2 hours ago, NHBull said:

 

 

My question would be, what type of rods do most folk have built?

 

It's not so much the type of rod, but to get something in a rod that isn't available OTC.  For me, it started with a 7' crankbait rod with a 8" rear grip.  At the time, all rods of that length had grips that we're too long for my liking.  Now Im on a Tennessee grip kick.  I love them on my DS rods.

If I remember right, the Mojos are built on the same SCII blank, components are different.

Tennessee handle was a spinning rod cork handle without rings to hold the reel on, you used tape. So what is this version of a Tennessee grip?

Tom

 

A TN grip is all grip with no seat. You can use rings, tape, even thread wraps to secure the reel in place. 

14 hours ago, WRB said:

Tennessee handle was a spinning rod cork handle without rings to hold the reel on, you used tape. So what is this version of a Tennessee grip?

Tom

 

 

I prefer rings on my TN grips.  I know many don't, and they cite the reason being the rings slip and the reel falls off.  This doesn't happen if the grip is turned to the proper diameter.  The rings on my grips don't move without imparting some significant force.

 

I also like making a split grip for my DS rods.  It gives a nice place to install the weight clip.  This is the only type of rod I like with split grips.  All of my others have full cork.

 

Great looking rod.  But I don't understand the advantage of a Tennessee grip on a cork platform so short that you cannot move the reel fore and aft for  balance  much at all.  Comfort from the thin securing rings?  I would think an up-locking 17 seat with a small ramp off the front would be as comfortable, and if the ramp were made of rigid polyurethane, it would be equivalent to having your fingers on the blank.

1 minute ago, MickD said:

Great looking rod.  But I don't understand the advantage of a Tennessee grip on a cork platform so short that you cannot move the reel fore and aft for  balance  much at all.  Comfort from the thin securing rings?  I would think an up-locking 17 seat with a small ramp off the front would be as comfortable, and if the ramp were made of rigid polyurethane, it would be equivalent to having your fingers on the blank.

 

I don't need to move the reel, the grip is built to place it exactly where I want it on the rod.  I hold with three fingers in front of the stem, so my fingers are on the blank.  The cork is turned to 24mm, a 17 seat is nowhere the diameter of this grip.  To achieve something of similar diameter, I'd have to use a 20 or 22 seat, and I prefer the feel of cork.

5 hours ago, S Hovanec said:

 

I prefer rings on my TN grips.  I know many don't, and they cite the reason being the rings slip and the reel falls off.  This doesn't happen if the grip is turned to the proper diameter.  The rings on my grips don't move without imparting some significant force.

 

I also like making a split grip for my DS rods.  It gives a nice place to install the weight clip.  This is the only type of rod I like with split grips.  All of my others have full cork.

 

Never even heard of TN grips, any real advantage over reel seats? I’d be interested in trying them on my spinning gear, that’s where I put my hand.

Just now, TylerT123 said:

Never even heard of TN grips, any real advantage over reel seats? I’d be interested in trying them on my spinning gear, that’s where I put my hand.

 

On a traditional TN grip, the cork is much longer, allowing you to position the reel anywhere along it.  I know where I want my reel to sit, so I make mine shorter.  I probably could have left one more ring off of that one, but I wanted it to be symmetrical and centered around the checkerboard in the middle

Just now, S Hovanec said:

 

On a traditional TN grip, the cork is much longer, allowing you to position the reel anywhere along it.  I know where I want my reel to sit, so I make mine shorter.  I probably could have left one more ring off of that one, but I wanted it to be symmetrical and centered around the checkerboard in the middle

Oh ok, I saw your cork grips that you made and they look absolutely amazing! 

Thanks!  Got it.  Beautiful rod, I'll have to try one like that.

If I were to do one for a customer, it would be something like this, or even longer.  I don't remember the length.  I'm sure @Lucky Craft Man can interject that bit of info.

 

Give Temple Fork Outfitters a shot. They use blanks made by Gary Loomis (THE Gary Loomis; the guy who started it all in terms of graphite/carbon fiber rods). They're an outstanding value ($100-$189). 

With that said, I have over a dozen rods, ranging in value from $10 to $600. They all have a purpose, and all catch fish. Get a rod that fits the job, and makes you smile every time you see it. If not, you'll only think about the rod you "should have got instead," and will spend more when you do eventually buy it. 

Have fun, and fish often! 

3 hours ago, archeryman20 said:

Give Temple Fork Outfitters a shot. They use blanks made by Gary Loomis (THE Gary Loomis; the guy who started it all in terms of graphite/carbon fiber rods). They're an outstanding value ($100-$189). 

With that said, I have over a dozen rods, ranging in value from $10 to $600. They all have a purpose, and all catch fish. Get a rod that fits the job, and makes you smile every time you see it. If not, you'll only think about the rod you "should have got instead," and will spend more when you do eventually buy it. 

Have fun, and fish often! 

I heard that TFO blanks were designed with the help of Gary Loomis and they weren’t the same quality of a G. Loomis.

1 hour ago, TylerT123 said:

I heard that TFO blanks were designed with the help of Gary Loomis and they weren’t the same quality of a G. Loomis.

That is what I have heard also. The blanks do not come from Gary's shop. Gary does supply his current blanks to Trey Kistler for Kistler Rods. 

5 hours ago, TylerT123 said:

I heard that TFO blanks were designed with the help of Gary Loomis and they weren’t the same quality of a G. Loomis.

 

Exactly.  He was consulted in their design and allowed his name to be affixed to them.

52 minutes ago, S Hovanec said:

 

Exactly.  He was consulted in their design and allowed his name to be affixed to them.

 I haven’t heard great things either, I think that there are better rods at this price range and they just wanted Gary’s name on their rods. 

8 hours ago, TylerT123 said:

 I haven’t heard great things either, I think that there are better rods at this price range and they just wanted Gary’s name on their rods. 

 

I wasn't gonna go there.

To each his own. You won't know until you've tried it yourself.

You all realize nearly every spinning rod had anodized aluminum rings on full cork handles for decades and handles without rings were called Tennessee handles. Reel seat rods followed the ring handles and then split grip handles followed. So today Tennessee handles are the original spinning rod handles, revising history to fit your needs.

Tom

4 hours ago, WRB said:

You all realize nearly every spinning rod had anodized aluminum rings on full cork handles for decades and handles without rings were called Tennessee handles. Reel seat rods followed the ring handles and then split grip handles followed. So today Tennessee handles are the original spinning rod handles, revising history to fit your needs.

Tom

I’m confused. What is the revising of history? Rods with slip rings being called Tennessee grips when they should be called?

I buid my own because I like a shorter butt section. my flipping sticks all have short burr sections,about the length of a 6' trigger stick.

not burr sections,butt sections. gotta slow down my typing...............

20 minutes ago, EvanT123 said:

I’m confused. What is the revising of history? Rods with slip rings being called Tennessee grips when they should be called?

Spinning rod handles 

55 minutes ago, TylerT123 said:

Spinning rod handles 

I think it would be ring handles rods, Tennessee grip rods and reel seat rods right ? 

38 minutes ago, EvanT123 said:

I think it would be ring handles rods, Tennessee grip rods and reel seat rods right ? 

 

To me, they're Tennessee with rings or without rings.