I built up this 9 weight for Alaskan salmon and local stripers. Going to Alaska next week!
Bare Gudbrod garnet thread:
Finished with two coats Trondak u40:
Greg
Greg,
That sure is an ugly rod. 
I would think you should just get rid of it. I’ll send you me address so you can mail it to me and I’ll be sure and recylce it appropriately.
I am totally partial to red thread, usually using red silk on my own rods.
well done.
jed
Greg,
Beautiful rod!
Very nice “weekend project.” Did you turn the cork? It’s very professional looking. It’s amazing how that Garnet thread turned translucent and pulled the brown color up from the blank. It has a classy look to it. What brand of blank did you use?
Joe
Thanks for the compliments. Joe, the only part of the cork I turned is the butt because I don’t like the ones that come with the a8 reelseat. The blank was unmarked,from a blow out sale at Mudhole months ago. I’m not sure but it looks like it’s a St Croix SC5. I did the common cents system http://www.common-cents.info/ on it and it measured a ern of 9.95 and an action angle of 70 which translates to a fast action 9 wt. I picked up a 5 wt at the sale too but it is still waiting.
Greg
Beautiful Rod Greg,
but I have to ask, did you do your wraps with permagloss?, because when I first looked at the photos I thought they had epoxy on them. Please tell me more about how you finished the wraps?
Very nice. If the blank is a chestnut brown, it is a Rainshadow RX7+. I bought the same blank in a 5wt from Mudhole in the same sale. I used green wraps and a green woven graphite reel seat. I also bought an RX8+ in the same sale that I’m building now. Its a dark grey blank, not near as pretty as the RX7+, but a little faster action.
Blankcrafter, I used two coats of LS Supreme epoxy. I wish the stuff had a longer pot life, it gets thicker before I get all the wraps coated.
Dunfly, I am working on a rx8+ 4wt now, too. Some of you guys do such a beautiful job on the thread accents and feather inlays and all. I just go for the plane jane fishin’ model, so the rx8+ has charcoal black thread. By the way, I lawn
(dirt) casted the Mudhole rod with Rio salmon/steelhead line, and it feels great so far, can’t wait to really try it out. Also looking forward to seeing your 5wt pictures.
Greg
Greg, I’ve already posted the pictures. Look down in the forum under a subject RX7+ 5wt.
I’m wraping the RX8+ 8wt with blue thread and silver accents. The real seat is similar to the RX7+, but with a blue woven graphite insert. All of the hardware is smoke finish from Batson. The fighting butt looks very much like the one on your 9wt.