Quick question. Is there a technique or a way to ensure that your guide tunnels are filled correctly?
Forum: rodboard

How would I go about using permagloss for rod finishing? The blanks are already painted and some old rods could use some refinishing. Do I clean them and apply directly, or is pre sanding with fine grit sandpaper required? Does the rod needs to turning for application and/or drying? How many rods will a 1 ounce bottle coat?
Forum: rodboard

Hi all, I haven't posted in some time because there are few good fly rod questions. Maybe the builders are getting better - or fly fishing is in a down-swing. I only build fly rods - so feeling kind of lonely. Herb CTS Rep
Forum: rodboard

I have only built a few rods so far and now I have a friend that would like me to build a swimbait rods for 2-8 oz lures. I don't fish swimsuits and have no experience throwing anything that heavy. As I'm getting started I'm building rods at cost for friends and family and he has given me $175 budget for this. His biggest concern is durability as he has had a few rods break on hook set. I'm sure
Forum: rodboard

I apologize if this has been covered. I’m building a rod for a charity fundraiser for my son. I had a black blank with royal blue thread. Once the epoxy landed it got dark. I put some pretty good looking epoxy ramps with blue and a pinch of silver that I wanted to match. . I put a second coat of epoxy with blue and a little silver. It covered all my thread flaws. I must admit they were a
Forum: rodboard

I’m about to start my second rod build. I have some gold wrapping thread, but it’s the metallic variety. I’ve read the metallic variety can be a little tricky to work with. Would it be advisable to avoid using it until I have a bit more experience? I’m just wrapping guides, no trim bands or fancy stuff. Thanks!
Forum: rodboard

Hello Everyone, I've been bass fishing for awhile and recently decided I'd like to have a hobby for when the weather isn't cooperating so here I am. I just finished my first rod build. I didn't want to empty the bank account in case I didn't like it so I went with the CRB rod building kit from Mudhole. I also chose one of their rod kits to get my feet wet. I must say, the build was almost flaw
Forum: rodboard

The wrap epoxy feels bumpy in some spots. I'm assuming it's stray strands poking up. Is it that? Would a second coat help? How do you get perfectly flat smooth epoxied wraps?
Forum: rodboard

I am trying to wrap a blank for a salmon fishing rod (family). Today I started to wrap and got one guide wrapped (double foot) and was ground-filed for smooth transition from guide to blank. Phone rings and I get involved with the call. Walk away and came back to find both sides of the guide wraps loose. NOW I know i am not the sharpest rock in the box of river rocks, but sheesh! So I red
Forum: rodboard

New to the forum and to rod building. Current build using Prowrap colorfast #862 twilight black size A on chrome snake guides. Guide foot wraps are 14mm long with 2mm trim bands in metallic red. All wraps look black under shop lights, but in full sun some wraps have a blue tint. All wraps are from the same spool. Blank is Sage 3110-4 in conifer. The color shift is never in the same wrap, but in
Forum: rodboard

Is it advisable to use Pro Wrap Metallic thread for the entire guide wraps from butt to tip or should it only be used sparingly for trim bands or inlays????Thank you for any information in advance.
Forum: rodboard

What have you used to smooth out your spool system to give a gradual increase in tension as the spring is tightened? Versus smooth then suddenly too tight as spring tension is applied, my older Renzetti uses delrin belleville washers, which work pretty good, interested to see what others have done
Forum: rodboard

Hi everyone, first time rod builder and first time poster. I've decided to build a 3wt CTS glass fly rod and I've done lots of research on what to do, but I haven't really found anything telling me what not to do. I'm hoping some of you guys can tell me what I'm most likely to mess up on my first rod, or what some really common mistakes are for first time rod builders. Thanks in advance!
Forum: rodboard

So just when I thought I was done, behold I've hit another bump in the road. It appears Gudebord was the most trusted thread for the longest time, but that is no longer the case. Mostly because it's no longer made and it appears even if it was, nobody would use them now due to drama around the brand. It appears ProWrap is the most widely used or perhaps approved thread at the moment. I'm inte
Forum: rodboard

Okay so I'm on to what I believe is the final piece of the puzzle. I have my Rod Blanks selected. Going with the for my jerk bait rod and for my skipping rod I know this doesn't make a difference, but for the jerk bait rod I'm going with a Ohio State/Classic car style the entire rod being Red Metallic with silver metallic thread. For the flipping Rod I'm using my old high school colors of p
Forum: rodboard

While the following may be more geared to those new to rod building than the veterans, it may possibly contain information useful to all. One of the first questions I posted after joining (some may say contaminating) rb.org was seeking what the “proper” thread tension should be while wrapping. While there are varying opinions and “proper” is a relative, subjective term to begin with, the replie
Forum: rodboard

Hi, I'm currently planning a build on a metallic green blank using black framed guides. I'm relatively new to rod building and have only used color treated thread to date. Was wondering if there was a way to blend the wraps with the blank and hide the guide feet at the same time? Assuming a white nylon would show everything, but would a green nylon thread do what I'm looking for? Che
Forum: rodboard

Good evening! I'm wanting to start building some rods, not as a business or anything, just for me and possibly some friends. I've been looking at all of the suppliers online and have found a plethora of rod wrappers for sale. I wanted to ask y'all if there were any certain brands or models that I should steer clear of? Thanks! Travis
Forum: rodboard

I have wrapped rods off and on for about 25 years. Always just for myself or family and friends. While I have done some decorative wraps I concentrate more on performance. To be honest I just don't have the patience to really get serious about decorative work. Also I am to critical of my own work. So I agonize over every little detail performance wise and keep to simple wraps with some trim ban
Forum: rodboard

All, I've been using the nail knot method for making trim bands on the guide wraps. They're not too hard to do and pretty quick but I can't seem to get a nice clean look with them. I get little nibs near the knot because I'm having difficulty getting a clean cut with the metallic thread. My razor blade is new but I still have the same problem. What method do you guys use to get a nice clean cu
Forum: rodboard

I am building a 11.6' Lamiglas Honey surf rod. My under wraps are Metallic Silver, size A. I'm over wrapping them with Fish Hawk untreated Teal, size D. Will the color be more transparent and metallic like if I just epoxy without CP? That is the look I'm after. I want the teal to be transparent and metallic looking.
Forum: rodboard

Hello rodbuilding community, I’m building my first rods for me and my grandpa, and I picked up a few of the iconoglass blanks from North Fork Composites while they had the sale going. My grandpa lost my grandma after 70 years of marriage last year, and Christmas is an especially hard time for him. She was the matriarch and took care of everything. I live in Europe now, and I haven’t been a
Forum: rodboard

I just completed my first fly rod build and I’d be the first to admit that it came out pretty good. But, I did have an issue with the thread. I used PacBay in evergreen and old gold and even though I used a Bic lighter, I had a lot of fuzzies showing in the first the first coat of finish. I used a razor blade to clean up the offending wraps. It finished up ok after the third coat but not without
Forum: rodboard

I'm looking to put some narrow trim bands (2 or 3 turns) on the ends of guide wraps (not over guide feet). If I maintain tension on the ends of these narrow wraps and put a TINY speck of dry-in-seconds superglue on the "X" where the threads cross under the wraps will this spot be obvious under the epoxy finish coat on the wrappings?
Forum: rodboard

Good Morning All, I have been browsing this forum for a few years, reading, getting ideas and most importantly, learning from each of you! The question I have is whether or not I should re wrap 8 guides because of being way too tight? Unfortunately, I did not check the play in the guides for alignment purposes, until I was ready to align! They were so tight, that I had to use a thread pic w
Forum: rodboard

I've always used a nail knot with 4 threads to make a narrow trim band next to wraps and for length markers on rods. I've used 4 because using only three always tended to slip. I recently tried a three with the change of putting the tag end through twice, and lo and behold it held well during the trimming process. This is offered as a tip to those who, like I did, was stuck in my ways and didn
Forum: rodboard

Do any of you know how to tie-off a thread wrap WITHOUT using a pull-through loop? I watched a video of a rod builder who ended his thread wraps WITHOUT a pull-through loop. I am fairly certain I learned of the video on this site. My searches have been unsuccessful in relocating that video. The method involved reverse wrapping the thread, of some sorts, a few rotations but the video did not show
Forum: rodboard

Simple question. Does anyone make a decent metallic thread, strength wise. I used to use metallic thread in the past for nearly all my guide wraps. I took a break from building right about the time Gudebrod went out of the rod thread business. Been back in the game for about two years. I have used some of the current metallic offerings for trim wraps. It is acceptable for that. But I would not ev
Forum: rodboard

Starting to have issues with thread getting fuzzies and tension not staying consistent on my Flex Coat DL713 wrapper. Do these thread tensioners wear out over time? Could it be just old thread? Using size A thread.
Forum: rodboard

My guide wraps tend to be on the more intricate, involved side and generally of softer, muted colors. I rarely use metallic thread. However, when replacing a guide for a customer, I purchased a spool of ProWrap metallic twist thread to match the three-turn spiral inlay theme of the rod. The metallic twist was a nightmare to work with as jumped off the spool in coils and got caught on the tensione
Forum: rodboard