So can it be done? I want to build a rod over the winter. Nothing fancy. Is it possible to build one with out buying a wrapper and still get excellent results. Again, I don't plan on doing anything fancy, just have it end up with straight gudes double wrapped. I'm deciding on whether to have one built or try it myself. This may be the deciding factor.

I could build a wrapper out of scrap wood if this is all I need to do but trying to motorize it for drying isn't worth it to me unless someones got an easy way. Thanks in advance

most of my rods are done by hand. when i don't have access to either of the lathes that my friends own, i use a jig that i built myself. it is crude, but it gets the job done! (just a little slower than when i use the lathe) the one motorized piece that i do have, is a finishing motor mounted on a simple stand. this has made the final process of applying the rod finish much better. i don't see how i got away without it before. the motor can be purchased at most tackleshops that have rodbuilding supplies. it is fairly simple to make a chuck of sorts to hold the rod to the motor.

Mark get this book you will need it for plug making, and it has all kinds of good fishing and tackle knowledge. The Complete Book of Tackle Making by C. Boyd Pfeiffer. There is a whole section on rod wrapping and repair. There is a chapter on substitute tolls you can make yourself including a crude rod wrapper.

Nice, thanks specialist, i'm gonna check that book out!
Lapinski, where about in western, MA are ya from (general area?) Hometown was Sturbridge, Fiance is from Monson, Relatives in Wilbraham. Whats your fishing commute like?

Mark - for Rod building, you must get "Advanced Custom Rod Building" by Dale Clemmens BEFORE any other book. Read it a few times thru first. This book explains so much and is an excellent starting point. I haven't read the book that specialist speaks of but ACRB is the bible of rod building...

For my first few rods, I took wire coat hangers and bent them so they were almost spring-loaded and attached to my table, then I adjusted them until they all lined up. For thread tension, I put the thread in a small juice glass, then ran it between the pages in a book, and to the rod. I varied the tension by changing the weight on top of the book (I found that an ABU 7000 created the right tension for me :D ) and was able to wrap with the proper amount of tension and still spin the rod between my fingers...

The process worked and cost me all of about 8 coat hangers to get the size and shape I wanted...

This is ALL in the book. So after you've built a couple, you can decide if you want to dive deeper and invest in a wrapper, continue with the manual way, or pay someone else to build them :laugh:

How did you dry the flexcoat(?) on the wraps evenly to prevent drips?

Mark-

i live in south hadley. i went to school in wilbraham (private school). by fishing commute, i assume you mean to the ocean?!?! well, south shore of RI is two hours, CC canal is about 1 hour 45 minutes, and i have yet to get the time for the montauk trek....

Wow and I complain about my drive. My buddy used to work at Rexam(?) Image Products in South Hadley. He was a big fisherman. Always went to the CT River. I hear that bass have been caught all the way up to Hartford. Thames River has finicky hold-overs in the winter I read somewhere.

Regards

yeah, the bass come up to hartford...... and beyond!
http://gallery.alloutdoorschat.com/mcfly/postable.jpg

Mark - the drying is so critical that I purchased a dryer motor from the get go. Probably the most needed power part. Some people have made their own but I bought one for something like 50 bucks and have used it since.

I imagine some people need to manually dry the wraps but that has to be tedius to do that for 5+ hours...

Mark, Check out e-bay they have drying motors that will suit your budget.
MikeP57:)

Here's my set up, I think its affordable and does the job. Wrapping, I use a sewing machine motor/petal, drying a slow rpm vac motor I purchased at www.allelectronics .com for $2.50 (get two). I use upside down ceiling sqaure tracks to run my rollers. This sure beats paying up to $40 for a 4' peice of aluminum track from rod building catalogs......decent rollers go for $30.00,,

Get creative and save some doe. If find this hobbie is for you....then get better stuff

Nice setup Goose, where did you get the rollers? Do you use a thread carriage?

Nice fish lapinski. Someday i may find myself living back in western, MA. Its good to know I won't have to give up the sport.

Goose - very creative.
I'm gonna check one (or two) of those out!

Ebay too. This looks like its gonna work for me on my budget, a Big Thanks guys! :D

John, CMS.

Just a box or two with V grooves will work to wrap. For drying , some guys rig up a barbecue rotissierie motor. You got to keep it spinning for 4 to 6 hours or your finish will sag.

The fact is that the more fancy the rod , the more you do by hand , even if you have a lathe. lathes are great for underwraps and for some overwrapping as long as you are not changing colors a lot or doing spirals , etc. You use the lathe base and rollers a lot but the actuall wrapping motor is only used about half the time.

i don't think its possible to do the drying by hand. i don't care how patient you are. You got to figure out how you wll turn the rod before you apply any finish. Just not possible to turn it by hand IMO.

Not a rod builder by any means, have only fixed a few guides. But what Saltheart said about the BBQ rotessiere motor is a great idea. When I first had to fix a guide, I looked all around my house for a slow turning motor. Tried my variable speed drill, but that didn't work, it didn't like the slow speed for that long.

PM'd Saltheart, he pointed me in the right direction, and with his help, I found that idea elsewhere, and guess what?....happened to have one that was never used for it's intended purpose. Worked like a charm, once I rigged up a jig to hold the rod onto it. The RPM's on them are just about right, battery operated, and relatively quiet.

Mark,

It's is not too hard drying epoxy by hand. I finished a rod that way just today. I've got motors, but this way gives outstanding results, and I had time.

First, use Gudebrod #811 color preserver to seal the threads. (best CP on the market) Put it on fairly heavy, so it soaks through the threads completely, and make sure to fill the "tunnel" area well. It looks thick, but don't worry, it dries thin and clear and perfect.

Let it dry overnight, if possible, then apply your epoxy.

The trick with the epoxy is to put it on heavy, again filling the "tunnel" area well, wait a few minutes, and then wick almost ALL of it back off. And I mean almost ALL of it. After 15 mins, check the wraps, and wick away any excess that may collect at the bottom. I like to "flame" and turn the epoxy at this point, making the the remaining epoxy very thin and even.

Turn until the epoxy cools down, and you are done, but check it every hour anyway. You may have to turn it 180 degrees once or twice if you didn't remove enough epoxy.

After it sets, 6 hours or so, apply another thin coat, just like the first. Do it the same way as the first, making sure you wick off all excess. This method will give you outstanding results every time.

A turner works well, I have several, but you will find that turner or not, this method will give you OUTSTANDING results. Far nicer than a single coat of Flex Coat.

You can use Flex Coat, Flex Coat Lite, LS Supreme or any rodmaking epoxy with this method, and you will find it gives you excellent results. (I like the Flex Coat lite a lot.)

If you don't have time in the office, get a turning motor from Allelectronics.com. Apply your finish, turn on the turner, and come back 6 hours later. Use Flex coat and you only need 1 coat.

Rodbuilding.org is a very good source of information. I've spent a lot of time there, and it will fast-forward your rodbuilding education.

Good luck.

TH

I can vouch for the rotisserie. I have had one for years and it works great. Wrap most rods by hand. Look around and be creative


Bill

Oh yes,

I also have a rotissere motor, and it works great. But MAN is it loud! Have to shut it in the ofice to keep my wife from going nuts. And never at night! It cost me $14, and was my first turner.

The motor from Allelectronics, I believe, was $2.50 and is very quiet.

Thought you might appreciate that bit of info.

TH

Thanks Thill!

This has been a very informative thread. I'm gonna wrap a Rainshadow 1087 myself this winter. Spinning with all Fugi SIC's. Gonna go slow and do it right the first time. Thanks to all!

Hey Mark,

I'm going to tell you what took a while to sink into my brain, but later, I wish I had listened.

Take a close look at Alconite. Although only HALF the price of SIC, it is very slick stuff, super casting, and good looking.

And you can always use SIC for the tip guide, which takes 90% of the abuse. Put the other $20 you save towards a quality reel seat, or something else you can use that will make a difference.

TH