justtrying

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D --- Good One

hey Theresamarie1, i'm the "new guy on the block" when it comes to building rods, certainly not an expert. ReelMech & Flechero have been very gracious to help me & answer my "newbie" questions. i started rod building by "re-doing" some of the rods i already owned ...Heee ..funny part is that later, i RE-DID, the ones i had already RE-DONE! LOL ....as you get more comfortable with the wrapping, glueing, sanding, etc., you do a much better job, & it becomes more of a pleasure than a task. anyway, i started out simple. then i would add a few things w/each build. ..like the guys said, if you think the baitmonkey is tough, just wait til the Rod-building Monkey gets to you! LOL but, hey, it's a way to stay involved in fishing when you actually can't fish. and, as a by-product, you get to build yourself & friends some Very Nice fishing equipment... equipment that you just can't buy off the rack at a store. get started, you'll love it ..and, these guys around here will be glad to help you. i know i'll be glad to help you in any way i can. and, one other thing, in addition to getting t. kirkman's book, check out the rodbuilding.org site. that's where you'll find rod builders from all over the world. they give hints, tips, etc., & post pictures of their work. it's a great wealth of information. let us know if you have any questions ronnie

hey flech, don't know how i missed it, but this is the first time i've seen this today. man, that is "Super Cool" ..i bet wrapping some of those "little jewels" was fun. LOL i'm too old to take up fly-rodding now. //i used to throw a lot of popping bugs in the creeks around here. man, to have had something like this to have used.

WOWWWWwwwwwwwwww! he said, as his jaw dropped & touched the floor! man, i tell you, you just don't quit. ..that is unreal -and - i might add - another "sticky" how to. i sure hope you took some pics while you were doing that. i haven't done any work yet, i've been (and am still) keeping youngest grandson (4 yrs old) & he's about to drive me WACKY!!! YES, i know why God gave us children while we were young. LOL he is even less patient than I am, if possible. but, i hope next week to spend a little time in the shop, & "play" some. LOL - i see some flames in the future!

hey guys MAN, That looks good. ...that's the kind of things that i really want to get into. my daughter was in a very bad accident last friday night, her neck was broken, she's had to have surgery, etc., so, we've been away from home. ..very thankfully, she's improving, so, we'll be back & forth in a few days. will check w/you guys later, just wanted you to know. ronnie ps - i'm ordering a loomis cb blank from bingham to build while i'm "sitting" ...i hope karen will help me pick out the things i'll need. ...keeping my hands occupied helps keep my feeble mind from "crashing." LOL

d.james, really good looking work

kudzu, following david's advice, i started doing the "single thread" & then would wrap 4, 5 or 6 wraps of the single thread. it really looks neat & adds a little "something special" to the wrapping. as far as spiral wrap, i spiral wrap EVERY rod i build. ...i agree wholeheartedly w/some of the post(s) on rb.org & others about the advantages of the spiralwrap. once you get used to it, it's kinda awkard to use a rod that's not spiral wrapped. ..esp crankbait rods, etc., that have pressure (torque) on them. ....i've even taken the guides off all the rods i have & re-wrapped them w/spiral wrap! i know, i know, too much free time on my hands ;D ;D ;D

matt, that's great, bro. ..there's a lot of satisfaction to catching a fish on something that YOU made. and, hey, i'm glad you're enjoying it, that's just "icing on the cake." ronnie

david/kudzu, WOW!!!!! now THAT is a beautiful finish. just think, after i wrap another thousand or so, mine may look similar to that! LOL ...hey, do us a favor, give us a "step by step" on your wrapping. ..do you measure your wrap length, or, do you have a standard length? how many turns of silver? how many coats of threadmaster do you use? (and, YES, that Threadmaster is "some good stuff." ...looks like a glass coat ..andy's really got him a winner.) ..do you flame it? and, note to reelmech (our "other" david) ...now "that" sir is an example of why i know that my work is a long way from a 10. but, hey, one day!!!!

well, i had been thinking about making the show, so, i guess, i Better Make Reservations! or, we could all go to reelmech's house & help him repair reels & let him show us how he builds rods!!!!! ...of course, the customers who got the reels back that didn't work, wouldn't be too happy. LOL but, seriously, if i'm able i'm planning on going for at least a day or so. it should really be a killer show w/LOTS of Goodies on display. ...and, i hope, a lot of good "deals." we'll just have to see how it goes. ..but, at least, it'll give us something to plan for. it'll really be cool

hey guys, cool to hear from both of you flech: - a few years ago, i decided to build my "vacation home" in my back yard. rather than going to the mountains or the sea, etc., i just took the money it would have cost & built me a nice metal building & furnished it "just for me" really went all out. ..it's got a living area, a kitchen area & the rest a storage & work area. ..but, the main thing, in this heat ..it's got a Very Big AC unit! i'm out there most of the time during the day, but, also, recently, i've spent a lot of time out there at night. i'll work awhile (turning handles, reel seats, etc. -- breaking down some old rods to make new ones for the grandkids, etc.). man, i wish there was a way i could get some of you guys down here where we could have a "build fest!" anyway, glad you've got started on a new project & i'm with alpster,,,, keep us informed w/pics alpster, i had made reference in another post to your using bobbin. i also have Very tough time w/small ends. i built a moveable stand to hold tip when wrapping, but, still have problems. ...do you wrap everything w/bobbin? do you just supply tension w/hand when power wrapping?? ...again, i sure would love to see you guys in action. would just love to spend the day w/all of you while you were working, see all your little secrets. oh well, i'm going to try to go over to the store a little while this afternoon, so, i better try to get a little work done here. keep up the good work guys ronnie

daren, bo, i am absolutely SHOCKED by post by keithscatch!!!! i can ABSOLUTELY see where you would have been rubbed the wrong way. it aggravated me, & it wasn't even about me! i could go a tirade & say some un-flattering things about kc, but, that wouldn't help. he, evidently didn't read all of your post(s), or, if he did, must have mis-understood. i don't know man. i reckon these are these are the kind of times that build/refine character. ....don't you just love it???? Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

well, i've been confined to a wheel chair & recliner every since i came back from my fishing trip monday morning. this afternoon, my wife was in town & i was about to go CRAZY, so, i took some extra prednisone & pain tablets & Went FISHING! LOL caught a few bass, knew i couldn't stay very long, so, i started throwing a little beetle spin on my new spinning rod - the noodle one MAN, let me tell you, when those big bluegill bream hit that thing, it was wild. the rod has so much flex, it's 7 feet long & spooled w/2 lb line, til catching a bream was like landing a bass. there was no question as to whether you had a strike or not, they'd almost take it out my hand. ..then, when they'd get close to the boat & turn flat & do their "spin" it would just about double the rod. i was like a little boy at Christmas time. i had a Blast! let me tell you, i'm glad i built it. i wish i could let you use it one time, i've got an idea that there would be TWO instead of one, after you used it. //i had planned on putting a stella on it, but, i had a 1000 sustain that my son gave me for Christmas that i needed to do something with & it works great. Try it, you'll LIIIIIkkkkkkkkke it! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

daren, i just sent you an email. please contact me if you DON'T receive it. thanks ronnie jones jones7773@msn.com

so, not only do you have customers turned competitors repairing reels, you've also got rod-builders too! LOL ...but, hey, keep in mind, "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." i hope that brings you a great deal of satisfaction, for, if you had not been doing something good, then no one would have cared to duplicate you. in my business, i began two or three things that became pretty profitable, but, after just a short while, there were so many "copy cats" til what could have been a "unique" thing, became just another one of many. ...it used to bother me quite a bit, until i realized that if i weren't doing something good, then no one would try to copy me. and, my dad always taught me to Never do anything unless i did it well.

daren, daren, be careful my man, ...those kind of pictures will have everybody within a 100 mile radius heading over to "gramps pond" LOL

i'm just "jumping in" here, hope not to offend anyone. let me tell you guys. we have one of the absolute BEST sources of information on the entire internet Right Here! it is ReelMech. David has done it all, he has written about it & he shares it Freely! these other books are Great! i've bought some of them, have subscribed to their forums & their magazines, but, when it comes right down to "need to know" i have no further to go than right HERE! ReelMech & Flechero have helped me more than they'll ever know. ...and, they'll help you as well. ...and, so will i, but, my knowledge is so limited compared to theirs. if you'll look at some of the "stickies" & some of the articles that really tell you the important things, you'll find they were written or, answered, by reel mech. Go to his website & Check It Out

oh man, daren, WELCOME! you know when someone begins like that, they always want something! Wheeeeeeeeeee first, & seriously, your lures look Fan Tas Tic! almost too pretty to fish. next - i've just bought a lathe & am building rods. ..just today was wondering WHERE i could find some scraps of Good wood to make reel seats, etc., out of. ////now, maybe i know! LOL great pics, keep them coming

alpster, agree, it looks Great! now, Where did you get the parts? ..i may be able to convert my present wrapper to a power one. ...also, wheels, i need at least three sets, possibly four. And, bobbin...i had thought about using one on the small ends on some of my rods. have you used other tension devices, or, did you just begin w/bobbin? neat ideas, thanks ronnie

throw a weightless senko, let it set a few minutes, then "hop" it back in. ...kids are impatient, don't like this a lot, but, this Will catch fish. and, personally, i've found this better than a frog - try a merthiolate trickworm. throw it in some of the thickest places & slowly retrieve it. be sure to keep your eyes on it at all times, for bass like to hide under that thick "goop" & bust out on that easy meal.

and i promise i won't ask again for two more pages....LOL. ... i remembered you had posted your brand, but, i didn't remember I HAD ASKED IT! ....man, this getting old.....LOL

yes, i'd like to see some pics, esp the wheels & motor thanks

ok, reelmech, flechero & alpster. and, any/all other rod builders out there. i'm using a home made wrapper, in fact, i just built a new one. it works pretty good, but, naturally, i keep thinking about a power wrapper. what kind of wrapper do you use???? here's the thing, if i do get a power wrapper, i want to get a good one. i've been reading about the renzetti, but, it's referred to as a lathe. 1 - i've already got a lathe 2 - i wouldn't want to turn handles, etc., where i'm wrapping, coating, etc., blanks so, if the only advantage over other wrappers is that it's a lathe, i can save myself some money. if, however, it has other features that i may need/want, then, i'd like to get it the first go-round, rather than always saying, "i wish i'd gotten....." so, what's your suggestion?? get one, or not? ...if yes, what kind do you suggest? btw, this hobby is getting more & more expensive.... now, i remember why i quit flying. Wheeeeeeeeee

hey bro, i could have pm'd you w/this info, but, since the question you asked is one that arose on an open post, i thought someone else may be interested in the reply. the "andy" i'm talking about is andy lamar @ lamarfishing.com. ..andy is one of the nicest guys you'll ever do business with & he would love to set you up w/a cts blank...... be forewarned, there are different grades & the one i chose is pretty expensive (more than the ones you quoted). ..to me, it is worth every penny, however. ..it's just an un-believable rod. speaking of rods, i was thinking about the loomis slate you built today. how expensive was it???? do you think it is worth the price??? ...i'm going to build a 7'6 pitching or frog rod when i finish the two i'm on now. ...i was going w/a st croix blank, but, would consider a loomis. ..right now, however, i'm laid up with a swollen knee that began yesterday & got "full blown" this morning while i was fishing. ..ankles & wrists are really painful as well.... Sound Familiar??????

hey flech, it must be true, great minds must think alike --- i've got the burl in the shop, waiting on the next build!!!! andy called me a few minutes ago to check on a few things & we were talking about the new cts blanks he's getting. ..they'll be a lot less expensive & are supposed to maintain the quality..we'll see. i think i'm going to build a 7'6" frog rod next. George Roth is really talking up a lamiglas blank w/telescoping handle (his is actually 8'). ..i think that's too much for me to handle. ..you got any suggestions?? -------------islandfisherman thanks bro - as for the model, it's a CTS elite blank. really pricey for an ultra lite, but it's the only one i could find w/the characteristics i wanted. lightweight fuji guides installed with the "new concept", graphite fuji reel seat, & yes, the split grip is marbled silver & blue. ..the rod itself is blue & i used blue, silver & black thread. it's actually a very plain rod, but, it fishes Phenomonal!