MickD

Lots of great advice! One thing I missed was an answer to your question about a torch for getting rid of bubbles. It is very easy to overheat epoxy and damage both its physical properties (strength/elasticity/etc) and excessive heat can cause it to harden in ripples which are hard to fix. I do not use heat after mixing the epoxy. I put the bottles of epoxy in hot water for a minute or two until they feel warm, not hot. Then mix the epoxy (http://www.flexcoat.com/learning-center/using-flex-coat-finish/measuring-and-mixing-flex-coat/). Flex coat has a lot of other on-line instructions, too. Many videos. I then tap the container onto a table to help bubbles rise, then gently blow on the surface of the epoxy. After a minute or so, there will be no bubbles. After you apply it you may find a few, just gently blow on the epoxy to burst them. Keep in mind that your work area must be very clean to prevent dust particles which will not burst and may be blown onto the epoxy if you are not careful.

there really is no option, the guide needs to be removed and replaced. Best bet is to get a good builder to do it, won't be that expensive. If you want to do it yourself, Go to Mudhole.com and look at their instructions on how to wrap a guide. They also have tremendous variety of guides so you should be able to match it well. Measure the outer diameter and call Mudhole; their customer service people are very good, describe what you're trying to accomplish, and follow their suggestions. Keep in mind that size and finish are the important issues; micros are so small that other differences won't be noticed. You can cut notches into the ends of a corragated box to guide the rod while rotating it, and you can tension the thread by running it through the pages of a heavy, closed book. When you take the guide off be careful not to cut into the blank, just try to get the wrapping epoxy and thread off. When you finish the new wrap, it is better to use two or three thin coats in order to prevent sagging-you most likely don't have a setup for rotating the rod while the epoxy is curing. If you buy the Pro Kote from Mudhole, it will take over a day to fully cure. I suggest for a beginner that you use Flex Coat as it cures much faster. You need to measure the two parts of the epoxy very carefully to get very close to a 50/50 mix. Builders use syringes (one for each compoonent). Since it is an inexpensive rod, you may not want to do all this, but don't throw it away. Builders like rods like this to use for rod repairing; they use the blank to build sleeves for repair. Or, take the guide off and use it as is as a starter rod for kids. It might work just fine.

Check out books by Tom Kirkman, the forum Rodbuilding.org, and Rodmaker Magazine. It is my opinion that one underestimated dimension is the distance between the reel and the butt of the spinning rod. Too long and the rod hangs up on clothing with tip-up techniques. I once took 1 1/2 inches off the butt of a $160 blank because of this error. Balance is so unimportant compared with ergonomics, and you really can do nothing more than use the lightest guides to affect it. If you really try to balance most rods you will screw up the ergonomics. Adding weight to the butt with balancing devices, in my opinion, is counterproductive. But one of the reasons for building your own is to get things the way you want them, so go for whatever you want. I suggest you test cast every rod with the reel seat taped in position and the guides taped on. You can then decide without committing what you want to do. I also suggest you visit the Fuji Anglers Resource site for a lot of good design info. It obviously is slanted toward Fuji, but it is still good info. Keep in mind also that braid line makes almost any rod cast very well. You can go smaller on guides with braid than with mono or flouro. (that will help balance and sensitivity).

getbitoutdoors.com

I think there may be some misunderstanding about terms for "popping action." First, drop shot blanks are almost invariably fast or extra fast action. This means that the blank bends mostly in the top 1/4 or less and they tend to feel more sensitive.. "Popping rods" were designed for inshore popping cork fishing, and are generally moderate or moderate-fast action. Which means the bend goes well down the blank. They are more suitable for crankbait fishing in freshwater as the slower action doesn't tear the hooks out of a fish's mouth as faster actions will. If you watch the pros in action with crankbaits you'll notice the rod bending way down toward the butt. That is a crankbait action. Popping rods actions are similar, but probably a little faster. Don't get confused by another similar term, "hot n tot" action, which is a blank with a very stiff butt and a soft tip, which by definition will be a very fast action. Before you invest in an expensive blank, be sure you know what you're getting. As mentioned before, the kind of fishing you are going to do should influence the speed of the action, regardless of the length. Longer rods will generally cast farther, but may be too long for "tip down" fishing, like retrieving jerk baits. For me, it goes like this: drop shot: extra fast action tubes/worms/jigging/soft jerk minnows: fast action with fleurocarbon or braid with fleuro leader. crankbaits: crankbait or popping rod action with fleurocarbon or braid (with fleuro leader) Fleuro sinks so is good for cranks and is a little more sensitive than mono. surface: crankbait rod action (moderate, not fast or moderate-fast) with mono (floats, better action on the surface lures)

Microwave is a good system, glad your rod pleases you. There is a misconception re the issue of Microwave vs SIC. SIC is a top quality ring material available in a number of geometries. I think what is referred to in the beginning of Microwave vs SIC really means Microwave vs. "Fuji KLH SYSTEM". Both systems work on the same principal, which is reducing the friction of the line going through the guides quickly, with few reduction guides, which are usually smaller and TALLER than we have used in the past. You can do Micowave with two different ring hardnesses and two different finishes, and you can do KLH with two different ring hardnesses and I believe 3 different finishes. But it is the geometry of the system that is significant. Advantages of Microwave? Simple to set up, no options, just buy the guides and space them per the Amtac recipe. Advantages of KLH? More options on finish and setup. You can design the guide system with the first two or three guides Fuji KLH, then use other guide sizes and even other manufacturer's guides to the end of the rod. For example, I have built a steelhead rod with KLH titanium guides for the first three, then dBlue titanium micros to the end, and they all match just fine. To understand the KLH system go to Fuji's website http://anglersresource.net/

Finding a shop for this is probably harder than just doing it yourself. 1. Measure the diameter of the tip of the blank, as has been suggested. If you don't have calipers or micrometer, ask one of your "shoppy" friends; they will help. Convert to 64'ths of an inch. The tiptop you will order will be the next highest 64th conversion above what you measured. 2. Assume, like has been suggested, that the diameter of the ring is a 6 mm. It won't be far off, and this is the ring diameter that you will order. 3. Look at the tiptop that broke off. Is it a. silver or b. titanium (a little darker than silver) or c. black. One of these is the finish you want. 4. Call Jann's netcraft with this info and buy from them a tiptop with these specs. The ring material will be up to you; I would go with the hardest you want to afford, talk to Jann's about this. Also order some hot melt cement from them. 5. When you get the part in hand, heat the hot melt and smear it onto the blank and try to get slivers of it into the barrel of the tiptop. Heat the tiptop with a match only until the hot melt moves easily and slide the tiptop onto the blank, aligning it with the other guides. 6. Not rocket science, don't get intimidated, you can do it.

Those are some pretty nice rods you are considering taking apart. Keep in mind that right now they are good looking rods that work well, and what you may end up with is a bunch of rods that may not look good and not even work any better. I would not consider taking the guides off to make rebuilding the handle/grip area easier. Tell a custom builder you want that done and you might as well just sell them and start over with new factory rods or custom rods made just the way you want them. They must be casting rods, right? Because with spinning rods your hands are on mostly the reel seat and not on any grip exc the butt grip when casting with two hands. (And maybe the foregrip when jigging). On casting rods most people use the grip for casting but retrieve palming the reel, which makes the EVA a pretty good grip. What is the reason for your wanting to switch EVA out for cork? Knowing that might help us figure the best way to skin the cat.

No, don't get into rodmaking for one rod. There are so many very good rods available at BPS and Cabelas, just go as high as you can on price. Every one of their higher priced options are better. But you can get an excellent rod for about $100, and there is no justification in making your own unless you plan on a long term hobby. In fact, it will take you probably 5 rods to get to where you can match the BPS and Cabelas rods' quality and workmanship. Maybe more.

Come on folks, this isn't rocket science, just measure the tip where the tiptop will go on and order that size in 64's of an inch, or just above that, and you have it. You can measure the blank with the drill bit tool, or a micrometer, whatever to find the size of the tip. Going to the manufacturer will just frustrate you and them and prolong the mystery. Measure it!

I store nylon lines inside during the winter in MI since the outside humidity is very low. Nylon doesn't like low humidity. Having said this, I don't know how long it takes nylon to absorb water to get back to its normal state.

What makes a fish want to take this or that, I have no clue. But I have come to believe that fish are really quite primative, and what ever pattern they decide on has less to do with detail than it does with cadence of movement, color, maybe shape. For example, what on earth does a tube resemble? Nothing in detail, but with the right color, and the right movement, the tube is really effective. Fish of all species in all environments turn on and off according to something that eludes all of us, but when they decide they "might" bite something, it's about cadence of movement, color, maybe shape. But not about whether the lure has all the fins in the right place.

Most of the advice you're getting is not about how to satisfy your fishing needs, but about what brands are best in the writers' opinions. Regardless of what brand you use, for topwater (and crankbaits) you want a medium action blank with the power matched to your fishing lure weights. Then it will load properly on the cast. The medium action should be soft/slow enough to not jerk the hooks out of the fish. On topwater the biggest error most make is setting the hook too soon and too hard. Fast actions are not right for this type of fishing. I still maintain that for the first build a reasonably priced blank of the proper characteristics will be the right choice. You will make mistakes. Make them on a reasonably priced blank and not on a $100 + St Croix. This string started so long ago, the rod is probably already done? Tell us what you chose for a blank and how it went.

Your first rod will be a learning experience, so I would not invest a ton of money on blank or components. Look for an inexpensive "crankbait" blank from sources like Netcraft or Mudhole (probably not their MHX line), reasonably priced guides (all guides are capable of lasting almost forever), a good tiptop (like Fuji BFAT) that will last almost forever. You might consider a kit. Your skills will increase with every build, and as you gain confidence and ability, you will naturally migrate to the more expensive, but maybe not much better, stuff. Consider a subscription to Rodmaker Magazine (http://www.rodmakermagazine.com/), and go to the forum http://www.rodbuilding.org/list.php?2. With both, you will learn a lot with every issue or visit. Good luck, and enjoy a very rewarding hobby!

Last post of mine didn't mention balance. Don't worry about it, just do the guides as I said and I think you will love the rod. When starting from scratch, worry about balance. But even then I contend that other factors are much more important than "balance."

Yes, the guides can be changed to micros. I think we make the whole issue of rod designing and building much more difficult than it should be. OK, taking the old guides off and putting new ones on in the same places won't be 100% optimum, but the difference between optimum and "it works pretty well" will be minimal. If you put the new micros in the same place as the other guides the impact on the finish of the rod will be minimized, and it will still work well. Where the first guide is , put a Fuji KW size 10. In the place of the next guide, put a KW 6. In the next put a KB 4.5. From there, Fuji micros all the way to the end. Worst case scenario, the line may touch the blank when under load. Not a big deal. Go for it!

RM, any comments on the new "nano tech" blanks that are appearing more and more now? Thanks

I don't fish smallies much, but for largemouths and pike I find that the plated blades work better than painted. I would try painted baits on cloudy days, but certainly would not give up my plated blades totally. Regarding which plating color, I've found the color of the skirt much more important than the color of the plating. At times, go much bigger on the blade, like with a big Colorado. If you find that largemouths are "hitting" the lure but not getting hooked it is probably that they are bumping it and not eating it. Change skirt colors until you find what they want. They want it, but something is not quite right.

Before I would buy any expensive rods after breaking three in one weekend I would want to be sure I knew how I broke those three rods. Rods just don't break themselves, and when used properly, fish don't break them either. IMHO

I am in the same boat as Delaware and have confidence that you will not be disappointed by Mudhole. Another source of info is to go onto the Rodbuilding.org forum and ask there. It is a forum totally devoted to rodmaking, so the likelihood of finding a person with experience in the classes will be higher. http://www.rodbuilding.org/list.php?2

ON guides the ring size is the OD of the ring. Different for tip tops? One trick to use to keep from overheating the blank when removing a tiptop is to apply tension to the tiptop while heating, with a string tied to something so that while heating your are pulling on the tiptop. Then it will come off as soon as the adhesive is softened. I would not use epoxy on the new one, but the heat melt "ferrule cement" or "tip top adhesive." These will allow easy replacements. Epoxy really grabs on and in order to get it off you could easily overheat the blank.

I usually estimate blank $$ + $50 using very good quality guides. If you want knots to pass through the guides, then maybe micros are not for this application. What style spiral are you thinking about? I've built spiral with the simple spiral method, and have no complaints, but I have not built simple spiral with micros. Since micros are so close to the blank, I would think a spiral might get the line into the blank a lot. With the simple spiral I would use a 5 or 6 double foot size first guide, same next guide, or whatever it would take to keep the line off the blank, and similar third guide then micros the rest of the way. Simple spiral makes the 180 degree transition in 3 guides. All the rest of the guides are not relevant to the spiral and could be all micros and should be the same size. If you are unfamiliar with the simple spiral, go to the Rodmaker forum and search for simple spiral. In a nutshell, it uses one extra guide, the bumper (90 degree) guide half way between the butt guide and the third guide (180 degrees). All guides except the bumper (90 degrees) are located the same as with conventional winding. The bumper's only function is to keep the line off the blank, and it will be loaded exactly at the base of the ring. It should be as low and small as possible while keeping the line off the blank. One builder who has done a bunch of micros believes that the first guide should be at least a size 4 to properly accept the line off the reel- he states that size 3 micros all the way will not cast as far as when your first guide is a bigger guide, like a 5. If I were you I would get a few extra guides that would allow me to do some test casting with different setups. My experience is that there is no advantage to doing the more progressive spirals than the simple spiral, but you will find builders who disagree. The simple spiral is the easiest to build, and it doesn't "look goofey" looking down the rod. If you use right crank reels, put the bumper on the right so that the bumper is not lying on the boat deck when you have the rod lying there, crank up.

Very nice work. Took me a lot more rods than two to get even close to that level of craftmanship.

If they were my rods I would not try to remove the epoxy, but would cover the area with paint or a stick-on decal that compliments the rod designs. I would retain the split grip design;it would be very difficult to undo it without messing up the rods. If you are good on the computer you can make decals on the Papilio decal media (http://www.papilio.com/inkjet%20waterproof%20adhesive%20film%20media.html), and they can be spectacular. I've even used photos on the decals. Images of fish skin work well if you stay with fish that don't have a lot of silver (won't print as silver) like bass, perch, bluegill, brown and brook trout. Decals can be covered first with a UV fast drying clear finish, then epoxy or clear spray finish (it's easy to mask the area you don't want covered). If you don't want to make a design on the decal, you can just do the whole area in a color that works on the rod, like the major winding color. If you want to try the decal method, let me know and I can do some decals if you want some help.

If that "generic" rod is glass, then I would just put it on the wall of the garage. There are so many really nice graphite rods available for very low prices, especially if you shop the end of the year sales, that it is not worth trying to save a rod that has no chance of being a decent rod for most fishing. Compared to what is available today.