Delaware Valley Tackle

If you're vertical fishing exceeding the lure weight range a little won't hurt a thing. If you're loading the rod and casting any distance you're better offer staying within what the rod handles comfortably. Technique specific labels are just suggestions. Try it out and see what you think for yourself.

White nylon or silk?

The invisible wraps came out nice.

I'm still tinkering with this rig. I have a creek smallie/trout rod that is 6' L/F glass with a small President spooled with 15# braid and leader. This has been working well enough but my next experiment will be with an 841 or 842, graphite in 7' length.

We use micro guides and other techniques to shave grams of weight in pursuit of the ultimate high performance rod. Ounces are a game changer. I agree that a properly executed paint job won't hurt anything, but coat after coat of the wrong thing on the wrong blank could be counter productive.

That's right. Color helps sell rods. Form always follows function for me though, but if you can have both why not?

The solvent in 301 can damage some plastic parts, there's no need for it. The cross contamination of lubricants is a bit of an urban legend in that it's blown way out of proportion. The soaps/ thickeners in greases can cause the oil to separate out if mixed but even that wouldn't be catastrophic if you do regular maintenance.

Are the snake guides you have deformed? I'd return them or use them as is on a less important build before I just chucked them.

Thank god for Rod Geeks.

My guess would be rod locker, but I'm sure it's not from casting, retrieving or landing fish.

That's right, there's magic in any of them. A quality low-vis oil is fine for bearings. The key is to keep parts clean and apply a lubbricant appropriate for the application.

Please don't do that to your reel. It's not a normal action and the reel was not designed to work that way. I know you see it in you-tube videos but just ignore them. You're right that what you're hearing is the spool drive pin shredding the bottom of your pinion gear. If you want to check operation of your reel press the thumb bar to disengage the spool, give the spool a flick with your thumb, stop the spool, and turn the handle to re-engage. That will tell if everything is working.

There's little to be gained from swapping out those bearings and I doubt that's where the click is coming from. A quick dunk isn't necessarily catastrophic but since there are symptoms I suggest a tear down.

Epoxy would be way too heavy. A urethane varnish like permagloss works but is too hot for some paints. Automotive clear coat or krylon spray clear are other options.

With the exception of deep cranking (18'>) where a 5:1 is benficial, 6.4 or 7:1 will both work and are a matter of personal preference.

Yup, and working with a blend of the two is even worse as one is so much harder. I just purchased a new lathe, should have it by mid-week. The accessories are almost more than the lathe!

"...Pizza Ship..." lol I'll be stealing that one for myself

The NFC are nice blanks but over priced in IMO and availability has been spotty. You don't necessarily need a lathe per say, but you need a drill or some way to turn the cork rings round and to size. Rings are usually 1.5" diameter and the average finished grip is 1" +/-.

Some rod builders use raw materials such as EVA stock, cork rings, pour foam etc. glue up inlays and turn the grip to size and shape on a lathe. I do some and am expanding, Scott H does outstanding grip work. Hopefully he'll se this and post a pic or two This is not the best example but shows what I mean https://www.facebook.com/147180738649084/photos/pb.147180738649084.-2207520000.1434046157./838796106154207/?type=3&theater

It's long been my contention that a reputable builder can make you something nicer than an NRX, Steez, Megabass, Archangel.... for the same or less $$. Price wise, the devil's in the details like everything else. A custom turned grip for example requires a fair bit of labor. At any rate, anyone with a $250> budget for a rod is short changing themselves by not at least considering a custom build.

The terms used to describe rod power and action are completely subjective. Lure weight ratings are as well, but at least there is a value in oz. associated. St Croix's idea of M, MH etc tends to run on the heavier side as you've seen. Don't get too hung up on a single labeled power value.

Bothg are well built, study tank of a reel. The Cardiff has a disengaging level wind which aids in casting lighter baits. Depending on which 4600 you have the Cardiff may be a little smoother.

Who's grip?

I agree in the broadest sense, but the terms we use sometimes take on a more narrow meaning than the literal. When I say "shakey head", I'm talking about a finesse stand up jig head paired with a finesse worm, usually 4" with a pin tail. Of course there are endless variations just like there are with drop-shot etc.

The thing I like about this blank is the combination of light, sensative tip and tons of backbone to move 'em after you hook up.