I just finished this rod on Tuesday. It’s the second rod in the “Spirit Bear Rods” ™collection (my home made costom rod company LOL) . I wish I had purchased more of these rod kits when I bought this one. It was a great way to practice without worry, like I did with build #1. So my first words of wisdom for the beginner rod builder it to buy a couple of cheap kits to work on before attempting to put together a rod that has more dollars at stake.
This was a kit from H&H on one of those last chance deals of theirs. I think I sunk in about $40 all told.
I like to give my rods a name. This one I called, “TRUE BLUE” after a favorite Australian song by John Williamson.
For the butt cap I used a $2 Australian coin I saved from some trips Down Under. The picture on it is of an Australain Aboriginal, the Southern Cross and a plant too small to make out but I’m guessing Wattle.
and just one more…same as the first with a different background. Just playing with the camera. :lol:
Beautiful work, Mato. Based on your description, you have more invested in the Junglecock skin than the rod. :lol:
I like the way you have the feather inlays on top of thread wraps as a background. Some attractive feathers get washed into the background of dark blanks, and need a better background for them to stand out. I’ve been studing feather inlays for my next rods, and been practicing on a factory rod until the blanks get here. I don’t have a junglecock skin (yet), but I’m working with guiney (sp) fowl as an alternative, and I have both golden and ringneck pheasant skins to pick feathers from.
One question: are the junglcock eyes on your ferrules used as alignment marks or just decoration on the female side? I didn’t see a picture of the other end of the sticks.
I thought about using the JC as line up guides and I probably still can. I have to check and see how close it gets. I didn’t do a matching feather on the female end this time. So for now it’s just for looks. I’m just trying to keep it simple for now.
I’m looking for some cheap kits that I can practice with but still have a decent rod when I get done. You said you paid <$40.00 for yours. If you don’t mind me asking, what is it and where did you get it.
9’ 3-piece 5 weight, glossy black blank, medium fast action, all black snake guides, black chrome reel seat, reverse half wells cork grip, threads, glues, instructions and everything else to build a fly rod. Perfect inexpensive alternative for a beginning rod builder."[/i]
Go getum, Tiger! Come join the other addicts on FAOL. We’ll be glad to help you through your build.
Very nice work for a 2nd built rod. I can see that you certainly did some research before attempting that build. Thread work and feather inlays look very nice with nice colour co-ord. The next rod gets better from here. Just a tip…jungle cock nail splits can be repaired so they would look 100% on the inlays.
Mato! That’s amazing work for only your second rod. I’ve built about a dozen and I can’t come close to that workmanship. Congratulations, you’re a natural!
For some reason I keep getting pinpoint-type marks in my finish. It doesn’t happen on every guide, but they continue to show. It has me puzzled. My buddy thinks I may not be cleaning my brush thoroughly.
I really enjoyed looking at that rod, gonna have to steal the feather idea from you; hope you don’t mind.
I have had one of those rods for over a year now, you are really going to enjoy it!
I have caught some really nice sized fish on it, just love the way it bends into a c shape when a good sized smallie,or trout takes the fly instead of the perch that I fish for.
I’d like to know how you affixed the $2 piece to the reel seat. I’m sure I have a few coins from Israel, or Egypt, or Bermuda, around here that would be the proper size!! A very unique way to personalize your rod!!
Hi Betty, I sent you a PM but I’ll post a shortened reply here for you and anyone else who may want to try it.
I came by doing the coin, not by choice but more as a necessity. I misplaced the seat cap. :oops: I had a lot of Oz coins laying around from past trips so I though I could put one to use. I liked the $2 coin becuase I thought it spoke of “true blue” better than some of the others I had.
I wanted a way to set the coin in such a way that I knew it would not fall off. So I sanded down an old wine cork (Aussie wine of course) and cut it to fit precisely flush in the end of the reel seat, then I epoxied it and the coin in place. That gave the coin enough surface contact with the epoxy so that it will hold without worry. I hope that helps.
:lol:
Just get on their newsletter list and you’ll see deals of some sort fly at you at least once a week.