Any freshwater rod builders?

[jgp12000]

I see alot of saltwater rod builders on here,do any of you guys build
freshwater rods?

[JasonGotaProblem]

Yup. Building one now

[jgp12000]

Do you do it for other members I might have aleady asked you but anywho?

[JasonGotaProblem]

I'm building a rod for Keith (handi2) currently. This is my first for another forum member.

[oldmanjoe]

Ah man  Jump in with both feet ,You can do it .  Rod building is the same , just different sizes !!

[thorhammer]

what you need JP ?

[happyhooker]

I have built from scratch, but have gotten in the practice of using old completed rods and rebuilding them to my liking.  Hoping to get a few this winter after the holidays.

Frank

[Bryan Young]

I see alot of saltwater rod builders on here,do any of you guys build
freshwater rods?

Building freshwater rods uses the same technique in building freshwater rods. The main differences are the grips and grip lengths, and size and weight of the blank and guides.  My freshwater rods are the same as my light and ultralight saltwater rods.  The main difference in my wraps is that for my freshwater rods, I will not likely use an under-guide wrap and I will use 00 or A size thread instead of A (underwear), C (first guide wrap) and D (second guide overwrap)

[jgp12000]

Bryan,
I know zippo about rod building, but what is used to mount the guides on store bought rods instead of thread?
Is it like heat shrink or thread less guide wrap what is the proper name?

JP

[JasonGotaProblem]

Bryan,
I know zippo about rod building, but what is used to mount the guides on store bought rods instead of thread?
Is it like heat shrink or thread less guide wrap what is the proper name?

JP

Even $10 walmart rods have their guides attached by thread and epoxy. I've never seen it done any other way.

[jgp12000]

Ok I wondered how they mass produce rods, I found a few things on threadless guide wraps, not as strong but nothing like I imagined a heatshrink type approach. The threads do make em' pretty

[JasonGotaProblem]

Ive heard legends of shrink wrap and super glue. But if the $10 walmart rods are getting wrapped, how little do you have to care about your project to go that route? Wrapping isnt so bad once you get the hang of it.
When i first started each guide would take 3 or 4 tries to get the knot started, and another 2 tries to get it over the tip of the foot. Now I cant tell you the last time I didn't get the wrap started on the first try. It's just practice. By your third guide you'll have the hang of it.

Get pinstripe tape from autozone! It's a game changer for holding the guides on while wrapping.

[oldmanjoe]

      Wrapping isn`t so bad once you get the hang of it.
  I know he is not wrapping guides but the technique is great for doing intermediate wraps

 

[Midway Tommy]

James, check out YouTube. There are a couple of videos of production wrapping and epoxying that will show you just how little a rod is handled throughout the manufacturing process. Even the small producers have the system streamlined.

I've built 30 or 40 freshwater rods over the years. What I have found is that I don't save a whole lot of money making them but I can up grade blanks and components and build a much higher quality rod rather than buying a mid range manufactured rod. Since I only use Fuji SIC guides and high modulus graphite blanks I have right at $100+- in most of my builds and close to $200 each in a few of my top of the line builds. Those numbers don't include my time, which isn't worth a whole lot  these days.

[jgp12000]

It looks like it would be addictive and be able to personalize a rod for yourself would be fun. I have rarely ever spent over $40 for a rod. I have never owned a St. Croix rod or high end rods, but I am sure the ones you guys build are superior to what I am use to.