[Billy40]

For the most part, we build teh same types of rods - if you surf fish you'll be comfy making surf rods, the FW guys enjoy fiddling with small guides on small blanks, and hte Tuna guys give themselves hernias static testing guide placement, and the fly fisherman pat each otehr on teh fannies admiring a 10' rod designed to catch 6" fish.

MY question is for those who build a new type of rod, do you have fun with teh project, or are you a nervous wreck thinking you're doing somethign wrong?

I'm about to make a matching set of Calstar 7455H's with Afcto UNibutts, LEather Foregrips, and Winthorp Rollers. This is my first time building a rod like this, so I'm a bit nervous, but I am excited about doing somethign different and maybe learing a couple of new things.

 

[614751]

new style rods

King Billy it depends on how much you are getting paid LOL
I did a rod for a west coast Salmon fisherman as a gift and had a real nice time building it, were I getting paid for the same task I would probably be a little nervous, see ya in Feb
John

 

[FishWisher]

Unibutts and leather? Who's it for, Mistress Spanksalot? Sorry, that was weak. Nah, no help here with the unibutts. I wouldn't even know which end goes where. My advice would be to check twice how the spine lines up with the ferrule before you glue it on. I'm sure I'd screw that up. For the foregrips, I'd go with high end synthetic tennis racket grip material instead of real leather, unless the Mistress specifically stated that she must have a foregrip that went "mooo" once upon a time. I'm pretty sure that real leather tends to get hard and then crack from repeated salt water exposure.

Oh yeah, big props on the emasculating reference to fly fishing. High-five!

 

[614751]

new rods

Real leather holds up very well at one time it was very common wrapped over cork, Still often found on Australia's better off shore rods.
I think Biscane rods was the last to offer it here
Billy if you plan on making the grips yourself I would suggest starting out with the 11/2" rings. Ian Miller (Australia) use to offer a very nice leather for this purpose
John

 

[makomakoman]

Leather looks great on those stand ups....

If you don't have any fish juice on your hands, they work real well.

BTW, I have not been emasculated because I flyfish...ok, Mr. FishCarpwiser..lol...,But I have to admit a lot of so called men I see up here in the North Woods are probably emasculated with $1000+ worth of equipment, holier than now attitude toward eating fish, too scared to wade in the rivers, too sissy to fish from shore (bugs)and can't cast a lick fishing from the boat....

 

[makomakoman]

I also plan to make a largemouth bass rod and am looking forward to it, especially since there are more bass blanks to choose from than about anything...

BTW, Billy, you probably already know this, but really try to make sure the rod is centered in the ferrule..if not it will wobble..

I know some guys who go to great lengths to make shims for the ferrules..Some metal, some wood, etc..

Check out what another person did below...
pretty cool if you have a machine lathe...

 

[Billy40]

TEh LEather foregrips were from Biscayne, they install them on very hard EVA, similar to what I've seen offered from Batson/Forecast. Teh Black and Gold is awfully sexy with B&G Aftco & B&G Winthrop Excels.

I didn't even install the ferrules, I let the guy who's rods they are do that, I'm just doing the artsy stuff & guide wraps on teh rod for him. Me & Rapt Tite (Wrapped) are having a contest with Rich's rods, he needs new rods and we're helping him out so it's gonna be fun seeing what we come up with on these.

 

[RaptTite]

I'm planning to have fun with this one. I rewrapped a set of 4 tuna rods about 10 yrs ago, thats the last time I wrapped a roller guide. Definately looking forward to the winthrops and all the underwrap and trim band potential...lots of room for trickery and shinanigans. (Yes, I'll make sure the guides are str8 and stay on the rod)

I'll post photos on the rod porn thread.

RaptTite (formerlly known as wrapped)

 

[Billy40]

RT, Rich has been over here the past couple of days, I just amrked the guide spacing and we glued the grips up for you. He should be shipping them to you today or tomorrow, so expect a package. I checked, no problems with te rod lathe, just wrap paper towel or god forbid..masking tape so it doesn't scratch, lol.

 

[TonySMJC]

I screw up the normal rods

So why would I be nervous doing something new

Good luck on the big sticks

Last new thing I did was a 2 piece fairy stic Opps sorry fly rod

for my pal and dentist I think its the only fly rod in exixtance with silver metalic trim bands and a dimond wrap
Salt water fly swatter still aint caught chit wit it

This post edited by TonySMJC 07:42 AM 12/28/2007

 

[RaptTite]

Billy, really looking forward to the builds actually. Bought a new stereo just for the occasion. Little apprehensive about grinding the winthrops due to the price, but I truly love the fancy white sparks some metals make!

(how do I make the NERBs logo, Frank Zappa, or a mutant Carp appear under my name?)

RT

 

[paul708]

RaptTite wrote:
Billy, really looking forward to the builds actually. Bought a new stereo just for the occasion. Little apprehensive about grinding the winthrops due to the price, but I truly love the fancy white sparks some metals make!

(how do I make the NERBs logo, Frank Zappa, or a mutant Carp appear under my name?)

RTthe W/T will throw white? i was not expecting that. the AA rollers have thrown white. but i am getting ready to do a 130# chair rod with the W/T and was not expecting to see white it is nice though

 

[Quint]

Ready for wrapping

Here are the rods with Aftco Stor-A-Butts and Biscayne leather installed. (Their grips are incredible) All ready for wrapping.

Rich

 

[bonsiguy]

looks like a great starting point with billy thread work and those winthrop guides those should be sweet the rollers are great rollers a giant step over the rest .can hardly wait to see the finished product.

 

[makomakoman]

Sweet set up..

Who sells those grips?

Did you get them from Biscayne rods directly?

Thanks..

 

[paul708]

yeah biscayne seem to be a good source for the premade leather..there are a few other sources. but biscayne seem to be popular.

 

[Billy40]

Editted post for my own stupidity, lol.


This post edited by Billy40 09:04 AM 12/29/2007

 

[RaptTite]

Sweet looking even naked.

 

[paul708]

RaptTite wrote:
Billy, really looking forward to the builds actually. Bought a new stereo just for the occasion. Little apprehensive about grinding the winthrops due to the price, but I truly love the fancy white sparks some metals make!

(how do I make the NERBs logo, Frank Zappa, or a mutant Carp appear under my name?)

RTare the W/T rollers going to throw white?

 

[Billy40]

Teh one tha tI ground, seemed to have a couple of white sparks. I used 120 grit on teh belt sander, and got a flat edge in about 10 seconds. COmparing that to a regular stainless steel guide, such as the HBSG which has comparably thick feet - tht takes about 1 minute to grind the edge with teh 120. For the heavier stainless guides I usually use 80 grit but I'm glad I did not with teh Winthrop.

Set of 50-80# Excel Winthrops + Titanium tip top weigh 4 1/4oz.