the yellow plastic burnishing tool that mudhole carries will come in handy for sure .
Forum: rodboard

if it was mine id redo the whole thing. just because its factory made doesnt mean it was made correctly…and no, im not an expert by any means
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i used airwaves on a spiral wrapped UL crankbait blank i did for myself. worked great. static test for best placement.
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whether you decide to sit or stand, the #1 thing you need in my opinion is good lighting.
Forum: rodboard

id like to toss another question out there….is it required to have a coat of epoxy over a base thread, or can you use CP to get a smooth surface for the feather to adhere to ? im fixing to try my first inlay on my next build.
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first off, dont use water to check your thread colors. use alcohol, it gives the same effect and will totally evaporate. to help remedy the uneven finish use heat on the finish ( i prefer a heat gun ) and wipe your brush along the bottom of the blank to remove the excess. try some threadmaster epoxy, you may like it better , i do.
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i would try increasing your leader size to say, 10# gamma copolymer, and tighten the drag a bit. the one issue with light wire hooks is that if you have the rod /reel set up to get the fish out of the grass, the hook will bend with a braid main line, from what I' ve experienced. you may want to experiment with a heavier wire 'circle' or octopus hook. just my 2 cents
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paul, for basic stands , instead of a wooden block covered with felt, consider making a stand out of a cutting board. you can cut a v in it and polish it with sandpaper, works quite well. i bought some rubber tire rollers and made my own stands out of cutting board also. for a basic rod dryer theres always the old stand by, the rotisserie grill motor. yeah its slow, but it gets the job done.
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i like threadmaster regular epoxy vs the prokote . for your ' lumpy' issue in the future….once aplied, evenly heat it with a heat gun, any excess will try and drip off the bottom of blank while turning. simply run your brush laterally along the drips to remove the excess, then hit it again lightly with the heat gun.
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ive bee very pleased with the winn grips ive put on my personal rods. no issues in the Fl heat. unbeatable when raining or sweaty imo .
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dont worry about quality if its a rainshadow blank.
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invest in a heat gun ;-)
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i have winn grips on multiple baitcasters that i fish with . and i fish a LOT. keeping them clean has been the biggest issue to date. ive noticed no appreciable wear as yet. i feel they will hold up better than eva, but not as well as cork. the wet grip performance is outstanding.
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you have to ream them to fit the blank as you would any other grip
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saw that pic on FB. mudhole customer service is hard to beat.
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what type of line the angler will be using on the rod could make a big difference in the blank selection, in my opinion. braid really needs a 'softer ' blank, monofilament line needs a stiffer one. just my 2 cents
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ever give a thought to using a tennessee stye handle ? they are much more comfortable imo. although not as versatile with using different reels.
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i just made a rainshadow revelation crankbait rod for my own use, ive been more than pleased with the action. contact get bit outdoors,they are very helpful in selecting blanks/ action for you.
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i use 10 or 20# power pro original with no issues. i think the super slick PP may even work better, but ive yet to try it.
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ive never been able to get ceramic to stay once it has came out. replace the guide.
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" pretty long bridges " ??? LOL that dang causeway bridge is like 31 miles long
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sounds like i have some work to do. LOL i will do some testing and post the results here. when i get a chance. it may be a bit. between fishing tournaments in full swing, a brand new puppy, and my fishing partner recovering from a serious heart issue, ive been pretty busy.
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ive found that the line is just another tool in catching/landing fish, which is the whole point in having a specialized rod, in my opinion. different lines can make a blank perfect or completely unsuitable for the application. its really all in how the angler prefers to fish. with the progression of the braided lines, one can put a lot more strain on a fish, with the drag and hook becoming the
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just what i was looking for . a healthy discussion of do's and dont's and varying opinions. great info !!
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i need a tutorial on thinning epoxy. what product is best to use. what ratio would you use to mix with finishing epoxy ? ( 1/1/1??) i primarily use threadmaster , but i can see where there could be an advantage in using thinner, multiple coats . is it better to use a non thinned final coat ? …to thin, or not to thin, that is the question….
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Ken Blanchard Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > What the heck, it pshed my reply four times, lol > Sorry and here I thought you were just trying to get your point across. LOL
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i just completed my first spiral wrap rod. i used 4 guides to go from 0 to 180 with normal spacing in between. it worked out well for a medium weight bass trap (rainshadow revelation crankbait ) blank rod with braid….. the guides help up well today when i hung a 40# gar on the trap ! its comforting to know something you made will hold up to extreme measures. LOL
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I back wrap i layer of electrical tape over cork to prevent damage , then use reinforced shipping tape to lock the reel on, then form the grip with athletic tape
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roger, what torque rating do you recommend for the dc motors ? heck , i think i have everything laying around the shed that i could build a finishing setup with.( IBEW electrician for over 30 years with a hoarding issue . LOL ) using a dc motor never crossed my mind.
Forum: rodboard

the most accurate rod will usually be the one the fisherman has the most confidence in….if the manufacturers claim of a more accurate rod helps the fisherman cast better, then it works….. the most accurate rod is one that is matched with the lure being presented…in the hands of one who knows how to use it. JMHO :-)
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