Rod building

hookup

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May 22, 2012
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VA
Rod building

It’s been a while since I’ve built myself a rod, but have broken so many of them that I need to restock my quiver.
I went through my rod building supplies and found a Fuji Premier graphite handle and some raw pieces of hyperlon a buddy gave me years ago. I took the hyperlon and shaped the handles the old fashion way – took a drill as a mantel, wrapped it in duct tape, and shoved the drilled portion of the hyperlon onto the drill, then wrapped a rag around the drill & clamped it down into a vice. Then I used a set of wood clamps to hold in the trigger of the drill and shaped the drill with various grits of sand paper. Then I chopped the reel seat. Here’s the results:

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For those who do not know, hyperlon is similar to EVA, but much more dense and durable.

The blank is a SCII Medium Heavy Fast Action St Croix. Since I was going to use this rod for top water and jerk baits, and since I was breaking so many, I decided not to get a top of the line blank and stick with a Premier style. The guides are Fuji Alconite Concept spinning guides. Here’s the guides placed on the blank

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Here’s the first wrapped guide. Since the blank is forest green, I went with a green thread with a aquamarine trim

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Guides are all wrapped and I’m waiting on a shipment from MudHole for the finish. As soon as I get it, the rod should be done.
I’ll post some pix of the finished product.
 

hookup

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May 22, 2012
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JJ1 - Thx. Last one broke on a hook set on a monster smallie. One before that broke bouncing around the back of a pick up. One before that one didn't really break, ran a class II in my kayak, flipped, and sent the rod & reel to the bottom of the river.

FM - I do not pour plastics - didn't need to pick up another hobby.
 

Kdog

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Apr 26, 2013
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Nicely Done. I am afraid to start making rods and limit myself to repairing them. Do not need another hobby
 

hookup

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May 22, 2012
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VA
Kdog - the hobby's addicting. I have three blanks in the rack ready to build. So far have built over 40. Some were for friends and for gifts but most were for me. Still have three rods in the rack that never got wet. I surf the net for deals on blanks and have gotten some real nice ones on close outs or companies going under.
 

LedHed

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Mar 23, 2010
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Excellent work!

Did you ever got to CB's in Redlands (back in the day)?

Use to get my Kencor blanks from him. BTW - see how much those blanks go for now??? Still have a couple of UL Sabre blanks...
 

hookup

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May 22, 2012
Messages
2,698
Location
VA
LedHed said:
Excellent work!

Did you ever got to CB's in Redlands (back in the day)?

Use to get my Kencor blanks from him. BTW - see how much those blanks go for now??? Still have a couple of UL Sabre blanks...

Thx

Never got there. Back in those days all I could afford was off the shelf racks from K-Mart. Didn't start building until I started modifying rods for kayak fishing.
 
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