Rod Building

[IrishZit]

I've taken on the hobby of rod building and I'm looking for advice. I bought a kit through Cabelas and how to complete the first step I need to find the spine of the rod. I think I need to have it explained a different way.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks!

[Surface Tension]

Put one end of the blank on the floor and the other end hold in your fingers so the blank is in a near vertical position.
Put a bow into the blank with the other hand half way down the blank. Now twist the blank with your fingers. You'll notice how the blank flop to a position. That position the blank flops and stops at when bent and spun is the same position you want to place your guides so when under a load the rods arc matches that. Now if your tying a spinning rod the guides would be on the inside of the bend and a casting rod the guides will go on the outside of the bend.

[metro 1]

The "spine" or "back bone"of a rod is. When the blank tip is put on the ground (carpet) and the handle is held at a 45 degree angle upward .apply pressure to case the blank to bow slightly,now roll the blank and you will feel the rod flop off the spine . do this several times to make sure that you have the stiffest part upward and mark that.

if you do not find the back bone,when you set the hook the rod will flop off to the side.When I buy a rod I always check for the alignment of the real seat and eyelets to the spine.Good luck and rod building is a great way to learn why handles are the length they are ,why eyelets are spaced cretin distances from real , each other and how many ext. Metro

[metro 1]

this might help
http://members.datafast.net.au/darrylt/backbone.html

[IrishZit]

Thank you Surface Tension and Metro. These are the alternate explanations I was looking for. What was confusing for me the first time was two spines, one is a major and the other minor.

Surface Tension, do they have any rod building classes in Duluth? I know that Lester River Fly Shop has them but the owner told me he offers them on weekends in January. I'm going to be hovered over a hold on my Saturdays in January.

Thanks so much!

Sully
Team Grully

[Surface Tension]

Sorry I don't know of any classes in the area but that doesn't mean there isn't any.
You may want to take an old rod and get some experience in wrapping before you build one with expensive blanks and guides.
I take it your kit has all the information on guides as far as the number needed and placement?

[Surface Tension]

It doesn't take much to get started and most equipment can be made. For instance a motorized rod drying rack to apply epoxy to the wraps and rotate while drying.

[upnorth]

Try this web site; mudhole.com/docs/r101.html
You will need to copy it to web browser and put the www in for yourself(they sometimes delete actual links on this site). It has some info on how to get started.

I got started on this hobby about that way, with 2 pages of instructions and an old junker rod to practice on like Surface Tension mentioned. If you can read and follow directions, you may not need to take classes on this. It is tedious, but non technical stuff, I would at least try to pick it up on your own.

The only thing I purchased for make rods was a cheap rod turning dryer. The rest I made myself. Don't really need much if you are gonna be a hobbyist.

It is a fun and rewarding hobby. The best thing is you can make up rods that fit exactly what you want them to do for a reasonable price.

Good Luck and enjoy

[IrishZit]

My directions say I can turn the rod at a 90 degree angle every 15 minutes when it dries. Does that work okay? or should I make a dryer?

Thanks for all the tips!

I formed the cork handles last night.

I making a St. Croix for my first rod, which may have been a mistake if it doesn't turn out right.

[Surface Tension]

My rod drying rack makes 3 revolutions a minute. Its the same rack converted to turn crank baits on while the epoxy topcoat sets up.

[upnorth]

Turning it every 15 minutes just ain't often enough to get a smooth even finish. Before buying a turing device, I would put the finish on and hold it my hands while watching tv and just slowly roll it in my fingers for about 1 1/2 hours then about once every 15 minutes for a couple more.

You can buy those very low rpm motors and then make a chuck of sorts to do this. The one that I have is about 18 rpm and it works good.

Here is a HSOforum that you can get one off of. http://www.allelectronics.com/pdf/motor.pdf

Then you can build the chuck out if a pcv pipe cap. If you want send me an email and I will send you a pic of what I use.

[email protected]

[willowcat]

I use a rotissery moter for a BBQ grill. It works great. Mount it on a board, run the shaft of the rotissery through a eyelett screwed into the board. Turn the forks so the spikes face each other about 1 to 2 inches apart. Put the handel of the rod onto the V of the forks, use a couple of rubberbands to hold it secure. You can pick up a rotissery fairly cheap this time of year.

[fiskyknut]

Willowcat, I have the same deal as you....found an old indoor electric rotisserie grill at a yard sale for 2 beans, works great!

fiskyknut

[IrishZit]

I want to thank everyone for all the help. This has been a fun project. My rod is just about done. All I need to do is apply the rod finish.

Great tip on Wild River Distributing, wow is that place cheap.

I was curious if the epoxy that is sold through the rod building suppliers is different than the epoxy I find at the hardware store down the street.

Any thoughts?

[upnorth]

I do believe that the epoxies are different. I would stick with the tried and true here, I would tend to think that the other epoxies either would't stay flexible enough or that they wouldn't be shiny enough.

Kinda a fun hobby ain't it?

[This message has been edited by upnorth (edited 11-07-2003).]

[Surface Tension]

Not all epoxies are the same. Flexibility, yellowing and dry time would be a concern.