Downes and Reader
 

So I made a trek up to Stoughton this morning to try and pick up some maple & birch but it was closed even though hours posted said 7-11:30 am.

Has anyone been there recently ? Maybe I just had bad timing...

Maybe they took a long weekend for holiday.
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Yes they were closed yesterday too so I figured they would have the weekend off too.
It is now Rugby and prices went up unfortunately
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yes I went last weekend. No birch anymore, well in any thickness anyway. Maybe 1" max. I ended up getting some Beech for darters. We'll see how it works. So far machines nice and similar to birch but I think its going to end up a little heavier.

I just picked up $1400 of African Mahogany and they brought a couple packs out for me to go thru. I noticed the racks are half empty, maybe Rugby is being cheap and miserly not having as much stock on hand as Downes used to. Retail prices are high, I always have to call my salesman to get a reasonable number or they will just gaff me.

They should have birch, but if they did not, they may be out or you have to ask them to bring a pack up front. I have used beech for darters Paul, it is going to have different density but it's close. Try hard maple too.

They have birch down my way. 5/4.
I been e experimenting sealing maple w/spar turps mix. Heating plugs and dunking. Timing soak and weighing for penetration. 30min approx 7-10 gr increase. Ok for my build. With that penetration I would think that should curb cracking providing you dont scar finished plug in assembly. I threw 3 sealed maple bodies in water tank for 24 hrs. No cracks. I dont know if this a a viable test but thats what im going by. I would do less if i didnt want a large weight increase. These are 7" needles.
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Did real good sealing D&R 5/4 birch dowel with epoxy thinned with xylene. Real thin . 50/50 even a tad thinner . Caught a ton of fish on it . Bottom beak was folded over from repeatly banging bottom. Fished it 2 years . Gave it to someone who's fishing it now . Worked great at cutty and in the canal
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Darter
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