Well I finally finished my first rod ;D  Thanks for the help ReelMech and Flechero! ;D  A spinning rod is next on the list.  I can't wait to hook that first fish. 8-)

picture #2 ;D

vtbassin,

;D Well All Right!!!!!

Nice and stealthy. Are the guide wraps black? (my monitor color isn't that accurate)

Do I see Nickel/Alconites there?

I see you wrapped your bumper guide to the left when wrapping for a left hand cranking reel. That allows you to lay the system flat on a deck without having the bumper guide down on the deck with the crank paddles up, great job!!  Most of the rods I have done lately have been right hand transition.

Nice work on your grips....  

I see you set a Curado in it how does the system balance out?

I would give it on a scale of 1 - 10 for your first one a 9.....

It is really good work, now take that system, your wife and kids if you have them, and catch the first one, so you all can share in the feeling your going to have when you do catch it.

Good Job, now we want to see pic's of the fish.....

Tight Lines All!      

Thanks for the kind words ReelMech! ;D

As you can see I like the left handed reels.  So I wrapped to the left. The rod with the Curado balances about 1/2 inch in front of the reel seat. It feels very light in my hand.  And yes black thread and Alconite guides ;D  

;D My kids have left the nest  ;D ;D  I do get my wife in the boat with me now and then although she prefers the kayak.  If the spinning rod feels as good as this one I may have a hard time getting her to let go of it  Oh well that will give me a reason for number 3 :)

Tight Lines!!

I don't know squat about building rods but if RM gives it a nine then I say well done man!

Awesome!!  I sure remember the feeling of finishing the first rod!  It's the same feeling I still get each time I finish one!!   It's like catching a big one, it is always sweet!!  

Congratulations!!

***, ***, Drool, Wheeeeeeeeeeeeee

MAN, that rod looks GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

after doing just a little grunt work on rods & seeing what is really involved in making them, Great, jumps up to FANTASTIC!  ...it really is a sweet looking rod.  i congratulate you on it & hope you catch your Personal Best on your first outing.

but, you know what, no matter What size/kind you catch, it will be sweet, just because it's on "Your Rod."

i don't see it any time soon, but, ONE DAY, i hope to post a pic of one that i've built as well, but, right now, it's not about me, or jim or sam or bob (whoever they are! LOL), it's about YOU and a really good result on a fine product.   Thanks for sharing.

Wow, my kind of rod. None of the gaudy wraps and wild color schemes, just clean, neat and functional. A beautiful peice of work.