hello everyone. alright the season will be over before you know it and i got to keep myself busy or ill go crazy. i've looked into plug building but i would like to try to build a rod for myself instead . plugs and i just dont get along too well. i would just like to know where you guys learned how too(any links,) ? where you get your stock/supplies? how long it takes to build a rod at your skill level(ie 10 yrs experience, 2 years etc). and whats the cost too build one(material). i know of the pride one takes in his/her own work is priceless ,but i just want to know for material roughly. im sure that could be a touchey question. last but not least how about some pics of the last rod you built?
thank you in advance for any replys.

avrage cost of a 9' fiberglass +- $100.w guides & seat
9' graphite can vary from $120. - 190w/guides & seat
Fuji guides are only about $20 -30 a set .
you may want to start by redoing an older rod.
time can take from a day to week depending on the designs.

Stop by Weekapaug and talk to Don or Charlie. They've got blanks, guides, and the other essentials for getting started. I'm putting together a 10' conventional for the fall. I picked the whole setup from Weekapaug for under 140 bucks. It's a great thing to pass the time in the winter plus it's great to catch a fish on something that you built yourself. Once you build your own rod you will never purchase a factory rod ever again.

Get the Dale Clemens book "Advanced Custom Rod Building" It is well worth it in the long run.

We're pretty lucky here as our three shop sponsors build rods and also seel the components for the home builder. We also have several people that build for sale (Saltheart & Capesams) and many that build their own...

Here is a link to an article that Mike @ CapeCodTackle.com wrote last year for a Ditch Chunking Rod. Some of the details are specific to a his Ditch Stick but a lot apply to all rod building: http://www.striped-bass.com/Articles/ninechunk1.shtml

Let's also get a list, who here build their own rods?:

Well, me :D

Don't build yet, but I do do fairly good repairs.

Both myself and Toby build rods. I picked up the clemens lathe last year. It makes building rods so much more enjoyable. Like I said in my post yesterday, once you build your own rod you will never purchase a factory rod again. I would be interested in getting some buttwrap patterns. I don't know if there is a way that we could setup a library of buttwrap patterns. Would anyone be interested in this? On a final note, as a graphic designer, color coordination is a big thing for me. If you guys are struggling with what colors you should use try picking up a book on color process at your local book store. Just look under the graphic design section. These books show color patterns that work well together. Otherwise I could photocopy the pages out of some of my books for you guys and leave them at Weekapaug next time I'm up. You'd be amazed at how much it helps..

Don't biuld...YET!!!:D :D :D

TO keep peace in this family, and from being kicked off this board, I will not tell you what the cost of blanks an guides cost. but what I will do for those just starting out an need something to build on, I do have a lot of SPARE blanks that i picked up here an there. lami.-k.fisher-etc. that I will let go for 1/2 price or less just to get some room back in my man cave. I will also post some color pic's of some wraps for u. Once u learn the two methods of wrap....x....>....u should b able to do just about anything. ALL I can say is TAKE YOUR TIME an u won't b doing things 3 times. WE are all here to help one another out ,so ask ? some 1 will answer u.............good luck..........steve

Building rods is a lot of fun, easy and not that expensive of a hobby I agree get the clemens book(s), I think he has 2. Also many shops offer winter time courses on saturadays...That is how I got started (about 25 years ago).
I have mad a bunch of rods, some very customized, many people tell me how pleased they are with their rods I made for them...I only make for myself now. It is also fun rebuilding an old (beat) rod and re-making it into a nice piece of equipment again. Most of the stuff you need can be bought at tackle stores or online.

I have always used a rod lathe...I can't imagine not using it. It is sort of like tying flies...you get some nice satisfaction out of it and you think about fishing when it is 20 degrees outside.

cool ill gp get that book this weekend. capesams im interested in some of your stock. im not sure where you are from but im sure i could take some of those off your hands. i would be interested in whatever you think would be a good starter rod for me to build. pm me w/ an idea and what you would be looking for in return and we can go from there. thanks again for replys

Capesams,

That's a great offer!

Hope to be able to hook up with you folks soon to learn this fine art!!!

Has it taken you many years to perfect the craft?...
I'm interested in seeing how many have progressed, and in hearing the tips & tricks of the trade!...

Do you know which shops in particular that there are who teach this in the off season?...

DON
I live down on the cape an there isn't 1 shop that will tell u a thing. I have put on in the past rod building classes for those who wanted to learn[free]beleive it or not its not that hard to learn to do. If your no where close to mike cc this winter just pick up a few books on how to ,lots of pic's. the books are great. theres no need to have a rod to work on either , get yourself a 1/2 dowel,sewing thread and play around w/that. slow as she goes is the ticket for wrapping. go fast an u'll b doing it over & over again an get pissed off an quit. TAKE YOUR TIME an do it once.

What kind of equipment would you recommend for starters?...

or would the books provide all that information?...

DON.. the books tell all........lots of pic's.........most tools u have at home already an don't know it. :)

Capesams,

I am interested in picking up a quality 10' -11' blank for throwing lures (2-5oz...) that will have great sensitivity as well...

I was considering purchasing a custom from Saltheart, but cannot currently afford to spend the money he is asking...

His work is absolutely amazing, and though worth the cost for the craftsmanship that he puts into his rods, I think that it would be very exciting to take on building my own as an off season project for the winter...

I agree with what you mentioned about taking the time to do it right the 1st time, and I'm hoping to be able to invest over this
winter in creating a personal masterpiece... (at least one that I am proud to go out with!)

Do you have any nice blanks that would work well for this application? Lamiglas or otherwise?... and what price range would I be looking at for the blank?...

A Fuji Reel seat is also what I would like to purchase... as well as some nice guides of course!...

Any suggestions?

OK - for starters, it can be easy to get into rod building. My first 2 rods were made on a wrapping jig made out of coat hangers. Certainly not ideal but good enough to get through a couple rods to decide if you want to do it long term.

You also might not want to go and build a high end 10 footer for your first rod. Start off nice and slow with a smaller light-duty rod. You'll get the basics down and once started, the end will be closer in site. Don't worry about a Picasso either. Build a functional rod for your first and worry about decorative butt wraps and stuff like that later. No one has gotten their CDL for big rigs at 16 3 days after their first driving school class for cars....

Take it easy, work slow and methodically, be prepared before your start and don't be afraid to ask questions on the board...

Good Luck :btu:

Almost forgot, Don, Salthearts fancy rods are often cheaper tha a lot of other Fancy rods because the amount of time taken on the wraps. Those wraps often take longer to do than the rest of the rod. When you work out the labor per hour on the butt wrap, minimum wage looks pretty stinkin' good :D

Just to clarify Don's comments. I don't think it came out the way he intended. I understand if he doesn't have the money right now for a custom rod . Its not cause my prices are higher than others.

When i decided to sell rods , I lookled at everyones advertised price that I could find. I price my rods to be less. Sometimes its only $5 less but I have done all I can to be the lowest price custom builder in the area.

My best argument is to tell people to shop around. Once you gather some facts , you'll love my prices by comparison.

SALTHEART..
Once people have built a few themselves they will have a better understanding of how much work there is to one of your wrap jobs, and see if they would like to make .35 cents an hour for doing it. YOU do it for the love of it an not for the $. IF u charged $15.-20 per hr. no one would buy anyones rods. When u say give away your work , that holds sooooooo true.

John,
I definitely do think that Mike's rods are very fairly priced!!!

And...

Yes Mike, I really do think that your craftsmanship on these is simply the best there is...

I have not seen anything like it!...

What you do is well worth the prices paid for these masterpieces!
I don't question that at all!!!

Unfortunately, I cannot afford that luxury at this time, and I would be content to fish with a good quality piece of equipment until the opportunity comes later to afford it...

I also think that it would be tremendously rewarding to catch something on a rod that I created!... Just as long as it were something that came out that wasn't embarassing! :laughs:



As for the artistry of Mike's rods... I'm hoping to have a fancy one built when I can afford the luxury of it... I would probably love it so much that I WOULDN'T WANT TO USE IT! :D

A rod from Saltheart would inspire me to be the first to professionally mount a fishing rod!....

I simply love the work! I just wish I had the $$$!

Time to start saving!!!

Mike,

I have recently returned the equipment I have been usung on loan... I have been using a Cheapo rod for lures...
(with the reel you sold me!) & I will be using the older Lami that arrives next week for bait...

I think that it would be a great fun to build an original creation so that I can get away from using the Southbend I'm currently using for lures... it's horrible! & in the process, I can save on the $ it costs to buy a quality rod...

I am still hoping to purchase one of your beatuies when the opportunity affords it! :)

I'm just hoping that I can do it soon enough to get in on your wrap pricing!

Even if not...

it is still a steal!...

Please tell me that you are putting your creations into a portfolio!...

A buck a day and you've got a new Saltheart Custom.....

A dollar a day well spent!...

Just found the Clemens "Bible of Advanced Rod Building"...
for 9.95...:)

With respect to makeing rods for $....fogetabout it. You correct.
If you were to attempt it I would guess your best shot at making a decent living is the low end. The really fine labor intensive wraps are done for the "art" of it and while I am sure you could get someone to pay big bucks here and there for one you would be hard pressed to sell enough to pay the morgage off. For that you need to travel to Asia and produce 500K rods at 5 bucks each and resale them here for 20. That is how the $ is made.

However, the pleasure and joy you get from landing a 50 lb'er on a fine rod you made or handsome lure you made by hand produces memories that can't be bought at any price.

Do it for the fun and not to save $ and you will enjoy it for a long time.

Talk to Ron at The sportsman's Den in quincy, he's a rod builder and also has classes.

(oops)

Get the Clemens book, or Tom Kirkman's book and then go to mudhole.com and start with a $5 graphite blank. Will surprise you how nice they are.

They are pot-luck blanks, and sometimes you get a top of the line GUSA or Loomis blank with a flaw in the finish. I've been very lucky with those blanks, and got much more than my money's worth.

Buy several, and save on shipping. Will give you a good, inexpensive start into rodbuilding.

H

Thanks for the advice!

I'm not doing this for the money by any means, but if I can save on a decent surf rod, then...why not?

I think that it would be really nice to be able to go out with something that is the product of my own handiwork!!!

I'm hoping to be able to build over the winter season in anticipation of my 1st cast for next year!!!