Bear, go to the left side of home page. There is a section there on rod building by late Al Campbell. Lots of good info. You can take a cardboard box, cut v notches in each end, pad with something. Lay the blank there. go toward the bottom of box facing you poke a small hole for tying bobbin and there you go. Also can use a book run thread througgh. If you need more tension put a bowel of pennies on top. Its like fly tying. Get creative and be warned, this gets very addictive. Who knows mayby youll wind up with us who are into tea sticks. Have fun Clyde