Blank?

Guides?

Seat?

   

Nothing fancy. What would be good to start with. 6'6" med/hev casting

Thinking about the Cabelas blanks

the basics....

butt cap

blank

grip (cork, foam etc.)

reel seat

reel seat arbor

winding checks (if being used)

guides

tip top

thread

thread finish

epoxy (adhesive)

tip top adhesive (hot melt or 2 part)

decals (if being used)

this only covers the rod itself, I'll try to find an old post outlining the tools and jigs you might want...  to keep from writing it all out again.

This was an old post but should offer some helpful hints.  Also if you need more, let us know.  There is usually one of us around to answer questions pretty quickly.

I get my cork and Threadmaster from Andy Dear at Lamar:  http://www.lamarreelseats.com/   He's a super friendly and helpful.  If you want to order everything from one place, I believe Bingham and 1 or 2 others now carry Andy's products.

Andy no longer sells retail, so try FishSticks4U.com for his products

As far as what you "need" for building rods... kind of a loaded question.  You could get by with a couple v blocks, a phone book for tension, and a cork reamer.  But that's no fun!  

Tom Kirkland's book would have been my first suggestion but you have that.

You will "want" to (if you shape your own grips) to set up a makeshift lathe.  My first was a drill clamped to a board with a dryer vent hose clamp and used an 18" drill bit as a mandrel wich was supported by a block of wood with hole in it.  ...lol  It worked great but I changed because I wanted to pre drill my cork to 1/2" for glueing and turning.  Now I use another drill and a 1/2" grade 5 bolt that has had the head cut off and has been trued for size.

If you have a lathe, disregard all the above and get a lathe mandrel from Andy Dear.  ....lol   All you need for shaping is sandpaper, but I like to start with a Stanley shurform blade (looks like a cheese grater)  

For wrapping, I started with a cardboard box with 2 V notches cut out and ran the thread under a book for tension.  It worked fine but I didn't like the idea of the thread getting dirty from the book and box.  You can buy a wrapper (manual) from many places, but the best ones will be home made.  If you go to the rodbuilding.org site and look in the library there is a step by step on building a wrapper.  Cheap and easy and it will serve you well.  Thread tension can be checked with sinkers... 3.5 - 4 oz is a safe and workable setting.  You MUST have a good (new) razorblade for cutting thread as you wrap... it is the difference between perfect and crappy.  I use a new blade as soon as I notice 1 cut that the thread leaves a fuzz or trailer.

A rod turner/dryer is very handy, and I would suggest one.  Lots of guys and lots of professional rodbuilders don't use one, they turn by hand.  But since we only work on one at a time, it's no fun to sit there for 2 hours watching finish cure.  ...lol  I am a fan of low speed... I use 3rpm and 6rpm.  The 3 was made from a BBQ rotiserie motor purchased at Lowe's for under $20 (on closeout) and came with the stands.  I only added a small scrap of wood with felt on top to the stand. The 6rpm is a Flexcoat and was purchased retail.

Reamers are essential.  The best are made from scrap blank with sandpaper spiral wrapped and glued... but new builders don't normally have scrap blanks.  I bought my first ones from Cabela's, they were not real expensive so I bought all 3 sizes.  (and have needed all 3 sizes)

For guide prep, I have tried lots of things and the easiest to use and best results came from my gunsmithing files which are just a set of Craftsman needle files and some 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper.

i'm having a terrible time getting "tight wraps"  ....i try to wrap the last three or four wraps over a  string, then pull the end under those wraps, but, it doesn't seem to work so well for me..i guess practice will help w/that.

 

Check your tension first. (3.5 - 4 oz) Then be sure to hold a finger on the thread as you cut it and put tag end through loop, and be sure to pull on tag end while you pull loop (yes, 3 hands would be perfect for this but you can keep tension on tag end and hold rod from spinning with one hand)  lastly, 3 wraps will hold the end but on anything other than trim bands, I use more... usually 5.  I practiced in the beginning using up to like 8-9 to get comfortable with it and then went less.  It will come very quickly with a minimum of practice... if tension is good and you hold tension while pulling loop.  Also be sure to pack your thread as you wrap... I pack on about every 4th or 5th wrap (I use thumbnail as I go)  The tighter you pack the thread, the better it looks and the better it will hold the tag end that you pulled under.  

Sorry to get so "wordy" but as you can tell, I enjoy rodbuilding and like to help out anyone I can.  If I think of other stuff, I'll post again later but I lost track of time and have to get to work!  ...lol

I was trying to ask what blank and etc.

I would highly recommend the Rinshadow RX7 series of blanks

If you are looking for a kit - with everything included take a look at these:

http://www.mudhole.com/Shop-Our-Catalog/Complete-Rod-Kits/Mud-Hole-Value-Casting-Rod-Kits

Blank, guides, cork, etc. all included.

I highly recommend, in addition to what flechero and BowTech have said, is that you start relatively inexpensive.  Your first, no matter how much time and effort you will put into it, will be far from perfect.  Your second will be 10x better.  Practice on the first one.  Save the GOOD components for the second or third rod.

Eddie

I was trying to ask what blank and etc.

So you just wanted recommendations?  Heck, that would have been easier.  ...lol

RX6 or RX7 blank (depending on your budget and application)

Alconites

Fuji ECSM seat

next question?  

Call Lance at swamplandtackle.com

He has some HG40 blanks for 25 bucks(normally 50 - 65), I'd put them up against blanks costing 3x as much.

If money isn't a real obstacle, the RX8 or something in the St Croix lineup is pretty hard to beat.

Now we are talking. Thanks.

Gonna tear those blanks "smooth up"?    ;D

Just messing with ya, these guys will point you in the right direction.

anything in the st. croix line up

castaway fully exposed blank reel seat, not sure if it has a name...

fuji alconite micro guides spiral wrapped

Gonna tear those blanks "smooth up"? ;D

Just messing with ya, these guys will point you in the right direction.

LOL, and he was almost in the clear!!!!!