Greetings,
I’m fairly interested in building a rod for myself this winter and was wondering how I get started. I’d be looking for something in the 9wt range, 4 or 5 piece, around 9’6"-10’ long.
I’d appreciate suggestions on where to get blanks, and the kits that are needed to accomplish this little project. I suppose good “how to” books would be on the shopping list too.
Thank you,
Thunderthumbs.
I have found great service from www.hookhack.com. Their kits are very good quality - I have used their Forecast kits with great success and the quality / price ratio is very high.
Just my opinion - oh and get the video combo for your first kit - makes the job much easier. And don’t forget to post questions here, you’ll get fantastic help.
I also recommend H&H. Start out with an inexpensive kit, you’ll get enough epoxy for several rods.
The Gracia video H&H has is very good.
The most expensive tool I purchased was a 4 foot shop light (after I messed up my first rod).
When I was building my first rod, I followed a link from the Mudhole site right here to FAOL
Graphite Rod Building by Al Campbell in the features section, plus a few other things I found through Mudhole and rodbuilders.com was all I needed for instruction.
I also recommend H&H for kits. You really can’t do much better
Thanks for the advice all,
I checked out H&H yesterday and I think I may go with one of their kits for a starter. Please feel free to let me know about anything else I may need.
Thunderthumbs.
TT
The H&H Kits don’t come with cork sealer or color preserver. They have to be ordered seperatly. I don’t use CP.
The Forecast kits normally come with blue thread and if you want a different color you’d have to order it.
You might also want to drop by rodbuilding.org website. It is a great rodbuilding website loaded with VERY talented people who are happy to help a beginner. Good luck with the new addiction 
JUST DO IT … ain’t nuthin being completed while yer pondering it all … JUST DO IT …
that being said … my bamboo tools still being made in my shop - rough bamboo still being played with (yeah - still ponderin & 2nd guessing) … almost … oh yeah - then my arch-silliness-sidekick-partner goes and drags me into building … now I got a kit (less reel seat) sittin at home needin to be built … ahhhhhh … at least I started on that one.
JUST DO IT - and if you got questions - ASK. Although a closed mouth gathers no foot, a closed mouth also gathers no answers :roll:
darrell,
Ok, so I went fishing for the weekend and ended up talking to a guy who has built several rods with the help of a well known rod builder, Charlie Reading. We stopped by his shop and talked with him for a while and have decided to take one of his rod building classes. He offers some features that really can’t be duplicated with any sort of kit or instructional video.
He’s really got the building bug biting me, which means that I’m probably going to end up making several rods after his class…will I ever have time to fish again?
Thanks to everyone for their help. I’ll still be visiting sites and asking for help and advice once I’m up an stumbling on my own two feet.
All the best in everything,
Thunderthumbs.
remember I noted JUST DO IT … well - I had to take some of my own advice …
tip top and 4th guide alignment
tip top and all 4 guides in alignment
Need to re-do some of the guides - gaps at the base of the guide at the radius … but, feels good anyhow.
(wife was even looking over my shoulder …)
darrell,
Hello darrel, interesting how you’ve wraped ahead of the single foot guide, that would have never occured to me in a million years. I’ve only ever tied just one or two wraps up the radius. Let us know if that works out ok once you apply the finish.
Cheers,
MontanaMoose
Will do … this was done on advice from my cohort in chaos - he noted to do a few reverses when you get to the base and tie off after that. The reasoning of the reverse wraps being to give a solid lock to the guide so no matter what - it won’t fall off.
(then again - thinkin of it now - if the guides come off … there’s more problems …)
However, I need to play to get rid of the air pockets I seem to have created on the uglier wrap jobs.
Just getting used to this - I’m going to shorten the wraps on either side by about 1/16th to 1/8th inch (each wrap held at 3/4" length). Get comfy with guides and then move along …
This is a good beta rod for building … should make it easier when the bamboo gets cured up … I hope … I really, really hope …
anyhow - I’ll note the advancements and outcomes …
darrell,
Very interesting to see some of the steps. I was actually wonderting how the guides were lined up, now I know.
Thanks,
Thunderthumbs.
TT - it was good old Mk I eyeball for alignment on the 4th guide. For the remaining guides, I tied a piece of thread to the tip top and to the 4th guide. Put it on the bottom most of the guide loop and snugged it in. This I used as a ‘guide’ only to place the remaining line guides (close enuf thing). After you wrap the line guides in place - there is enuf jockeying room that you can move the guides a tad left or right for that last minute adjustment (massage the foot to move it not the loop).
After I re-did the guides last nite - the alignment was danged near perfect. Now - that one of my wraps was a tad loose in the starting area - when I burnished the thread … it kinda … let go … :oops:
darrell,
I don’t see well enough to eyeball anything.
When I first wrap my guides, close enough is fine as long as they’re not on too tight.
When it comes time to line up the guides I put the rod together, and put a reel on it.
Of course the reel and the guides will hang down.
I get above the rod so I can see the guides and just push them into place.
Very simple.
here’s a little additional trim added. Like it as is … need to order in some CP and other epoxy’s.
going to play with patterns for wrapping near grip and ferrules …
Classy ! If you don’t use CP you’ll get a see through effect on the red wrapping thread…almost looks like candy.
Cheers,
MontanaMoose