first custom rod builds

[hammer289]

I Haven't had much time to get out this year with most of my free time coming after dark. So I decided to try my hand at rod building. So I stripped a 8 an a half casting stick and put a new handle and rewrapped the guides on a spiral. After I felt good enough I made myself a stiffer pin rod on a 10-20 11'3" blank. Thought it came out good just thought I'd care to share. Thanks for looking.

[Iceman]

Nice work!

[WNYakker]

Looks good!  You gotta start somewhere when it comes to rod building.....

 

Phil

[John E Powell]

That is an excellent way to begin and it looks like you got off to a good start. Can you post a photo that more clearly shows your spiral wrapped rod?

 

Did you determine a choke point on the spinning rod or did you just place the guides in a cone of flight layout? It looks like you used a lot of guides to reduce from your stripper to running guides.

Edited November 6, 2013 by John E Powell

[hammer289]

Thanks guys. I have a feeling ill be doin alot more. But I just marked the guides where they were before I stripped the blank and spun the bottom 3 on the top piece. I know that's probably not the best way to do it but I was more interested in practicing the wrapping. The next project may be a spiral twist casting rod for steelies so ill do a little more reading on it.

[Has Been]

What size thread & type of finish  did you use ? I use size A thread . Also I bought an electric motor rod turner for drying ,otherwise you have to keep turning it for a few hrs. Have to be carefull to not ad to much weight to the blank w/ thread & finish. They look good & it is a fun cold weather project. I have done about 30 over the years .

[John E Powell]

I've converted a few factory rods to spiral layout for guys. Unless your prepared to refinish the rods, you pretty much have to use the same guide locations. It's pretty easy to do on two piece rods because you can just turn the front half upside down when you assemble it. Most trolling length 2-piece rods seem to have the stripper guide and one more guide on the rear section. This means that the second guide can be repositioned at or near the 90 degree point on the blank and you achieve a crude spiral with changing only one guide. It's not the best way to do it, but it is better than a traditional top-guided factory rod.

[hammer289]

What size thread & type of finish  did you use ? I use size A thread . Also I bought an electric motor rod turner for drying ,otherwise you have to keep turning it for a few hrs. Have to be carefull to not ad to much weight to the blank w/ thread & finish. They look good & it is a fun cold weather project. I have done about 30 over the years .

I used size A also and used prokote medium build if I remember correct.  I invested in the rod turner as well.

 

Got to break in the pin rod this morning for a couple hours. Held up great but is going to take some getting used to.  Is going to be a great Lower Niagara and king beater rod for sure.

 

 

[Has Been]

Have not done one in years. Maybe it's time.