Reel Repair by Alan Tani

General Maintenance Tips => Photo Gallery => Topic started by: WVHillbilly on August 18, 2024, 02:07:37 PM

Title: The hillbilly way rod butt extensions!
Post by: WVHillbilly on August 18, 2024, 02:07:37 PM
Seldom do most rods have a long enough rod butt for my liking. Can't tell you how many of these I have done for myself and others. Aluminum tubing fit very snugglery, turns some brass rings for flair, and in this case a wine cork butt cap. Materials are of choice to my preference and willing to fit finish and design. Wrap is of choice, but I generally shrink wrap for durability and simplicity. I am 6'4" and go 280+/-. The hillbilly way! Have an awesome day!
Title: Re: The hillbilly way rod butt extensions!
Post by: JasonGotaProblem on August 18, 2024, 02:35:07 PM
I've been doing champagne corks for butt caps for a while. They really are great. I like your extender idea.
Title: Re: The hillbilly way rod butt extensions!
Post by: WVHillbilly on August 18, 2024, 02:45:58 PM
The brass rings do serve a purpose besides flair. They get turned with a bevel to make sure everything lines up straight. Then a bit of water down butt head, just a tad, then gorilla glue original. The water is a catalyst for the glue. It expands and moves into small areas to lock her up tight. ;)
Title: Re: The hillbilly way rod butt extensions!
Post by: Gfish on August 18, 2024, 03:00:02 PM
Nice!
Godda wrap for Wintertime.
Where'da ya get the aluminum tube?
Title: Re: The hillbilly way rod butt extensions!
Post by: WVHillbilly on August 18, 2024, 03:17:17 PM
Quote from: Gfish on August 18, 2024, 03:00:02 PMNice!
Godda wrap for Wintertime.
Where'da ya get the aluminum tube?

Tubing is a matter of choice my friend. Tent poles, shower curtain roads or premium new. In this case its 25mm / 1" OD and 22mm ID I picked up off fleebay. Anything works, but I prefer as then a wall as I am comfortable using for such.
Title: Re: The hillbilly way rod butt extensions!
Post by: WVHillbilly on August 18, 2024, 03:18:36 PM
I prefer thin wall aliminum for keeping weight down
Title: Re: The hillbilly way rod butt extensions!
Post by: jgp12000 on August 18, 2024, 05:33:29 PM
I have used the shrink wrap on some of my cork handled dock queens & do like the feel.I like the look & feel of the Paracord wrap on some catfish poles not sure how much weight it adds?
Title: Re: The hillbilly way rod butt extensions!
Post by: Swami805 on August 18, 2024, 05:50:11 PM
I use a fair amount of cord for handles, I use tarred siene cord with a layer of friction tape underneath to keep it from moving. Makes a nice grippy handle and doesn't weigh too much
Title: Re: The hillbilly way rod butt extensions!
Post by: Swami805 on August 18, 2024, 05:54:32 PM
Here's one with #36 cord with #6 cord woven in for extra grip. It hold up without any type of coating for it never gets a slick feeling
Title: Re: The hillbilly way rod butt extensions!
Post by: WVHillbilly on August 18, 2024, 05:56:18 PM
Quote from: Swami805 on August 18, 2024, 05:50:11 PMI use a fair amount of cord for handles, I use tarred siene cord with a layer of friction tape underneath to keep it from moving. Makes a nice grippy handle and doesn't weigh too much

I may have to give this a try. TY. Takes some patience I expect. LOL
Title: Re: The hillbilly way rod butt extensions!
Post by: WVHillbilly on August 18, 2024, 05:56:57 PM
Quote from: Swami805 on August 18, 2024, 05:54:32 PMHere's one with #36 cord with #6 cord woven in for extra grip. It hold up without any type of coating for it never gets a slick feeling

Dat right there be fancy! Nice work
Title: Re: The hillbilly way rod butt extensions!
Post by: WVHillbilly on August 18, 2024, 06:06:00 PM
Here be one I did. It was a $5 find at flea market. Nice $200+ crowder rod someone smashed the butt on it. Due to how I feesh, I repaired the butt with 3/4-7/8 tubing and turned a nylon butt cap for it. I had done this prior to considering the brass/bronze rings and a cork for butt cap. I then decided to befriend a local bar and local winos for a supply of corks. Hillbilly always looking for material. Anything goes. If it works, it works! No need to be super fancy as it gets covered anyway. Hillbilly out ... working a couple more.
Title: Re: The hillbilly way rod butt extensions!
Post by: oc1 on August 18, 2024, 07:57:25 PM
I use the green braided seine twine for that.

I wonder why they still call it tarred seine twine.  I don't think they've used actual tar as a preservative and seizing since they switched from using natural cotton fiber to synthetic nylon fiber.  Later, they also stopped using the green copper naphthenate as a preservative and bonding agent. The only thing that remains is the black or green color.
Title: Re: The hillbilly way rod butt extensions!
Post by: WVHillbilly on August 18, 2024, 10:26:02 PM
Quote from: oc1 on August 18, 2024, 07:57:25 PMI use the green braided seine twine for that.

I wonder why they still call it tarred seine twine.  I don't think they've used actual tar as a preservative and seizing since they switched from using natural cotton fiber to synthetic nylon fiber.  Later, they also stopped using the green copper naphthenate as a preservative and bonding agent. The only thing that remains is the black or green color.

I was curious so did a little reading. At least the brand I happened to read about they still tar the nylon and then dry it in heater oven process. It would seem to me using black pigment nylon would be easier. Then again I am not and extrusion, plastic engineer. I just try to use common sense. LOL
Title: Re: The hillbilly way rod butt extensions!
Post by: boon on August 19, 2024, 12:47:26 AM
Looks nice. Presumably a freshwater thing though? Brass with aluminium will corrode like crazy in a saltwater environment.
Title: Re: The hillbilly way rod butt extensions!
Post by: thorhammer on August 19, 2024, 12:54:12 AM
My man! Where you been hiding?? I like this. Way back in the day, I'd get ski poles to extend to lighter freshwater buts and wrap with cork tape. Still working, since mid-90's.

Note: when I do a full heat shrink or seine cord wrap, I run a couple stripes of Gorilla clear down the butt first and holds everything put nicely.
Title: Re: The hillbilly way rod butt extensions!
Post by: oc1 on August 19, 2024, 05:58:44 AM
The tarred stuff used to leave your hands black from handling it.  Originally it was kiln-burnt pine tar.  It was the same stuff they used as a wood preserver and is what made pirate (and other) ships dark brown color.  It was the same stuff that made North Carolina the Tar Heel State. It smells like last night's camp fire but much stronger and by the time the smell goes away it is time to apply another coat.

By the 1950's tarred seine twine still turned your hands black but didn't have the smell.  That must be the baked tar you speak of.  These days, it seems to be just black died nylon. There is also some sort of seizing stuff that makes it stiffer when new. Left outside to weather for a decade or two will make it turn grey but it's still strong.
Title: Re: The hillbilly way rod butt extensions!
Post by: WVHillbilly on August 19, 2024, 12:15:45 PM
I am a vacation fisherman in saltwater. I am thorough in rinsing down everything each day I come back from fishing saltwater. As an extra precaution, maybe I will beginning coating the aluminum and brass. In my case, I have never experienced an issue with corrosion. And if worse comes to worse, I will cut off the butt and redo it again.
Title: Re: The hillbilly way rod butt extensions!
Post by: alantani on August 19, 2024, 06:53:27 PM
really nice work!!!!
Title: Re: The hillbilly way rod butt extensions!
Post by: WVHillbilly on August 19, 2024, 07:04:31 PM
Quote from: thorhammer on August 19, 2024, 12:54:12 AMMy man! Where you been hiding?? I like this. Way back in the day, I'd get ski poles to extend to lighter freshwater buts and wrap with cork tape. Still working, since mid-90's.

Note: when I do a full heat shrink or seine cord wrap, I run a couple stripes of Gorilla clear down the butt first and holds everything put nicely.

Right there some hillbilly stuff! Ski poles are generally tapered! May start watching for old ski poles now. Dang Thorhammer ... makin hillbilly use his brain too much!

Thank You gurus for the kind words.
Title: Re: The hillbilly way rod butt extensions!
Post by: jgp12000 on August 20, 2024, 11:01:59 AM
The cord handles look nice! My go-to catfish bait is mullet gut.I get from the local seafood markets for cheap by the gallon. It's nastay !!! something you wouldn't want embedded in a rod handle fer sure.
Title: Re: The hillbilly way rod butt extensions!
Post by: WVHillbilly on August 21, 2024, 02:30:35 PM
Quote from: jgp12000 on August 20, 2024, 11:01:59 AMThe cord handles look nice! My go-to catfish bait is mullet gut.I get from the local seafood markets for cheap by the gallon. It's nastay !!! something you wouldn't want embedded in a rod handle fer sure.

Agreed! LOL
Title: Re: The hillbilly way rod butt extensions!
Post by: WVHillbilly on August 21, 2024, 02:33:20 PM
Finished product. I did ordered some twine to give it a try. Have used paracord before. Its a preference. I like handles a certain diameter for my personal preference. So using any cord I take into consideration the diameter I wish to have in the end. Picky? Yes! But it is custom so picky prevails.
Title: Re: The hillbilly way rod butt extensions!
Post by: thorhammer on August 21, 2024, 04:15:52 PM
Agree all points, and that looks great! I rarely use para on rods anymore (on gaffs, yes) because of weight and diameter. What I do is use seine cord in a diamond pattern (much like a diamond wrap thread butt deco) on the six inches below and above seat, and the last six inches of the butt. Then shrink over everything. Doesn't add much weight or diameter but VERY grippy.