Sorry I know I'm brand new in here so feel free to tell me to "take a hike" and learn for myself if that is warranted. I've jumped into the rod building game head-on and have been obsessed for the past few weeks. Practicing wraps (see pic below), researching rod building forums, watching YouTube instructionals...anything I can do to learn. One thing that has been escaping me though is in regards to sizing...guides, reel seat and handle components, etc. Right now I have a little 2wt MHX kit I'm working on as my first build. Since it's a kit it already came with guides, guide spacing chart, cork handle, reel seat, etc. I didn't have to figure out any of the specs for sizing out components and whatnot. I'm already looking ahead to my next build for my niece and I'm trying to figure out how exactly to determine sizes of components since I want to piece it together instead of buying a kit. For instance, is there a formula to figure out what size guides I need for a specific rod length/weight, etc.? Same for the reel seat and cork grip...how do I know what sizes to buy based on rod blank used? I know most manufactures have spacing charts and I have a found a few charts online to help with spacing, so that is less of a concern. I know these are loaded questions for a newbie so like I stated earlier, I understand if there are not simple answers, etc. I'm just trying to learn what I can as we don't have any local rod builders in my area (that I know of) that I can shadow and no rod building classes available to me unfortunately so the internet is my teacher for now.

As a caveat, and I have mentioned this in previous posts as well, I am ONLY building fly rods, no spinning/casting rods, etc. Not sure if that makes a difference but thought I'd clarify...

On a side note, wraps are getting better thanks to all of the suggestions here (see link to pic below)!

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Fly rods only makes it much much more simple. All the manufacturers have guide sizing and spacing sites available, search for St Croix guide spacing charts for one, hit the button for guide spacing at Batsonenterprises.com, and look around at Mudhole's site for info. One thing to remember, though, is that you should adapt the spacing guidelines to your own blank by doing a stress test, and you don't need all the sizes of guides normally recommended. Just do a stripper and second guide per the guidelines, then run the same size (the minimum recommended) all the way to the tip. Space the stripper based on the size of the person who will be reaching for the line, then work out the others.

One mistake I made when doing my first fly rod was not getting enough epoxy between the grip and the blank. The grip came loose after a couple years. I now completely cover the blank with epoxy and as I move the grip into position, I clean up the excess with a "popsicle" stick and a wet (with isopropyl alcohol) paper towel.

Tips on epoxy: Burnish your components and blanks with scotchbrite adhesive pads to give a good surface and to eliminate any contaminants on the components before gluing them together. After that wipe the dust off but do not use any liquid on the surfaces. Also, measure your liquid epoxy with syringes to be sure you get the proportions right, and don't believe anyone who tells you to deviate from 50-50. Unless an epoxy container has other directions on the container-follow that if directed by the manufacturer. If you don't use syringes, sooner or later you will have epoxy that won't harden.

Read all the help stuff on line, there are numerous Utubes that can be found by searching. Mudhole's site has gobs of info, and Flex Coat has many helpful videos. Also this site has a super bunch of experienced builders who can help. Keep in mind that they always do not agree, but you'll find what works for you as you progress. If one advises to proportion epoxy without syringes, you can be suspect of anything else they tell you. Use the search function and library.

As Michael states fly rods are relatively simple to put together, but you still have a lot of options available to you. Since you are only going to be building fly rods I assume you fly fish, so you should have a good idea already about what you like and don't like about the fly rods you are currently using. Building a custom rod allows you to put together the components you like or want to try. Your options are many and include the type and style of stripper and running guides, various types and styles of reel seats and grips, etc. They are your choice. As a general rule use the lightest components for the type of fly rod you are building. It is important to static test and test cast to make sure it performs the way you want it. Build it the way you want it, its that simple.
Norm

Kelly

A kit was a great idea for the first rod; lots of learning for a modest price. With regard to your questions:

Nearly all reel seats are advertised with length, OD and ID dimensions. And some are presented with recommendations for line weight, such as suitable for 3 to 5 weight rods. So, once you've selected a blank, measure the butt OD, make sure the reel seat ID is a bit larger, and the seat is appropriate for the rod's line weight. If in doubt, call the retailer.

Grips are where you can add serious value to a rod by fitting / sizing the grip to the recipient's hand. If you're not turning the grip you can purchase a preformed grip of the style she prefers. As a very general rule, grips of 6" length work only for the lightest 1 to 2 weight rods, 6 1/2" in length when the rod length is 8' or less and the rod weight is 6 or less, and most of the rest are 6 1/2" or 7". Again, hand size and personal preference are the primary factors and rod weight and length are secondary. Whether you are turning your on cork or purchasing preformed grips you will need a set of reamers to reamer the grip ID to the size of the blank.

Guide sizing is all over the board where some advocate for more and smaller guides while others argue for oversized guides. Best advice is to read the article in this site's Library regarding guide sizing.

For guide spacing, if the blank manufacturer publishes suggested guide locations you have a starting point, else use any of the many available online charts. As Michael noted above, a load test is the final authority for guide locations.

I had no idea about the "Library" on here. THANKS!