…and one for the minimalists

[cbar45ive]

Hello,

These wraps were done in the summer of '21 on my personal rods, in an effort to get a line wet ASAP. To the left is a Rainshadow SUR 1569, and to the right a Century 1505.

No epoxy or finish was used on the blanks from butt to tip—seats are plate style or press-fit, grips are cord, and the wraps are...how they are? with two coats CP and two coats finish.

No really big fish yet, just Trevally (papio) under 10lbs and the occasional power bomb cast, yet my apprehension for this style has lessened, i.e. nothing corroded or exploded before its time..

[Swami805]

They look nice but you're not getting finish in the tunnels under the guides. Might want to address that next time.  Two ways to address that. Don't use CP and allow the finish to soak thru or apply with a brush under when you're doing your first coat. 
Let us know how the hold up. More than one way to skin a cat. Could be they hold up just fine

[cbar45ive]

They look nice but you're not getting finish in the tunnels under the guides. Might want to address that next time.  Two ways to address that. Don't use CP and allow the finish to soak thru or apply with a brush under when you're doing your first coat. 
Let us know how the hold up. More than one way to skin a cat. Could be they hold up just fine

Thanks, I should probably have added that the point of this experiment was NOT to get finish in the tunnels under the guides; or anywhere else on the blank for that matter..

Wanted something I could strip as easily as possible, yet afford some degree of stability/protection. The plan (was) to re-wrap as you describe, once settling on a guide/design configuration..😎

Wouldn't do this on a boat rod, but for the surf and sweet the wraps are stronger than I thought they'd be.

[oc1]

No offense Char, that ain't minimalistic at all.  Minimalistic is only putting on one quick coat of polyurethane varnish and calling it good.  If you wipe off the excess varnish there is no need to rotate the rod as it dries and you can take it fishing the same day.  Also, polyurethane will flake off easily and cleanly with a scraper when the time comes.  But, it will not hold a bright color without the CP.

[cbar45ive]

Minimalistic is only putting on one quick coat of polyurethane varnish and calling it good.

In that case I used one too many slow coats of polyurethane on the grips..

[oc1]

Gutted Paracord makes a nice grip.  Good traction, but low profile and without the bumps.

[cbar45ive]

Yep. I used the gutted desert camo paracord; makes for a nice swirl design depending on wrap tension.

[JasonGotaProblem]

So you posted this because you wanted opinions.

Someone once said to me that a workhorse rod is a workhorse rod, it doesn't need to be pretty if it works as intended. But once you add decorative bands, that means you're trying for appearance and all criticism is fair game, so it's kind of either one or the other.

Some of my favorite rods now are ones I did quickly when I was first starting out, and later went back and redid them, now they look the way they were meant to.

Also weren't there more pics last night?

[cbar45ive]

Hello,

Just sharing what I thought was a minimalistic means of applying finish and epoxy.

chad

[JasonGotaProblem]

No insult intended. Keep catching fish. I encourage everyone to build their own rods if time and interest allows.