Instead of making a new thread for every rod repaired, restored or built by your truly, I will post in this thread some fishing rod jobs that I think worth to share, Im not a professional on rod building and still have a lot to learn I actually learn a trick or two on every rod, my work is focus on doing a straight and clean work than making fancy wraps, thats keeps my time reduced and keep the rod building "hobby" still fun, cheaper and with some imagination you can do some attractive guide wrapping and still have a rods 3x beautiful than factory, at the beginning I didnt put my signature on the rods because they dont worth to compare versus the rods built by the pro guys but I was pushed by the owners of the rods to put my signature cuz they loved the finished work.
These next are some of my last rebuild jobs, this are a pair of Shimano Terez rods with pretty bad boat rash and nicks on the paint, they were repainted and rebuilt under a theme, superman colors and mexican flag colors
continue
Let me know when you are ready for your own board!
few more
last pics from this set
Beautiful work !
Very nice Alex!
Steve
Alex,
You are progressing well and have a good eye for color combos. We all have a style that defines us at some point. I know you are having fun since your rods talk. ;D
Dwight
Nice work!
Quote from: alantani on September 09, 2019, 08:06:07 PM
Let me know when you are ready for your own board!
I'd say he is now Alan.
Nice job on the finish! I'd say you have it down to a science and I love how there is no build-up around the guide feet. Your workmanship is professional and I'm with Alan, you need your own board.
Dave
His own board would be nice... good job Alex 👍
Looking good compa Alex, you've got it down!
You're doing fine work Alex. Accept Alan's offer for your own board. I always look forward to seeing your latest creations. Rudy
A-1. You better sign off on that stuff; it's too nice to go anonymous.
Frank
Those signature rods will be worth a fortune some day.
-steve
You have it nailed Alex :)
Quote from: oc1 on September 10, 2019, 05:38:48 AM
Those signature rods will be worth a fortune some day.
-steve
LOL, not that was funny but thanks Steve, I really like the way to build your bamboo rods and put them on good use, want me to experiment with that too but not much bamboo or pole plants to chose on the Baja Desert other than a big cactus LOL
Quote from: droppedit on September 09, 2019, 11:55:01 PM
Nice job on the finish! I'd say you have it down to a science and I love how there is no build-up around the guide feet. Your workmanship is professional and I'm with Alan, you need your own board.
Dave
thanks for the kind words, I have something against those big bulky epoxy build-up on the guide feet on some rods, time will tell if the epoxy I put on the feet tunnels is enough to protect on the long run.
Quote from: alantani on September 09, 2019, 08:06:07 PM
Let me know when you are ready for your own board!
thanks Alan for the Board.
I will try to show what an amateur guy can do on rod building :P ;)
Wowzers!! Amazing work Alex! :o
always glad to help out a friend!!!!! ;D
Great work compadre! your own board means your wife has to let you set up that thread carriage on the kitchen table :)
Quote from: thorhammer on September 11, 2019, 05:52:59 PM
Great work compadre! your own board means your wife has to let you set up that thread carriage on the kitchen table :)
oh-oh
well, that thread carriage is really nice so, it would look cool on the kitchen... mhh maybe not :-\
this wasnt a full rebuild so, I wont be opening a new thread, I just changed some broken guides on a stock Eglass seeker "mexican edition" factory built, pretty cool to see this edition factory build.
anyway, just installed some new chrome boat guides, the guy wanted to keep the rod with the original guides and wraping job, so I didnt touched any of the guides that werent broken.
Great job !
That was a really nice repair job Alex. Nice and clean looking.
Dwight
Nice Alex, Perfect match
thanks amigos, this is getting a little bit outta hand. :o :o
I need more hands, more space and more time ;D ;D
Quote from: steelfish on October 11, 2019, 12:46:29 AM
I need more hands, more space and more time ;D ;D
That's a good problem to have Alex. Really nice work.
-steve
Quote from: steelfish on September 11, 2019, 04:33:42 PM
Quote from: alantani on September 09, 2019, 08:06:07 PM
Let me know when you are ready for your own board!
thanks Alan for the Board.
I will try to show what an amateur guy can do on rod building :P ;)
Alex, your work has shown improvement in a very short time & keeps improving. It matters not that we are both are amatuer rod builders. It matters most that you enjoy it. I've seen cases ( No one here ) where a pro who has been building for many years, but failed to get the guide lay out right. Leaving the rod to not load like it should. One can feel the difference of a rod that loads like it should.
I've seen stated, pro fly rod builders been at it for many years. Receiving $800 - $1500 for their builds but refer to the spine of the rod blank as a spline & not spine. A small thing to be sure but what else is this pro missing or not understand ? There is much more to a custom rod than fancy thread or working wood & metal... Jeff
Quote from: Rivverrat on February 20, 2021, 09:01:55 PM
Alex, your work has shown improvement in a very short time & keeps improving. It matters not that we are both are amatuer rod builders. It matters most that you enjoy it. .. Jeff
thanks Jeff, well, I try to see this rodbuilding thing as a way to help my friends to customized their rods or have a custom rod at a decent price and at the same time I get some (little) spare money for my fishing addiction, I always wanted a custom rod since many years ago, almost when I noticed that I really liked to be at the beach, on a boat or pier with a fishing rod in my hand but never got the fund$$ to pay $350-450 for a decent custom rod forget about thinking to have a $500-$700 custom seeker, Calstar, etc, who would've said that few years later I will be building custom rods, not me!
Quote from: Rivverrat on February 20, 2021, 09:01:55 PM
.......There is much more to a custom rod than fancy thread or working wood & metal... Jeff
completely agree with you on that compadre
Quote from: steelfish on September 09, 2019, 07:59:46 PMInstead of making a new thread for every rod repaired, restored or built by your truly, I will post in this thread some fishing rod jobs that I think worth to share
ok, back to the roots, I will taking the purpose of this thread back on the track again, that it was just to show my rod building jobs that might not worth to have a separated thread, as simple restoring jobs, rebuilding a rod on its original colors, repairing one or two guides, etc.
Im basically copying Alan's idea on his thread "whats coming off the bench"
so, this are two of my last jobs, installing all guides on a Calstar rod and Seeker rod and wrapping them on Mexican Flag colors, yep, I know, ANOTHER mexican flag color rod wrap but what can I do, is what they ask for, 80% of the guys that have me wrap mexican flag colors on their rods are USA expats that live in Baja ;)
Alex, just when I think your wraps are as clean and tight as it gets, you prove me wrong and go up a notch. I think I'm actually getting worse lately.
Beautiful!
thanks guys :d
this is another one from the last week
Nice job Alex!!
Hi Alex, once again we expect another great job, ecelent, thanks for showing us, cheers Don
I need to start making use of more black banding as spacers between colors on black rods. It looks super clean.
my compadre liked those HZRDUZ themed rods that much he wanted another 2 with the same them and colors
Nice Alex! Those colors are really sharp together! Well done!
Alex, my hat is off to you. Very well done 👍.
a set of 3 customized factory rods as a gift for a 14yo boy from his father.
my friend brought his son to pick the rods up and this boy was pretty exited and happy when saw them, he jumped and hugged his father for the great gift and after that he shacked hands with me and told me they were Grrrrreat !! LOL.
356348230_733320408591751_1054125164263354829_n.jpg356640802_733320385258420_7866385347292130859_n.jpg356414291_733320358591756_5932075910641129465_n.jpg356628354_733320335258425_3561655006721192378_n.jpg356247048_733320308591761_5845068496091539412_n.jpg356407204_733320238591768_1166781708446431358_n.jpg356409724_733320181925107_3041747525128583198_n.jpg356386582_733320125258446_3392816734965648423_n.jpg356405455_733320088591783_5628440011219540046_n.jpg356355173_733320055258453_30057522463376827_n.jpg356389637_733320028591789_3465386058584820962_n.jpg356371841_733319991925126_8128115265248977578_n.jpg356216973_733319965258462_5387364039826446263_n.jpg356416245_733319938591798_158339987616191240_n.jpg356214053_733320618591730_8120805871359777078_n.jpg356361945_733320541925071_6336681111845600250_n.jpg356417202_733320155258443_2124040449011808914_n.jpg
..... and I though rodbuilding was only a matter of putting components together but its also about putting feelings and hearts together.
- ALex
Wow. Another great job Alex.
Nicely done.
Todd
wow!!!
What great work, Alex!
Best, Fred
Top-shelf work as usual Alex. Love how clean your designs are.
It makes my eye twitch a little to see all that work with hard chrome guides... unless the angler has some particular attachment to them?
Quote from: boon on June 26, 2023, 11:05:05 PMTop-shelf work as usual Alex. Love how clean your designs are.
It makes my eye twitch a little to see all that work with hard chrome guides... unless the angler has some particular attachment to them?
thanks amigo, I persuaded the owner of the rod to let me put new guides (he would pay the cost of the guides of course) on it but he didnt wanted, he just said he liked those guides, I even showed him other models that were not that expensive but will last longer than those wire chrome guides but still no avail, so....
The customer is always right after all :d
You can always re-wrap it with Fuji SiC in a couple of years anyway
Looking good Alex!
come on Alex, every time my wrapping improves & start to feel good, you go to a higher level, I am sure you enjoy making me feel bad, keep well, cheers Don.
Quote from: Donnyboat on June 27, 2023, 10:54:57 PMcome on Alex, every time my wrapping improves & start to feel good, you go to a higher level, I am sure you enjoy making me feel bad, keep well, cheers Don.
LOL nice joke
that last one was a very simple design, the simpler the better
all good mate, you do very nice work, keep well cheers Don.
[/quote]
Quote from: steelfish on April 28, 2023, 01:32:26 AMmy compadre liked those HZRDUZ themed rods that much he wanted another 2 with the same them and colors
Man oh man, Alex you do some super awesome work, truly envious of you brother!
Everything looks so nice and tight and clean, and your epoxy work, is just killer!
I'm not really a big fan of orange, but I will have to admit, that those colors pop beautifully on those HZRDUS blanks!
Anyone, would be honored to have them!
I really love your transitions from your fore grips to the blank though!
I don't know all the proper lingo, yet lol!
But, i've been trying to work on it lol!
It cannot be easy, trying to build up those ramps, without the winding checks!
Been watching a bunch of videos about it!
I've been practicing on my own rods for about a year now, just the easy stuff!
Redoing some raps , replacing guides, changed a couple layouts, with the help of another, very experienced rod builder!
I got tired of having to drop them off and wait and worry, even though the wait time was always, very well worth it!
Not to mention, I've always been extremely curious, about the art of rod building!
I just like nice, functional, simple, clean to the point builds, don't need all that extra epoxy and fancy thread work on every running up the whole darn rod!
And even if I could, it would be a short, simple, diamond or chevron wrap!
It is nice to have it, on maybe one or two, to show off! I feel a lot of times, that dampens the action and sensitivity, not to mention extra weight as well!
I liked the way those builds turned out so much, they really are awesome brother!
I'll be going through all your threads, to check out your work now!
Tried looking up those HZRDUS blanks, but couldn't find any info on them online!
Can you point me in the right direction, to check them out?
Thanks, Alex!
Keep pumping these beautiful rods out!
Quote from: ExcessiveAngler on June 29, 2023, 08:27:30 PM...on those HZRDUS blanks!
Tried looking up those HZRDUS blanks, but couldn't find any info on them online!
Can you point me in the right direction, to check them out?
those arent HZRDUS blanks or anything alike, those are Seeker factory rods, Daiwa factory rods, penn factory rods, etc that I rebuild it almost entirely, I even told the owner that it might be better to sell those rods and get new blanks and start from the scratch (from the blank) but he insisted that those rods have some mojo and wanted to rebuild them, HZRDUS is a Sport brand that make shafts for Golf clubs, LaCrosse and Hockey, this guy is an avid Golf player and fan of those HZRDUS golf clubs so, he wanted to have his fishing rods to resemble his golf clubs, he gave me the color selection, the idea and I did the rest.
Quote from: ExcessiveAngler on June 29, 2023, 08:27:30 PMMan oh man, Alex you do some super awesome work, truly envious of you brother!
Everything looks so nice and tight and clean, and your epoxy work, is just killer!
Thanks, Alex!
Keep pumping these beautiful rods out!
thanks a lot, that means a lot to me.
Quote from: ExcessiveAngler on June 29, 2023, 08:27:30 PMI've been practicing on my own rods for about a year now, just the easy stuff!
Redoing some raps , replacing guides, changed a couple layouts, with the help of another, very experienced rod builder!
I got tired of having to drop them off and wait and worry, even though the wait time was always, very well worth it!
Not to mention, I've always been extremely curious, about the art of rod building!
I just like nice, functional, simple, clean to the point builds, don't need all that extra epoxy and fancy thread work on every running up the whole darn rod!
eventho I still have a lot to learn about rod building I can say that few years back I was asking in this same forum how to wrap a guide on my fishing rod by myself
https://alantani.com/index.php/topic,17977.0.html
I also hated to have to wait 4-5 months to have my rod repaired forget about having a custom rod in my arsenal, so I opted to check if I learn how to wrap my own guides after sometime repairing my rods and friends rods I felt it was time to get my own Custom rod from the blank
Quote from: ExcessiveAngler on June 29, 2023, 08:27:30 PMI just like nice, functional, simple, clean to the point builds, don't need all that extra epoxy and fancy thread work on every running up the whole darn rod!
And even if I could, it would be a short, simple, diamond or chevron wrap!
It is nice to have it, on maybe one or two, to show off! I feel a lot of times, that dampens the action and sensitivity, not to mention extra weight as well!
I still havent entered to the diamond wraps, chevron, Tiger wraps, marbling, etc. they look nice and I like them but still not attracted, maybe later.
Looks pretty professional to me!
Just saw your last pics. Tight, perfectly spaced. The epoxy, wow!!!!
Mike
Been awfully quiet here lol!
Figured, I'd give you a little nudge!
Hope all is well buddy!
Quote from: jgp12000 on June 30, 2023, 01:23:01 PMLooks pretty professional to me!
thanks amigo
Quote from: Mjg378 on June 30, 2023, 02:15:44 PMJust saw your last pics. Tight, perfectly spaced. The epoxy, wow!!!!
Mike
much appreciated your comments buddy
Quote from: ExcessiveAngler on August 08, 2023, 04:25:15 AMBeen awfully quiet here lol!
Figured, I'd give you a little nudge!
Hope all is well buddy!
Saul Goodman! (i'ts all good, man)
the rod wrapper is waiting for me to finish my other side of this "reel & rod repair hobby", I have few reels waiting for service and repair, since I only work on them at night and not every single night, those reels might take me awhile to have them done and until then I will return to my rod wrapper.
thanks for checking out.
just the installation of a reelseat and new fore and reargrips, fishon !! :fish :fish
Very nice job!
What kind of rod is that, Alex?
The original picture, it Kinda looks like a surf rod, while the second pic, makes it look like it's a boat rod lol!
Alex how did you manage to put the real seat and grips on with guides on the rod?
Quote from: ExcessiveAngler on September 02, 2023, 01:22:04 AMVery nice job!
What kind of rod is that, Alex?
The original picture, it Kinda looks like a surf rod, while the second pic, makes it look like it's a boat rod lol!
its a boat rod, its a custom Seeker E-glass from many years ago, this rod has a sentimental value for the owner and wanted to add a reelseat because the cork that had was really torn, I just installed from the foregrip to the buttcap
Quote from: sabaman1 on September 02, 2023, 12:32:13 PMAlex how did you manage to put the real seat and grips on with guides on the rod?
Curious that you ask that, this guy came to me because he asked two different persons that also repair rods and both told him that the "only way" to install new grips and reelseat to that rod was taking all the guides out and work with the naked blank from the scratch, but my friend didnt wanted to have the NAME of his friend destroyed, the rod belonged to a close friend of him which passed away recently, I told him that I had done that job before and I could help him to keep the rod as is but with new grips and RS.
A you can see the grips are not made from EVA or hypalon, so you dont have to deal with fitting and streaching "foamy grips" to a naked blank with the ID bigger than the grip ID, using shrink tube for grips the most difficult part (which is not difficult at all) is to find a reelseat with the ID big enough to pass from the butt of the rod, once you had the reelseat its only matter to work in reverse, install the foregrip, then reelseat, next reargrip and finally the buttcap.
Im actually working doing the same kind of job to a fishing rod I restored for my youngest daughter years ago, when I was starting to work on rods around 7 years ago, Its a cheap solid glass factory rod I rebuilt for her from the 1st guide to the tiptop. https://alantani.com/index.php/topic,20515.0.html
I choose solid glass for her to withstand the careless management of a 6 years old kiddo at that time, now my princess is 13yo and the reelseat got unglued from many of its parts, she likes her fishing rod a lot and want the same rod repaired eventho I could easily made her a new one with all the things I know now about rod building so, I will rebuild it from the foregrip to the buttcap as well but this time will be better looking than before.
I will show some pics of this when done
I will add that if you have to work from the back end , and want to try to save a foam grip and / or real seat here is a tool . It`s a copper pipe that i cut little slits in the end , like saw teeth .
I use it like a long hole saw .
Just remove the butt cap ,or if you have a solid foam grip cut 1 inch up and twist it off so you can re glue it later .
Quote from: steelfish on September 02, 2023, 04:31:43 PMQuote from: sabaman1 on September 02, 2023, 12:32:13 PMAlex how did you manage to put the real seat and grips on with guides on the rod?
Curious that you ask that, this guy came to me because he asked two different persons that also repair rods and both told him that the "only way" to install new grips and reelseat to that rod was taking all the guides out and work with the naked blank from the scratch, but my friend didnt wanted to have the NAME of his friend destroyed, the rod belonged to a close friend of him which passed away recently, I told him that I had done that job before and I could help him to keep the rod as is but with new grips and RS.
A you can see the grips are not made from EVA or hypalon, so you dont have to deal with fitting and streaching "foamy grips" to a naked blank with the ID bigger than the grip ID, using shrink tube for grips the most difficult part (which is not difficult at all) is to find a reelseat with the ID big enough to pass from the butt of the rod, once you had the reelseat its only matter to work in reverse, install the foregrip, then reelseat, next reargrip and finally the buttcap.
Im actually working doing the same kind of job to a fishing rod I restored for my youngest daughter years ago, when I was starting to work on rods around 7 years ago, Its a cheap solid glass factory rod I rebuilt for her from the 1st guide to the tiptop. https://alantani.com/index.php/topic,20515.0.html
I choose solid glass for her to withstand the careless management of a 6 years old kiddo at that time, now my princess is 13yo and the reelseat got unglued from many of its parts, she likes her fishing rod a lot and want the same rod repaired eventho I could easily made her a new one with all the things I know now about rod building so, I will rebuild it from the foregrip to the buttcap as well but this time will be better looking than before.
I will show some pics of this when done
Great work Alex, and also how you taper the butt wrap to transition into to the shrink tape, very clean and smooth job. :d
Here's another question, out of curiosity?
I noticed that he only gave you the butt section, to have redone!
Does he still have the other top part section of the rod? Curious, to as why he only had the butt section done?
It's funny, I used to try to give the builder that fixed my rods just the pieces, that needed to be fixed lol!
I figured, that way, nothing happened to the other half!
Finally, he says to me one time can you give me the other half?
And I said why? His reply, It would make my life a lot easier, if I had the other half to use on the wrapping machine lol!
Quote from: oldmanjoe on September 02, 2023, 09:20:49 PMI will add that if you have to work from the back end , and want to try to save a foam grip and / or real seat here is a tool . It`s a copper pipe that i cut little slits in the end , like saw teeth .
I use it like a long hole saw .
Just remove the butt cap ,or if you have a solid foam grip cut 1 inch up and twist it off so you can re glue it later .
pretty interesting tool, I've never heard of something similar before, I will have it in mind in case saving the reargrip is necessary
thanks for showing it to us
Quote from: ExcessiveAngler on September 03, 2023, 06:51:51 PMHere's another question, out of curiosity?
I noticed that he only gave you the butt section, to have redone!
Does he still have the other top part section of the rod? Curious, to as why he only had the butt section done?
It's funny, I used to try to give the builder that fixed my rods just the pieces, that needed to be fixed lol!
I figured, that way, nothing happened to the other half!
Finally, he says to me one time can you give me the other half?
And I said why? His reply, It would make my life a lot easier, if I had the other half to use on the wrapping machine lol!
the one I repaired was a 6.6ft ONE Piece boat rod :-\ :-\
but I do understand what your Rod builder friend told you about that having the 2 sections is better, the wrapper and drier normally need a complete rod to use them
last from the lathe, a 5'2" tuna custom rod, old calstar 120lb custom rod, it was really beat up, I took almost everything out from the rod and left only the reelseat and buttcap, basically a new custom rod with more vivid colors ::)
Wow!
That's awesome. I would have been disappointed if we didn't get a before pic. "Tight lines" is generally a figure of speech, but you clearly take it literally.
Quote from: JasonGotaProblem on November 09, 2023, 07:57:32 PMThat's awesome. I would have been disappointed if we didn't get a before pic. "Tight lines" is generally a figure of speech, but you clearly take it literally.
thanks amigo Jason,
here are some more "Before" pics for you, looks like it was fished hard.
Awesome work. The wraps, the colours, the graphics... all top shelf.
Very nice work Alex, your rod building skills are remarkable! Paint and thread color is outstanding also.
Quote from: sabaman1 on November 09, 2023, 08:42:26 PMVery nice work Alex, your rod building skills are remarkable! Paint and thread color is outstanding also.
thanks :)
Quote from: boon on November 09, 2023, 08:36:05 PMAwesome work. The wraps, the colours, the graphics... all top shelf.
thanks amigo, I really appreciate it 8)
the owner still havent seen how it looks
Alex what would be the best way to remove an old varmac reel seat from a rod, without possibly damaging the blank underneath ?
Quote from: sabaman1 on November 10, 2023, 09:12:57 AMAlex what would be the best way to remove an old varmac reel seat from a rod, without possibly damaging the blank underneath ?
I normally use a dremel and a pair of flat screwdrivers, but I have read some guys dont trust on a dremel and use a fine/jewelry file to slowly cut the reelseat
Quote from: steelfish on November 10, 2023, 04:31:42 PMQuote from: sabaman1 on November 10, 2023, 09:12:57 AMAlex what would be the best way to remove an old varmac reel seat from a rod, without possibly damaging the blank underneath ?
I normally use a dremel and a pair of flat screwdrivers, but I have read some guys dont trust on a dremel and use a fine/jewelry file to slowly cut the reelseat
Thank you Alex! I'll give the dremel cutter a try being careful to not cut all the way through reel seat
Quote from: steelfish on November 10, 2023, 04:31:42 PMQuote from: sabaman1 on November 10, 2023, 09:12:57 AMAlex what would be the best way to remove an old varmac reel seat from a rod, without possibly damaging the blank underneath ?
I normally use a dremel and a pair of flat screwdrivers, but I have read some guys dont trust on a dremel and use a fine/jewelry file to slowly cut the reelseat
YEP.
got a new supervisor !! :o ;D
Gee supervisor dont look very interested, reminds me of my supervivor, Patrishit, keep well cheers Don.
Quote from: Donnyboat on February 29, 2024, 07:53:15 PMGee supervisor dont look very interested, reminds me of my supervivor, Patrishit, keep well cheers Don.
he gets bored easily when I work on reels or when Im working taking the guides out from a rod but gets exited when I installing guides back, he keeps an eye really close to my job as you can see, every rod I build has the QC checkout from him that or keeps busy chewing the wrapping thread, mostly the last part >:( >:(
That's a good helper! - john
Seems a bit suspicious of the color choice.
Or maybe wondering what you're doing with its favorite toy?
What a beautiful helper!
Best, Fred
He's trying to show you that the tip-top guide is out of alignment by just a little kitty-whisker.
I,m agreeing that your cat knows, Alex so when it speaks to you and you just think its a pfffe, maybe the rod is a little wanka? :ct