SkinnyWaterBasser

Oooof thats no bueno. Looks like I'll be taking it the next trip. I'm not going to risk all the time and money I've invested to rush it and wreck the finish. Thanks a million for that one. Ida been sick with myself.

Gotcha, my thoughts were if I coat it, it would make it look almost seamless because the seat is glossy black too. Hoping to get this first build done this coming weekend. I've got a fishing trip coming up that I'm hoping to have it for. I'm really excited about this point blank. The more it's in my hand the more I like it.

Ended up getting a couple of the black vinyl winding checks to finish out the reel seat. When I put these on, am I epoxying them to the seat then coating it with finish or leaving it alone?

Is the future of guides carbon framed micros? Have we already reached the pinnacle of guide technology? I love the battles to build the next best thing between all the top companies. I'm always excited when new "tech" is made available. I ordered a set of the black titanium framed pentalite guides to try next. My guess is that an identical sized set fishes identical. Not positive but we'll definitely see. ?

I am familiar. That's the one that people often used straw to tie correct?

3.3 oz as it sits. Guides are 3.8(.135 oz) grams for 9 guides and the tip top. Where would you guys put it after adding the wraps and finish? Gotta be well under 4 as long as I keep to very minimal wraps and finish.

Thank you! After dry fitting I decided that I really like the no frills simplicity of the cork and graphite. No need to really dress it up, at least to my eyes. Not sure where I'll stick the blank spec and point blank decals yet, might be hard to put them on if I wait till it's done, then they might never get put on. Lol

I honestly don't feel much difference with/without the insert? Different strokes for different folks. Lol I prepped the surface and mixed 2 batches of epoxy about 15 minutes apart, I applied epoxy and the fighting butt, once that was cured I found the spine and set the reel seat, I was able to achieve the skeletonized, no insert seat, by epoxying only the areas that would have epoxy and working it back and forth until the epoxy was fully saturated between the surfaces, the area between the arbors I covered in masking tape prior and as I was sliding the seat on I started to slowly and carefully put a thin layer of epoxy through the "window" of the seat while rotating it, pulled it past where the seat will actually sit and applied epoxy on the fore side of the seat, once I was satisfied with the saturation of epoxy between the front of the seat and the arbor, I began finding the edges of the tape through the"windows" in the seat I pulled it up and out while rotating the blank, remeasured, set the seat on the spine, and now she's drying up, the tape between the arbors allowed me to keep epoxy where I wanted it, the only thing I feel wasn't accounted was how the tape would inevitably get a small amount of epoxy on the inside surface of the seat. I'm trying to capture a picture of it but it's hard to get a good angle, here are some pictures, hopefully they're good enough to see my work. Always open to honest critiquing even if it is critical, I'm going to make mistakes, it takes guys that know better to point those out, my fishing buddy telling me it's awesome isn't what I'm looking for. Lol thanks in advance for reading the book I wrote

As far as adding a little style without adding a bunch of weight, what do you guys think? Winding checks between the rear split grips? Maybe some 1/4-1/2 inch wraps to match the guides? I'd like to add some pop, lightweight pop... I'll be adding a winding check in front of the reel seat, no foregrip.

I have an insert but after placing it on the blank as is, the "skeleton" look I like. If I can't get good results before the epoxy sets up I'll pull it off, clean everything up and run the insert.

Seems like that would further cut weight and improve response, but seems like a risky thing as far as toughness is concerned. Anyway, I just dry fit the fighting butt and the nut cover on the point blank since I'm waiting on the hidden thread cap on the other one ( I ordered for a size 16 seat not a 17, oops.) I'm going to get some scotch Brite tomorrow to prep the surfaces and some masking tape ( not for arbors I'm using poly foam) to keep the abrasive where I want and to mark things as far as where I want them. I'm about to cut my arbors and fit the seat around the arbors.

Carbon fiber guide frames by the looks of it.

Anyone have experience with rods that have the ags guides?

The first build is still going to be the NFC, and yes I'm running the Klh. 20h 10h 5.5m 4.5kbx2 4.5kt ( I have 5 to work with ) I removed my initial layout and ran it through the kr software and used 6" to the second job, 5.5 to the second kb, 5" to the first kt, then 4.75to the second kt, 4.5 to the third, 4.5 to the fourth, leaving 4" to the tip. I was not setting these distances in stone, just looking for a good starting point to see what static testing showed.

The one I'm starting with is the NFC, I have the klh reductions, 2 kb 4.5s, and 4-5 kts with a kg tip top, I went and re layed it out using the kr software and it looks like a good starting point. That's all I was looking for, just where to start before running the static testing

Id also like to say that this point blank seems every bit of what I was looking for, pre-fish, in-hand-only. I'm excited to see what they'll really do on the water. . I don't know what it is about the point blank but it has a very light feel to it( obviously it's light. Heavier than advertised by .11oz ) maybe it's the extra 2" on the NFC that gives it a heavier feel in my hand even though it's .31 oz lighter physically.

So I got pretty much the rest of my components today and I'm sitting here thinking about dry fitting my fighting butt / rod end. When reaming polyurethane foam is it best to use power and go slow or to hand ream and go slow? It's hard stuff but I get the feeling you can remove material very fast with the reamers.

The measurement from butt to tip of spool axle at mid cycle, they're talking about the shaft the spool rides on correct? Oh man I bet that's time consuming, I have a practice blank that I was messing with and cutting those guides off without damaging the blank took seriously effort, I can't imagine doing an entire rod over like that. I guess it's a reality though sometimes if the mistake cost having exactly what you want with no sacrifices. The whole point of a custom.

Glad I'm not scared to ask a question. Lol thanks!!

I wrapped with the color on the left side of the thread carriage then set it out, I think a shade slightly brighter and slightly more red will be just about dead nuts color match to the vanford.

I decided to add another kb in the mix, I've got 5 kts to work with so I can add another one or two to that layout if needed. Just trying to get some basics mapped out so once all the components are here I'll be a step ahead, I might move the reel an inch forward, as it would sit based on my measurements the grip length would be about 8.75" like I said I might lengthen the grip by an inch which would cut out any fractions and bring the guides at every 4" to the tip top. Am I in left field?

So I'm sitting here playing with some measurements as far as laying out the guides. I multiplied the spool diameter of 47 mm by 27 and got 1296 mms, 50 inches, from the proposed spool face position to the choker, with the remaining distance from choker to tip at 25" I am thinking of placing them as follows and tweak from there. Kb at 25, kb-4.5", kt-4.125",kt-4.125",kt-4.125",kt-4.125", kg tip top-4". Do these measurements leave too much space between runners or is that something best left for static testing? 4.125 seems like it's pretty close but I might be way off. Am I on the right track?

I really appreciate that, I've been doing a good amount of just holding it and messing with it to have grown to like it more than initially, I wish it had just a touch more backbone but I'm glad to hear the opinion that the NFC can pull legit Ned duty, hopefully the point blank on the way fits the ticket for my slightly heavier presentations, I do live in smallmouth country so finesse rods are important

All this time later how do you like your sb722? I just got one and was initially concerned it was the wrong blank after I measured the tip at 1.22 mm which is quite different from the 1.5-1.6 they were advertised at, I also thought about switching directions and going bfs with this blank, just curious if you think it's capable of all around finesse fishing for bass.