Wrapping my rod

Reel 224 · March 11, 2016, 10:39:48 PM

I decided to do a pictorial of my Latest rod wrapping on the new power wrapper I just purchased, although I don't feel qualified as a seasoned rod builder. Rather I'm showing what I'm doing. I tried putting captions in the photos with paint BUT! So I tell what is in the pictures instead.

1-Pre fitting the cork grips and shaping them
2- Ive Epoxied the fist butt grip in the split grip configuration and prepared the shims for the reel seat.
Joe

foakes · March 11, 2016, 10:47:23 PM

I admire you for attempting that, Joe --

And others here on the board who know how to do this skillful work (Jon, Dwight, Chad, and many others.

Maybe I will learn how someday -- sure have enough rods needing repairing.

Do have a lot of guides, grips, and components, though.

And would like to make some new ones -- but I would be starting from near zero, experience-wise.

Got to start somewhere.

Best,

Fred

Reel 224 · March 11, 2016, 10:52:14 PM

Fred if I can do it anyone can, but I'm competing with John, Dwight or Chad by any means of the imagination.

Joe

Big Tim · March 12, 2016, 10:38:33 PM

Good on you Joe, I can't wait to see more pics and the finished product. I want to make my own rods as well & the wife is cool with me buying the equipment, but she said I have to clean out my office first

That's like cleaning Alan's garage

Maybe someday.

BT

cbar45 · March 13, 2016, 12:17:46 AM

Thanks for sharing Joe, it looks like you're off to a great start.

An observation if I may:

The protective masking tape around the leading edge of your grip will need to be removed very slowly, otherwise it can pull out chunks of the cork filler.

You may also want to try wicking off the excess epoxy with a flexible spatula, once with the seat about half-way down, and again just before it meets the grip.

Then go ahead and spiral-push the seat the rest of the way into place.

After a time, and with just the right amount of epoxy applied (and wicked off), you may find you no longer have need for the tape..

Chad

Reel 224 · March 13, 2016, 01:04:13 PM

Chad; As always your advice is well taken and appreciated and yes I have to practice applying the rite amount of epoxy so as not to make a mess. The masking tape does prevent overrun and I am careful not to rip the tape off of the cork. I also use denatured alcohol to cleanup. I'm going to attempt doing the Dragon scale wrap on the area between the split grip, that will be a challenge for me.

Joe

Newell Nut · March 13, 2016, 05:29:46 PM

Quote from: Reel 224 on March 11, 2016, 10:52:14 PM
Fred if I can do it anyone can, but I'm competing with John, Dwight or Chad by any means of the imagination.

Joe

Joe

You are actually competing with yourself to find your style. Find your style and love it and build rods for people that like your style. I sell far more rods than I ever dreamed of doing because of my clean lines and built for battle style that a lot of people like.

Let your personality show in what you create. Get your name decals done at Decal Connection and look more professional. They do a great job.

Dwight

Dwight

Reel 224 · March 13, 2016, 06:08:30 PM

Dwight; Thank you, You are one of the people that has inspired me to continue my rod building. This is such a well rounded site that a person can get encouragement and help from such a large group of great people.

Joe

swill88 · March 13, 2016, 08:32:24 PM

Thanks for this report Joe and thanks to all who have of chimed in here. It has inspired me.

At the Fred Hall Show I saw groups of young kids walking around with rod blanks in their hands and with the happiest expressions on the their faces you could imagine. I want to start buying blanks.

Keep us posted Joe!

Steve

Normslanding · March 13, 2016, 09:22:33 PM

Do it, buy one! My first build was a Limaglass 2007 (7') parabolic 15 lb. test rod. That was around 1962. Most of the rods in the shed are hand wrapped. The advantages are many but the most important for me is obtaining a better feel for what is good, and what will balance better.
But for a down side..... Buying blanks and components is not less than having rods build by someone who can buy wholesale, put his labor in a rod and sell it to you, but you will learn what the others have said. If you have rod custom made building a few will help with communication to a builder. I hope you guys that wrap for a living read this.

jigmaster501 · March 14, 2016, 01:31:17 AM

What are your shims made of for the reel seat??

I use cotton string in a bed of 60 minute epoxy, the epoxy absorbs into the string making a unified epoxy bond with the rod and reel seat.

Looks good with the cork. You can also use a thin coat of epoxy on the whole grip with filler and sand off the epoxy with 320 sandpaper if the holes are big until you get down to cork.

With the winds this winter, I have built 5 this winter so far....

We are a crazy bunch....

Reel 224 · March 14, 2016, 10:56:22 AM

Quote from: jigmaster501 on March 14, 2016, 01:31:17 AM
What are your shims made of for the reel seat??

I use cotton string in a bed of 60 minute epoxy, the epoxy absorbs into the string making a unified epoxy bond with the rod and reel seat.

Looks good with the cork. You can also use a thin coat of epoxy on the whole grip with filler and sand off the epoxy with 320 sandpaper if the holes are big until you get down to cork.

With the winds this winter, I have built 5 this winter so far....

We are a crazy bunch....

I used masking tape for shims and 15min. Epoxy. This rod is my first of the season. I have built a few others and rebuilt several rod, but I'm still new at this and learning as I go along.

Joe

Jeri · March 14, 2016, 03:28:20 PM

Hi All,

For spacers under reel seats, you might like to try using dry wall jointing tape, as the woven construction allows the epoxy resin to get further down into the matrix, and bond direct to the blank in more places. We have seen reel seats come loose under certain high temperature situations, where the adhesive on the masking tape 'lets go' in the heat.

Try not to go more than a maximum of 1mm of tape, and above that look to use carbon or glass tube shims to make up the space - a much more robust and solid job. Old hollow glass rod blanks make a great source of spacers of different sizes. Especially old broken rods.

Just a thought.

Cheers

Jeri

sdlehr · March 14, 2016, 03:33:18 PM

Joe, I also build up a masking tape arbor for the reel seat when I build a rod. The idea of string with epoxy sounds interesting, but I like the saying, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". Masking tape has worked for decades. Some reel seats come with arbors, but they can't be used if the blank diameter is too close to the inner reel seat diameter.... masking tape is pretty standard. The epoxy does all the work, anyway, the masking tape just gives the epoxy a foundation to anchor to.

Sid

sdlehr · March 14, 2016, 03:37:35 PM

Quote from: Jeri on March 14, 2016, 03:28:20 PM

Try not to go more than a maximum of 1mm of tape, and above that look to use carbon or glass tube shims to make up the space - a much more robust and solid job. Old hollow glass rod blanks make a great source of spacers of different sizes. Especially old broken rods.

Just a thought.

Cheers

Jeri

If done correctly the epoxy fills all the void between the reel seat and the blank and incorporates the masking tape into the bond. In my mind the epoxy between the masking tape is what anchors the reel seat in place, the masking tape just holds everything in place until the epoxy can set up. I like the idea of drywall tape, because it is a mesh, but I don't know if the difference would be noticeable. I've seen a few reel seats loosen up, but they weren't glued properly to begin with.

Sid