My local fly shop (Bob’s in Loveland, CO) offers free lessons and use of their tools if you buy the blanks and hardware from them. Just spent 4 hours today getting going on my new Scott A2 3wt 7.5 foot 4 pc. This is my first rod building experience. It was awesome having an expert looking over my shoulder every step of the way.
Turned down my custom handle on the cork lathe, left a bit of a bulge on the fat part, so even when distracted I can feel if I’m gripping the rod right. I have small hands, the custom handle will be comfortable. Learned how to find the spine and mark it. Reamed and fit the handle to the butt blank. Routed out the uplocking reel seat. Chose chrome Struble hardware with a zebrawood barrel, and fit it all together and glued. Glued on the tip top.
Marked the guide locations, and next tuesday I’ll be wrappin’ wraps, baby!
Anyway, I would never have attempted this without the free lessons and support from the local folks. Now I’m scrounging my junkpile, looking for that old AC motor to make my own cork lathe…
Way to go. But I gotta warn you rodbuilding is very addictive. You can use a drill for a lathe motor. Just about any rodbuilding supply catalog will have roller supports for the blank.
danbob;
You are hooked! Can’t wait to see pohto’s.
A seceret weapon for the “Next Mission”!!
Just between you and me. Which way do you face when you row a boat?
I feel more like I do now than I did when I got here!
danbob,
If you want to scrounge, look for a sewing machine foot pedal. Hook it up to your drillmotor, and voila, foot controled variable speed lathe motor. Oh, old skate wheels make great rollers.
The thrill is not in the kill. It’s in the deception.
Got half my guides wrapped yesterday in about 3 hours. I’ll probably go back and re-do the first 2 – they look like they were done by a drunken spider – tho I learned fast what the burnisher can take out and what it can’t. The rest of the guide wrapes look great, got the hang of it quickly.
Took some pics of the wrapping stands and gave them to my fishin buddy Ralph – he’s a woodworker and will be making some up for us (his blanks are on order – also his first rod – he got St. Croix Avid series) The local guy who owns the Sew-n-Vac store is a flyfisherman, and I hear he won’t look at me funny if I go in and buy sewing machine thread tensioners. LOL
DANBOB