I just did my second rod, using a couple of cardboard v-blocks taped to the back of chairs and used a book for tension on a chair that I could move around with me. To epoxy/finish I used a grill rotisserie and some PVC and thumb screws to turn it. simple, about $30 total.
They aren't pretty, but they work. I like to learn about things, especially things I enjoy, so for me it was a very worthwhile effort, but if you put the rods I wrapped up against pbadad's you would think there was something wrong with me. But the guides are placed right, it casts fine and fights well. I owe all that I've learned to these guys.
Both pbadad and numbskull are full of knowledge. They build rods and often on the technological cutting edge and both build plugs as well. These guys know stuff, listen. I do, you will learn more that you think you will and perhaps be inspired to continue on.
...and yeah, fireline fixes a lot of stuff, at both the reel and the rod layout. Unless you already have an aggressive layout, then it probably will hurt.
Quote:
Originally Posted by numbskull
You don't need a lot of equipment to build a rod.
You can make a support out of scrap lumber, furniture casters, or even a wooden box. You can make a tension device out of a book. You turn the rod by hand (millions of rods have been built this way). The guide layouts are not difficult after a little research on the internet (or he could just copy a layout from a similar length rod).
A rainshadow blank, although a decent rod, is nothing special. A professional will need to charge you labor to strip the rod (and refinish it if he is concerned about putting out high quality work with his name attached) as well as rewrap it and provide the materials. Doing it yourself , if function is the priority, you can ignore the cosmetic bit (i.e., being able to see where the old wraps were).
There is another cheaper option. If he swaps braid for fused Fireline 20# (the waxy black stuff) the rod will probably cast and fish fine.
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