For the first dozen or so rods you can get by with a cardboard box, a phone book and maybe a coffee cup. After that you might want to look at a rod wrapping station of some permanence.

Check out the kits offered by Hook and Hackle (one of our sponsors here) and see if they have a rod you'd like to try.

Also, as Dudley mentioned, read through Al Campbell's series of articles on building your own rod. It will be time well spent.

REE