bases, then use a color preserver on one and the epoxy on the other. Make you choice from that. Also, if you epoxy the guide before you're finished with the entire rod you may not be able to realign the guides between the reel seat and tiptop. No matter how meticulous I am, I almost always need to move the guides to put them in close alignment. Make sure you don't wrap your guides so tight you can't move them slightly. JGW
Atomic,
I also bought a kit from H&H last year and I love it. Its a 7' 6" 3 wt it came together just fine and its my favorite rod especially for gills and smaller trout streams. Anyways I always go over the guide feet one more time just in case there are some rough edges. You dont want to risk a guide digging into your rod over a period of time. My guides looked as though they were pre prepped but I did them again anyways. Just a note for the next one you do.
Seege
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