I decided that it might be fun to do some checkerboard grips on a rod build.  I don't have a cork jig yet but wanted to try anyway.  I eyeballed them and "went to town" with an exacto knife.  ...lol  the first pic is obviously the grip.  Nothing special, just a few checkerboard rings.  second is the butt and removable cap.  I have 2 caps, one weighted to perfectly balance the rod (as I hold it) for pitchin and other "feel" techniques, and the other is just a cork cap to keep the rod light when fishing moving baits.  With the unweighted cap, it's still a few grams heavier due to the bolt and internal nut in the rod blank but I feel like it's a good trade off for being able to balance it whenever I want to just by unscrewing it and puttin the other cap on.  I'm working on another balancing system but this blank would not allow it's use since the ID of the butt area is so small.

Please excuse the photo quality, I'm limited to the camera phone at the moment.

Couldn't figure out how to post both pics on the same post.  ...lol  And the butt / cap:

hey flech,

two COOL ideas!   ...i like the ckrbrd, just something different, but it stands out. makes the rod a little more "custom"  a little more unique.

as far as butt caps & balancing, it's a Great idea, but you have so many rods, i can't see you  using 1 rod for 2 applications ---you'd just build another rod!  (hey, that's what all those blanks from all star are for! - what do they say? "so many blanks, so little time!" Wheeeeeeeeeeee)

but you have so many rods, i can't see you  using 1 rod for 2 applications ---you'd just build another rod!

Normally it's no problem - when in my boat, I have a locker full or rods.  But I want to be able to have options when i travel or when I go with someone else.  Plus, it's a way to make a rod more versitile.  I love the idea of spending a lot of money on a great blank, titanium guides, etc. and getting 2 awesome rods worth of use out of that expense.  Instead of building 2 rods with lesser quality materials to fill those needs.  And if I ever sold any, it would be a big value add to prospective customers.

As I get better at building them, I'll be using better/higher $ blanks and components so it allows me to do more with my money (and not have to carry so many rods with me when I fish.)

I'll tell ya those are more even than any checkerboard that I put together, even cutting them in the jig I bought to cut them with. I just could never get the hang of it....

;D Flechero, That looks great! ;D  I like the balance system.  It looks so much better than the weighted slip on end cap I have on my pitching rod.

It looks like you are joining ReelMech in the art work world.

The balance caps are pretty cool, I still have some work to do to on the design but this prototype is working out so far. (except at the moment, I can't remember what I did with the weighted one) ...lol The other balance system I'm working on uses a removable internal weight as opposed to the weighted cap but so far I can only do it on rods with a large ID butt. I'll get it figured out one of these days... until them, I'll keep trying other stuff.

ReelMech is in another league as far as his artistic abilities... I'm just having fun. ...lol But thanks for the compliments!