Finally did it (first rod build)

[Fly Water]

I have been wanting to build a rod for a couple years now and always tell myself Ill do it this summer (summer goes by), Ill do it this fall,(fall goes by) ect.ect... Well thanks to this deep freeze,(No fishing and Cabin fever) I came through and ordered my supplies. I chose ProKote epoxy and thread in almond color,(same as Gudebrod gold) no thread perserver
http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af125/michellemickel/P1070682.jpgGuideshttp://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af125/michellemickel/P1070681.jpg
Blankhttp://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af125/michellemickel/P1070672.jpgI dont have a lathe yet so I went with a pre made handle from forecast.http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af125/michellemickel/P1070676.jpgTi chrome triangular window reel seathttp://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af125/michellemickel/P1070678.jpgFinished handle(reemed, aligned, glued) http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af125/michellemickel/P1120709.jpghttp://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af125/michellemickel/P1120710.jpgGuides wrappedhttp://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af125/michellemickel/P1110704.jpghttp://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af125/michellemickel/P1120708.jpgEpoxied and on the dryerhttp://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af125/michellemickel/P1150714.jpgAfter practice and some good rod building forums I found a good way to get flat epoxied wraps. At least good enough for my expectations.http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af125/michellemickel/P1150718.jpghttp://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af125/michellemickel/P1150717.jpghttp://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af125/michellemickel/P1150720.jpghttp://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af125/michellemickel/P1150716.jpgAnyway I was excited about it so I thought I'd share with you guys. Wish this freeze would let up Im dying to use it....
Tight lines...
Jesse

[Jimbo]

Looks awesome!

I too have been kicking around the idea of making my own rod. Couple questions:

Was there a huge difference in price over a factory rod? After the cost of buying the materials and supplies.

How difficult is it?

[SuperiorChrome]

She's puuuurrrrtttttyyyyy!!!!

[REG]

For a first build, you did a very nice job.

[GWP]

Oh no! your guides are on backwards:eek: ......Just kidding.
It looks great for a first build or 50th build. Looks like you laid the epoxy out very nice and even...fine job.

[GWP]

Looks awesome!

I too have been kicking around the idea of making my own rod. Couple questions:

Was there a huge difference in price over a factory rod? After the cost of buying the materials and supplies.

How difficult is it?

Building for yourself is easy, building for someone else is nervewracking.

I'm not answering for FLYWATER but my expierence, with everything considered, not a huge enough savings after considering everything needed just to build just one rod, but the more you build the more cost effective it becomes.

[Jimbo]

Building for yourself is easy, building for someone else is nervewracking.

I'm not answering for FLYWATER but my expierence, with everything considered, not a huge enough savings after considering everything needed just to build just one rod, but the more you build the more cost effective it becomes.

I appreciate the feedback. Some day I will come across someone who is getting rid of a rod building kit. Until then I guess I'll have to settle with buying 15% off gift certificates from BBT. :D

[Ray D-O]

Good hands did a GREAT job. Enjoy!

[Nicoll]

I'm impressed. First time? I've often thought about it but have put it off because I've been told you need to strip everything off for warranty work? Is this true? The fish here are tough on gear. Great reel by the way. Used lamsons in Michigan and use them here in Florida too...very under appreciated up there.

[dgawlak]

Awesome work, you are quite the craftsman!

[Fly Water]

Looks awesome!

I too have been kicking around the idea of making my own rod. Couple questions:

Was there a huge difference in price over a factory rod? After the cost of buying the materials and supplies.

How difficult is it?

Hey Jimbone.
Not a huge savings, around 150 to 200 cheaper. But I really wanted to wrap it with my choice of thread color and reel seat, cork. I really want to get a lathe so I can do my own cork with rubberized burl and what not. Maybe next rod. Anyway I just sold all my other rods so I plan on 3 more z axis and 1 txl-f so Ill save around 750 to 950. so one free rod lol. but at least Ill like the cork and reel seats on 700 dollar sticks.
Wasnt to difficult. Just time consuming and lots of patience. The most difficult part is making sure you have the thread tight together, guides aligned, and that the tag ends do not pull through or the epoxy will bump out on the tag and the thread will stick out through the epoxy.
Also read alot about applying the epoxy, a little will go a long way. Too much is the biggest problem. Causes football shaped epoxy. I practiced on an old rod tip, wrapping guides, epoxy and then fully cured it on the rod dryer. That help me see what was going to happen then I adjusted. I acually had to rewrap almost my whole rod because alot of the thread wraps had the tag ends just barely sticking through like small fuzz and I knew it would show. Thanks Jesse

[Fly Water]

I'm impressed. First time? I've often thought about it but have put it off because I've been told you need to strip everything off for warranty work? Is this true? The fish here are tough on gear. Great real by the way. Used lamsons in Michigan and use them here in Florida too...very under appreciated up there.

Thanks. Yes, but I have been lurking the rod building threads reading all the I made a mistake posts for 2 years so I knew what not to do lol.
That would suck Im going to send an email to sage and find out on the warranty. I feel the same about the Lamsons. Good price, awsome drag, light, I know they arent the prettiest (exept the Vanqish thats the sexiest reel ever.) but you dont see alot of Lamsons up here. HUH...The nicest thing is the cheaper models have the same sweet drag as the top models....

Tight Lines...Jesse

[Fly Water]

I appreciate the feedback. Some day I will come across someone who is getting rid of a rod building kit. Until then I guess I'll have to settle with buying 15% off gift certificates from BBT. :D

Really the rod building part of the kit is fairly cheap. 109.00 for the kit from cabelas. which has rod wrapper, rod dryer, burnish tool, thread pick, thread snips, china marker, Mixing cups, stirring sticks and razor wands. Then you only need epoxy, rod bond (glue), thread, alchol burner, masking tape, denatured alchol, tinfoil. About 140-160 bucks. The smallest bottle of epoxy will do quite a few rods.




Thanks Everyone for the Kind words....Jesse

[phishin incident]

Wow, great work, hard to believe it was your first. Has anyone here fished that style fore grip? I feel like i would want to often hold it right where the dividing bump was...

That really is a B A rod, im sure you will love it!

[ZStroh]

Wow, great work, hard to believe it was your first. Has anyone here fished that style fore grip? I feel like i would want to often hold it right where the dividing bump was...

That really is a B A rod, im sure you will love it!

I built with that grip and had the same thoughts as you. I ended up sanding that ridge down. Doesn't look as pretty but I find it way more comfortable.

By the way flywater, great work on your build.

[CoachWorkman]

Great build, I just finished my first build 3wt, however you'll not be seeing pics of this one as it looks a bit goobery. But the cool part about it is as you go up the rod I get better and better.

And that being said, once you know how to build a rod, you know how to fix it, so maybe I'll go back and re-do some of the gooberiest spots, but it's functional, just waiting for spring.

Great work again, sweet epoxy work!

[GWP]

I'm impressed. First time? I've often thought about it but have put it off because I've been told you need to strip everything off for warranty work? Is this true? The fish here are tough on gear. Great reel by the way. Used lamsons in Michigan and use them here in Florida too...very under appreciated up there.

Most blank manufacturers do require the broken section to be stripped down for warranty return. Mud Hole is a great source for the rod builder and is located in Floridia.

[Deus Ex Machina]

I'm literally salivating from these pics. I just got a Lamson litespeed, and am thinking about building a switch. I love the almond wraps, they look great against the green. NICE WORK!

[BaKDRFT]

My opinion on "making" yer own rod is like comparing someone who goes out and buys a Harley CVO, the oher guys buys a stock harley and fixes it up to his own specifications. Both bikes are gorgeous. It's usually the route that one takes that makes it special to that person. I am the one who likes to fix up my fishin poles<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/43219210@N06/4456062674/" title="hhj 034 by bakdrft, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4009/4456062674_541b7f4568.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="hhj 034" /></a>

[Steeldrifter]

Well as someone that builds custom fly rods for a living for the past 6 years (that's all I do now)...I'll say this. That's probably one of the best first rods I have ever seen from someone bud, nice work!

As to warranty work. Every company is different. I deal with about 10-15 repairs a month so I'm dealt with Sage many times and they are easy to deal with. You don;t need to strip the rod at all with them. Just send it to them as is with a check for $50 and about 2 weeks later they will send the rod back with a new section. Your old section will come back cut into about 5-6 pieces (they make sure you wont repair the old one) but that's not the plan to start with.

When you get ready to buy a lathe let me know and I'll give ya some tips on them.

Steve