Wrapping my rod

[Tightlines667]

Functionality, fit, and durability seem first and formost.  But this is not equal for all fishing techniques or fishermen for that matter.  For some rods, weight actually takes a back seat to strength and durability.  Usually lighter, is better though.  Decretive wraps are just that.. decretive.  I rod should provide years of reliable service, we'll doing its specific job well. 

[Reel 224]

Thank you for the last comments, but I built the rod for my wife and she chose as well as I the design of the personal rod. That is the idea of making a custom rod...unless you guys miss the point, and they have functionally as well as looking good. However I respect the opinion of others as well so lets just say that's fine if you want that stile.

Joe   

[Newell Nut]

Joe
Your first one turned out really nice. Your decorative finish wraps are also balanced fairly well. Keep up the good work. Another thing for you to play around with for some unique looks is to use a thread that requires CP over something that you would like to get a see through effect. Then do not use the CP. Cover with thread finish and you will see the underlying color show through and guide feet will even show through some colors.

Dwight

[Reel 224]

Joe
Your first one turned out really nice. Your decorative finish wraps are also balanced fairly well. Keep up the good work. Another thing for you to play around with for some unique looks is to use a thread that requires CP over something that you would like to get a see through effect. Then do not use the CP. Cover with thread finish and you will see the underlying color show through and guide feet will even show through some colors.

Dwight

Dwight; I will try to do that on a practice blank, I have some colors that are not cped but I have to get more color combinations to try, as is I have very little to work with.

Joe   

[Newell Nut]

Joe

An easy way to start is to use an older rod or a flea market special that has a factory X wrap in the butt section. Clean it up good and maybe some light sanding and DNA. Just run a solid wrap like an underwrap over that area. Now add thread finish and you may be surprised to see the X wrap show through after finish is applied. This should give you some ideas. Don't use black. light colors and orange work best.

Dwight

[Reel 224]

The finished but wrap.

Joe

[RiverAngler]

Well done!

[Newell Nut]

That one turned out great so what is the next surprise going to be.

[STRIPER LOU]

VERY NICE Joe. Is this your new plugging rod or is it a special one for Ruth?
.......................Lou

[Reel 224]

VERY NICE Joe. Is this your new plugging rod or is it a special one for Ruth?
.......................Lou

Ruth said YES!! I have another one to build after I get done with Ruth's rod.

Joe

[Reel 224]

Well I finished my first spiral wrap on the rod I have been building for Ruth I tested the guide alignment with a loaded rod and I had to adjust the second and third guides a little bit from side of transition. If that rod works as well as it did under full load,then I will never go back to conventional rod building.

Joe

[thorhammer]

Nice work Joe! It's been said before, but yard sale or pawn shop specials are a great way to get cheap raw materials for practice and you occasionally get some diamonds in the rough...this weekend I walked into a pawn shop and they had a bucket of rods missing tips for a dollar apiece...I bought twelve and they said for every five you get one free...12 rods for ten bucks, done. it's worth that for harvesting guides and seats. One is a Penn slammer with the plastic still on it, the tip is off (not broken). so for a $3 Fuji BPLT tip I'll have a decent 40lb rod for $4. I'll take that all day. keep at it, that's some great work on your first shot.

A point about wraps (my .02): years ago I rewrapped an old Magnaflex to put Aftco's on it. Used trimar metallic underwrap with nylon D overwrap. One coat of epoxy over the wraps. I bowed down on an eight foot shark hard enough that it permanently torqued the solid glass blank, but no damage to the guides at all. BTW Ande pink is good line, jus' sayin'.....


John

[Reel 224]

Thorhammer: Good idea on buying rod at garage sales and pawn or flee markets. Ive used Andy line in the past Mamoi and Stren, they all perform well for me.

Joe