I have a challenge for myself that is going on right now. I wanted to get some feedback on who thinks it can be done, who has done it and hopefully some feedback from those that have done it on how to keep it organized for maximum efficiency...

I have 4 rods to build by Friday June 27th. All bass rods, 1 spinning and 3 casting and I dont have all the parts in yet, but enough to complete 2 of them and the other parts will be here by tomorrow or Thursday at the latest (i do have all the handle material, Its all Eva). I am missing two casting reel seats and guides/tiptops...

I started the spinning rod last night and got the handle sanded, arbors fitted and all glued up including reel seat with rod bond. Hopefully I can wrap and epoxy the guides tonight???But thats a stretch. I have one of the handles for a casting rod already sanded and reamed to fit and the reel seat cut and arbored and for that rod I have all the parts needed to build.

I work a fulltime job from 8-5 M-F. I have a small office/rod building room in my townhome. I have one Pac bay power wrapper so I can only dry one at a time and cant do any sanding while drying....I'll use 2 coats of epoxy on each rod.

I have confidence it can be done :-/ Does anyone else share my confidence?

-Mike

I doubt you're gonna get them done. Half way through the second rod your'e going to realize you didn't order teh right guides, and you'll be all screwed up mentally after that.

Prove me wrong

I like your tactic Billy.... I will prove you wrong. My main concern is epoxy drying time, including waterslide decal application and drying......

-Mike

If you're not fishing two days this weekend it's a piece of cake. If you are, you should still get them done.

Bobby Feazel

[www.shockwaverods.com]

Conventional wisdom will not open the box.

i understand where you are coming from. i build my rods in my off time (which is usually 5pm-2am). i've got 9 to finish by sunday, except i can dry 5 at a time. when i move my shop later this year i plan on increasing to 12 dryers.

Holy Cow! I couldn't finish ONE if I had a dead line two weeks from now, all the parts layed out, and nothing else to do for a month. That whole ADHD thing. Good luck on the challenge.

Boy if I had 5 dryers these 4 rods would be simple.....Kind of.... With one dryer it makes each rods epoxy completion time including the waterslide with Microsol and Microset at least 36 hours (flexcoat lite)...I can get the handles attached and guides wrapped in pretty quick time, but the epoxy/decals have got me worried...

By Fri the 27 th of June..........You can do it ! I will share your confidence. I could do it .
Wait a minute......You work an 8 to 5 job.......I'm sorry , I will have to side with Billy V. You will have to work at it all night every night . I don't think I could do it , so I'm going to side with Billy. Your butt will be dragging your tracks out after the second night and you will be making some mistakes that will have to be corrected.

Thats about how im feeling Jay, although im trying to keep saying that I can do it.......I leave for vacation early morning Sat 6-28 for Lake champlain and all the 6# Smallies I can handle.....So realistically I need to have the last coat of epoxy on by the evening of the 26th......

I will post by the 27th and let you know the outcome and if I still have my 8-5 and wife ;-)......

-Mike

I have 5 to build before the 4 th of July. But that ain't no hill for a climber , as my Grandfather would say. And I'm retired like Mike Barkley !

Build one and go catch those 6# Smallies !!!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/17/2008 05:24PM by Jay Hunt.

You could get all the grips/reel seats glued up in a night, set them aside and wrap the spinning rod. Could epoxy it that night or put the decal on and wait one. Why not try the High-build and do one coat? I don't see why it can't be done.

Adapt, Improvise, Overcome.

Anthony
AKRods

Michael....If these rods are for your own use you will be able to do it...if not...forget it. You should be able to do your glue ups in no time at all
and wrap each blank daily with no cp and one coat of finish per each rod and if you run out of time you can still fish them with the one coat and do all the tweaking of mistakes you found and all the bells and whistles. In the past I have fished many times with either a coat of "GOOD" cp or 1 coat of finish and I finished up later....GO FISH !!!!...ENJOY !!!! If this is for a customer I am sure he will understand that you will not compromise good work for a rush job, beleive me you will screw up whenever you rush.

Tight Lines
Tight Wraps
Fishin'Stix by Fred

Michael;
First off forget the nay Sayers, it can be done!
Move one;
Unless you have down time forget the epoxy for now and do all at one time.

Construct all your rods so you have no dust when you get ready to epoxy.
Then take cardboard box about 2 ft wide 3 ft long. On the 2 ft ends cut 4 sets of “V” notches directly across from each other.

Epoxy each rod place in a notch. Set a timer to go off every 3minutes for 18 minutes Rotate 180 degrees every time, timer goes off
Then set timer to go off ever 5 minutes for 20 minutes Rotate each time
Then set timer to go off at 10 minute intervals turn 3 times, (you can do a few more times if you feel it’s needed but these times work for me). By then epoxy is set enough to leave it alone till the next day

Only caution make sure you don’t accidentally shift the rods from the location you have them on the box or you could push epoxy into cardboard.
68 minutes and all rods are epoxied, set and on their way to curing out!.

I only have three driers and use this method any time I have more rods then driers to work on.
Also works great when I have several little repairs to do and don’t want to take up space in my driers.

I have a program on my computer called “Cool Timer” [www.softpedia.com]-
That is a free down load from the internet. Than once loaded into my computer, I can open as many times as I want spread them around on my screen and set them all at one time. Then click them all to start at one time. So I can go about doing my other stuff with out fear of forgetting to turn my rods.
When one goes off I closet it out rotate a rod and go back to what I was doing.
I have a computer set up in my rod room, but the alarm is loud enough to be heard just about anywhere in my house.

As much as possible, if you can set up to do all of each step at one time thing s will go faster al; the way around; handles- set guides-then testing-wrap guides-epoxy ect.

Go Mike go! Go Mike go! Go go go...just git 'er done! I am sure you can make your deadline with room to spare.
Chuck

I like building rods but I don't have the patience to do that many rods that quickly. I prefer to do it at my pleasure. Good luck with your deadline.

Mike
Mikes Custom Fly Rods

9 Days for 4 rods? Ya you can do it! Turning the rods by hand is a great idea. I normally do not have the patience to do it, but when I've tried the finish comes out better than when power rotating. Follow Steve G.'s advice & tie one up while rotating one (or more)!

Thanks for the encouragement. Well I went straight home last night and got to work. I wrapped and aligned all the guides on the spinning rod including hook keeper and logo area and got the first coat of epoxy on it. I'll apply the logo tonight and put it in another room then glue the handle for the one casting rod that is already sanded and real seat cut and arbored, put that aside and start sanding foam for the other two casting rods and (maybe) start gluing them up. Problem is I still dont have the last two reel seats, hopefully they will be here today, fingers crossed.

-Mike

Wel I went home for lunch and got a handle/reel seat glued up for a casting rod. The last two reel seats and guide set/tiptop arrived in the mail also. Im looking pretty good at this point....

-Mike

I hit the first and hopefully only bump in the road last night. It may ruin the whole deal.... I sanded grips for my two split grip rods and got them all reamed and fitted nicely, then went to grap the aluminum winding checks and wouldnt you know it I dont have the right sizes!!!! I ordered them immediately and will hopefully have them by Saturday.

I finished the spinning rod last night and will start wrapping guides on the first casting rod tonight.

-Mike

let her rip Mike, You will be able to get it done!! If you have to forgo the winding checks not a big deal!!! have a great trip up there. I have a very good friend with a cabin on the northern end of the lake and can say from experience Champlain is one of the best. You will LOVE it! Your arms and shoulders are going to hate you because they are going to be very sore from the workout you are going to get from all of the fish!!!

take care and drive safetly

Tom