Rod Building The Rod Building Thread

[Divad]

Is it an actual feather or real fancy thread work?

It’s a guinea feather I used FlexCoat Color Preserver thinned 20% with distilled water. And put on just enough to stick it down. Probably will thin it a tad more next go-round to help with working time before it drys. Then I cleaned up any excess around the edges with 99% alcohol.

It was good practice to work on uniform epoxy coverage over a long section. Falconer Custom Rods videos online really helped.

Also learned less fancy thread work is better on the final tip wraps as the blank starts to get thin. Transition fade wraps start to get a little ugly when not much blank is available. Better to do a simple trim band or 3-4 turn inlay band.

 

[mcswny]

I swore I wasn't going to build another rod as I really didn't enjoy building the first. But here I am with a second.

7' 3" James Green Heritage Trout 3 Piece 4wt.
Snakebrand Lite Guides
Mildrum Stripper with Carbology Ring
6" Cigar Grip
Ray Lee Burled Maple Reel Seat with blued nickle hardware (I swore off these seats because I said there's no way at that price they could be this good. BOY WAS I WRONG. Ray Lee's seats are amazing, especially for the price)

This is still 100% a blue collar rod. The wraps aren't perfect and the finish is a bit lumpy but it's so much better than my first and I'm pretty excited about it. I can't wait to get it on the water.

 

[Bambooflyguy]

Nice job! You really can’t beat the quality and price of Ray’s reelseats!

 

[mcswny]

Nice job! You really can’t beat the quality and price of Ray’s reelseats!

Thanks Steve. Most importantly, it should fish!

 

[Divad]

@mcswny looks real good! The invisible guide wraps is a cool look on that yellow blank and the red you chose made for a nice contrasting trim wrap. Look at that you even did alignment dots! Are you sure you aren’t having fun with it?

I feel like the real enjoyment comes when they’re fished and used. Something full circle satisfying knowing you made it.

 

[Herkileez]

Like the stealthy look of black against the flat black blank...and the guinea hen feather tops it off....