Will he be using a leader? if so, #5 running guides would be the smallest I would use so the knots can travel through the first couple guides and tip top without hanging up.
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Or maybe try the fornham (spelling?) wrap and see if it holds then?
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I've been on 2 gator hunts myself and we did not trash the guys equipment. Most of the damage comes from the chaos created when the gator gets close and starts thrashing around beside the boat. They roll up in the line and then the rod gets beat up against the boat and anything close. I appreciate the extra recommendations; I'll take a look at them all. Steve
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219 views and only 2 replies? I expected to see more options. Thank you Michael and Lance for your time. Steve
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A friend is an alligator hunting guide here in Georgia and he uses an 8' XXH ABU Garcia Veritas casting rod w/ 100# braid to snag and fight them in to the boat. I have been given the task to repair the rod for him, and I want to replace all the guides. Using a standard wrap with all double foot guides on top, what guides would you recommend me look at? I am not real sure what guides are on the
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I've struggled with pictures too. I just loaded one the other day, it went pretty smooth really. Once I had it loaded into the gallery and open on my computer, I copied the address and pasted it into the reply I was typing. I don't know why I struggled so much before, it was pretty simple. Steve
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this is a photo of some of the foam core blanks that I have and my first attempt at a foam core grip. We sanded the rough foam into shape then painted the foam black. Next we added some Testors black paint to some thread epoxy and coated the foam. This rod was also my first rod I ever built. Steve
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Back when I started doing the carbon fiber grips, there was a sponsor that I bought a bunch of foam "blanks" from. They also had all the other materials I needed along with large bottles of thread epoxy. I think it may have been "Acid Rod" or something like that. I have not attempted to make any of my own foam core blanks yet as I still have a couple bought ones left. And
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I have built several carbon fiber grips from scratch and used different epoxy coatings to finish the product. I have used spar urethane as a top coat too. I want to make a set of grips out of the foam core alone and I am wondering if there is anything new or better to use to finish the foam core material?
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Many years ago, I attended a BassMaster Classic event and spent all day at the expo. I believe that is where I first seen an Airrus Rod, it had split grips and split, skeleton reel seat. And I fell in love. Then came the Carrot Stik rods and that's when I dove into rod building. Almost immediately I got into making my own grips using a foam core and epoxy on top. The man who taught me rodbui
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I have tried several different brands and have settled on Flex Coat. I rarely ever put a flame near my wraps, I get real close and slowly breath on them and that removes all bubbles. I may have to try the straw method that David mentioned, always learning something new here. Steve
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I read about this in another post, I didn't even know such a thing existed. Right now I am using thin pieces of tape to hold my guides in place to start wrapping. I remove the tape when I get there and finish wrapping the guide. Once all guides have been wrapped, I eyeball down the blank and slide them around to get a straight line. If you use the guide foot adhesive, will you be able to make
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The man that taught me rod building taught me using pieces of credit card to apply the epoxy so that is how I do it. I have never even tried the brush method, never seen a need to. I had some problems one time with my epoxy not curing completely and stayed tacky. I was not mixing the epoxy long enough so I started timing the mix process at 2 minutes, I think 5 minutes is too long. I do wear p
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Look at the Fuji DPSM reel seats on Mudholes site, they dimensionally break down each size. I tried to copy and paste the info but it won't allow me.
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Perfect, thanks for all the info. I'll give it a try. Steve
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LOL, If I have a good selection of nylon and metallic threads, why would I add silk thread to the mix? strength? transparent? stronger? Just trying to figure out why one would want to use it Steve
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I have never tried using silk thread, and I did search for this answer with no luck, why / when do you use silk thread? Steve
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Here is a thread I started about reel seat sizes, maybe it will help. Look towards the end to see what worked for me Steve
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Building a custom tarpon spinning rod for myself to cast live pinfish under a float. Started with a 7'6" heavy telescopic blank that won't telescope any more. Trimmed the tip down a little and spliced in more butt section to get 8'. The splice is hidden under a Fuji Ergonomic reel seat, going to run Fuji KW Series Fazlite guides and hand shaped black and gray EVA Grips. Been stuck trying
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Recently I had a friend bring me a no-name 50 to 80 lb roller rod that was 5' 8". The rod was split exactly in 2 pcs using a threaded SS ferrule set up similar to the aluminum uni-butt set ups you can buy. The ferrule had split length wise and I could not come up with any information about it. I ended up manufacturing a sleeve from aluminum and assembling the rod back together as a one-pi
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I have built over 100 rods since starting this hobby, all wrapped by hand. There have been a few times when I wished I had a power wrapper, but those were not normal builds for me. Steve
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I have built over 100 rods since starting this "hobbie", all wrapped by hand. There have been a few times I wished I had a power wrapper, mostly for long wraps for various reasons, but not the norm for me. Steve
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A couple years into this hobby I started having some trouble with tacky epoxy. My measurements were right on, still tacky epoxy. The somebody here told me to make sure I was mixing the epoxy long enough, I wasn't. I started mixing for at least 2 minutes and I have never had a problem since.
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If the epoxy is not absorbed into "non treated" thread, why does the non treated thread change colors when epoxy is applied?
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I'm gonna fight the change til the end or the end of me, which ever comes first. Steve
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I have fished allot of plastic worms and finesse baits and sensitivity is important for feeling structure and working thru it too. Walk a jig or worm over a log or thru some rocks and slow it down expecting a strike. I feel a slight tap when a fish picks up the bait and sometimes nothing more til I set the hook. But there are times when I can feel the fish swimming away with the bait. I feel t
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I have used it a little, but as you mentioned I feel that it does not allow the epoxy to absorb into the thread. Now, does it have to absorb to be strong, IDK. But I feel that I get a stronger wrap without it. I'll take my chances with a slight color change. Steve
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Wow, that is a good video. Thanks for sharing with us Tom.
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FYI, I ordered a couple more reelseats, a CRB standard spinning seat size 18 and a couple Fuji Ergonomic NPS seats size 20 and 22. My Penn Spinfisher 6500 fits all 3 of these seats. Thanks for all the input. Steve
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I too like to have the reelseat fit my hand. I am building an XH rod to use for tarpon and it will sit in a rodholder floating live baits but I also hope to be able to throw some big artificial baits with it too. Thanks again Tom, Steve
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