Grouper rod build

[JasonGotaProblem]

I've been working on this every night to get it finished a few days before my 10hr grouper/snapper trip this Sunday. I wanted it to have time to fully cure.

Right before the penn "mariner III" rods were released a few months ago the mariner 2 rods went on sale. I picked one up and set it aside for the right occasion.

It's my opinion that the cheaper penn rods have surprisingly good quality blanks, but garbage hardware. So yeah, easy enough. Just replace all the hardware. Often I'll keep the rear grip on a factory rod that I rebuild. In this case I wanted it longer so i replaced that too. And I was surprised by how poorly glued the seat was. Especially for a rod designed for heavy lifting.

Fuji size 24 seat with the lock nut, and the fore grip contoured to allow more travel on the lock nut.
This was my first build for myself that wasn't all fuji hardware. An AT 'virtus' guide is used as the stripper. The rest are fuji HNOG guides.

A bit of marbling, it didn't come out as smooth as I hoped, for some reason there's a few spots the epoxy just really doesnt wanna stick to. I cleaned it well with 99% ethanol prior to doing the marbling, some bald spots and hills appeared. So I sanded the hills, SCRUBBED with alcohol, and did a coat. Same thing at the same spots, but a few were covered. So I sanded the hills again, cleaned with alcohol then cleaned with acetone, and added a few drops of acetone to the epoxy mix to help it flow better and did a third coat. The third is much improved but still not perfect. I don't think I'm gonna take a 4th crack at it. After all its built for use not display.

Lifting a 25# dumbbell while doing the guide spacing took it to about a 60° bend. So, by my understanding of how smart folks on here rate rods, that puts it as probably good for up to 30# of drag but probably no more than that.

[steelfish]

looks good Jason, I have used some of those AT Virtus guides and seems like good quality, that rod should be good for your trip.

about the epoxy over the marbling job not been as smooth as expected, after all you did its still weird that happened, seems that you did what it needed to cover or to clean out any possible contaminant agent on the marbling.
knowing my OCD on rods I would have lost control and done a heavy sanding on the marbling taking all the peaks until getting on the valleys and check if it could be saved like that or do all over again 
but yeah I understand you have your time against you this time, you can always do that later in few months

[jgp12000]

If I were A grouper or a snapper it would be an honor to be caught on that pretty pole...

[JasonGotaProblem]

Thanks guys. I'll be honest I'm not thrilled with my wraps on this one. I think back to what joe tried to teach me when I was first getting my feet wet. Namely if it's been a little while since you've built a rod maybe do a few practice wraps first. I would have been much happier with them if I tore off the first 2 and redid it. Even happier still when I eventually tear them all off and redo them. It just kinda had to be done by last night. Even if that meant 2am.

Or just build another eventually and let this be backup/loaner. Just gotta remember that rushed efforts get rushed looking results. N

[jgp12000]

I have never built a rod it looks good in the pics from my house, but I know how I am on other projects.
If it bugs you that much redo it after
The trip.If you slay them,it might be your lucky pole...as is.I have caught more fish on the cheapest ugliest combos I have owned,many have since been retired to file 13.Now I prefer to fish with vintage reels.