Mbirdsley Posted March 21, 2015 Report Share Posted March 21, 2015 (edited) Withing the next month i will be purchasing my first rod building kit. Have been wanting to for a couple of years. I am spending about 100 dollars on the kit. is it neccessary to buy all the special tools like wrapper and the rod dryer. I know i have read where thread epoxy can be dryed by just by turning the rod every 15 mins. What tools would be essential? I mean i dont plan on building a lot of rods maybe one a year. I guess what would be the bare essentials? Edited March 21, 2015 by Mbirdsley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New River Rat Posted March 30, 2015 Report Share Posted March 30, 2015 From my experience; I have built rods with NO specialty tools what-so-ever. They turned out OK, but not as "sleek" as I would have liked. I did the 15 minute rotation for the epoxy cure, but the rod dryer is so much easier with nicer results. As for a thread tensioner, I simply use a book with the thread going through a few pages next to the book spine. If you are budgeting, I suggest the rod dryer above the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mbirdsley Posted April 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2015 (edited) From my experience; I have built rods with NO specialty tools what-so-ever. They turned out OK, but not as "sleek" as I would have liked. I did the 15 minute rotation for the epoxy cure, but the rod dryer is so much easier with nicer results. As for a thread tensioner, I simply use a book with the thread going through a few pages next to the book spine. If you are budgeting, I suggest the rod dryer above the rest. yeah i think the rod dryer would be important. because to me if it dosen't dry right or the epoxy runs its all been for not. I just want a good rod for river small mouths and want to try building. nothing fancy just all black rod with black thread and cork ha handle. St Croix makes a 7ft ml/l action with fast tip and has the rod i want to try and immulate. the St. croix rod is basically the same price as the kit i wanna get from Janns. i just want to build it Edited April 9, 2015 by Mbirdsley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilpdriverrat Posted April 10, 2015 Report Share Posted April 10, 2015 When I started building rods, I used a fly tying thread bobbin for wrapping the guides on. It worked just fine, only issue is maintaining even tension on the thread. The rod dryer is definitely worth it...you can also modify it to turn/dry lures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New River Rat Posted April 14, 2015 Report Share Posted April 14, 2015 Like these? http://s159.photobucket.com/user/NewRiverRatRods/library/CUSTOM%20RODS?sort=3&page+1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mbirdsley Posted April 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2015 Like these? http://s159.photobucket.com/user/NewRiverRatRods/library/CUSTOM%20RODS?sort=3&page+1 those pictures look good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New River Rat Posted April 21, 2015 Report Share Posted April 21, 2015 Thanks! I like the style that you described. Rat rods..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Braided Line Posted April 24, 2015 Report Share Posted April 24, 2015 Learn the basis of rod building first. your early "tries" may be rough but keep after it. once you master it, then you`ll have enough experience to use what ever material/tools you like. Guide wrapping is the one area you need to master. A lot goes into that one specific detail. Check out U-Tube on the subject, Should be a tutorial and video on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mbirdsley Posted April 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2015 Learn the basis of rod building first. your early "tries" may be rough but keep after it. once you master it, then you`ll have enough experience to use what ever material/tools you like. Guide wrapping is the one area you need to master. A lot goes into that one specific detail. Check out U-Tube on the subject, Should be a tutorial and video on it. I can wrap the guides and un- wrap them as many times as i want untill i epoxy the threads correct? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Braided Line Posted April 26, 2015 Report Share Posted April 26, 2015 Yes. Don`t forget to rough up the bottom of the guide. Plus, most of the time you`ll need to bevel the legs of the guide to a more sharper angle. On the sides. The less "grade you have to climb ,the better looking and fit you`ll get. There is more to rod making than meets the eye. If I were you, I`d practice installing guides on a old rod blank(if you have one) Nor only for fit and finish but for alignment as well. If you don`t get-um straight.....it looks like crap. Tightness when wrapping is very important. There is other stuff as well but through failure.... Comes success. Don`t forget U-Tube for a tutorial on the subject. Video plus, audio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mbirdsley Posted April 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2015 Yes. Don`t forget to rough up the bottom of the guide. Plus, most of the time you`ll need to bevel the legs of the guide to a more sharper angle. On the sides. The less "grade you have to climb ,the better looking and fit you`ll get. There is more to rod making than meets the eye. If I were you, I`d practice installing guides on a old rod blank(if you have one) Nor only for fit and finish but for alignment as well. If you don`t get-um straight.....it looks like crap. Tightness when wrapping is very important. There is other stuff as well but through failure.... Comes success. Don`t forget U-Tube for a tutorial on the subject. Video plus, audio. what about if i found a cheap rod at a garage sale to practice tying the guides. i could either take the original guides off or just by some cheap guides and tie in between the guides that are on there already Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Glenn Posted May 3, 2015 Report Share Posted May 3, 2015 A wooden 3' dowel rod makes a good practice rod because it is short enough to not get in the way while you are learning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky0503 Posted June 22, 2015 Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 make sure the dowel is staight. I found this out the hard way. Bought a dowel to practice on, got it home, what up to rap. it was wobbing of my wrapper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky0503 Posted June 22, 2015 Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 I would also recommend this book this book has been my "bible" so to speak to. Has been my go to book for for everything rod builfing. I would also direct you to another forum to learn from. http://www.rodbuildingforum.com/ They are helpful and will answer every question you have no matter the level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky0503 Posted June 22, 2015 Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 (edited) I generally use my dremel to "sand" or bevel down the edges of the guide. Your building a bridge so that the thread can easily climb over the foot of the guide. Edited June 22, 2015 by Musky0503 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky0503 Posted June 22, 2015 Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 (edited) There is more to rod making than meets the eye. Tightness when wrapping is very important. There is other stuff as well but through failure.... Comes success. Tightness on the thread and on the wraps, you don't want any space between each thread you lay down, You'll want to pack the thread down on the blank you doing. You thumb nail will come in handy for this. Sorry for athe mutiple posting I'd hit post then read up the post more and see more info to give Edited June 22, 2015 by Musky0503 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhahn427 Posted June 22, 2015 Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 (edited) Don't need a rod dryer ........ Just use multiple thin coats and turn until it gets tacky then a second thin coat and so forth ........ If it's thin it won't sag ......... Made several rods without any special equipment before I got the equipment. Just takes more time. Edited June 22, 2015 by rhahn427 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky0503 Posted June 22, 2015 Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 (edited) A rod dryer would be the second item after a wrapper that I would buy. Can you get by with out it? Yes but it helps so much that is almost a necessity. Yes you can get by with a timer and turning it every 15 minutes It's just so much easier. You set it do dry turn it on and come back in say 24 hours to give the epoxy time to fully harden. Edited June 22, 2015 by Musky0503 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
