Considering fly rod buliding

[jkilroy]

Hi,
I'm considering buliding a couple of fly rods. Just wondering if it's difficult or what? I already have a turner and flex coat. Guess I'll have to get a book. How do you get the guides straight?

Thanks for the info

 

[NCPAtrtbum]

When I did my first build I used this site. http://www.rodbuildingforum.com/
The fellas there are super helpful and there is a great deal of info on the site.

As for getting the guides straight you first spine the blank (finding the natural bend in the rod) and you mark the spine with a white grease marker. Then find where the measurements for your guides and tape 'em on with masking tape while you wrap up the guide foot.

My advice to you is to make sure you file your guide feet down so the sit flat on your blank and on the top so the thread can make a easy transition from blank to guide. If it doesn't feel like the thread wants to make that transition just file 'em down a tad bit more.

Have fun with it and take your time.

 

[thetonyage]

I learned pretty much everything for my first build (in progress) from rodbuildingforum and youtube. Check both places theres lots of info on everything you need.

 

[gfen]

I've been thinking about this for a long time, but never got around to it. I did an emergency repair and lashed a guide out without really paying much heed, and it wasn't hard at all.

I've got a kit sitting in storage for a year now, bought an old Wulff 6' blank from ebay and will start when it comes in.

 

[PennKev]

It's easy. How well your first rod turns out depends on how much patience you have. If you can restrain yourself, go slowly, wrap and re-wrap guides unitl they are perfect, and practice your finishing technique before you finish the actual rod, it can turn out very nicely. Still, your first rod should be an inexpensive blank with mid range or lower components. There is no magic involved in building a rod. If you can tie flies, build models, or any other detail task that requires a little ingenuity, rod building will be chillds play.

BTW, You want to get the guides lined up fairly well when you wrap them, but the tension on the wraps should be such that you can slide the guide under the wraps in order to tweak the alignment. They don't have to be dead straight as you wrap them.

Kev

 

[RichK]

I just ordered a Z-Axis blank at a huge discount. I completely stripped and refinished my grandfather's bamboo rod 30 years ago, and it's still looking great. I've replaced a couple grips and reelseats, and that was no problem at all. I've been building precision R/C aircraft for 35 years (precision aerobatic for only
15 of the 35 years), and my planes are top notch. These are planes with 78" and larger wingspans. Lastly, I work as a home improvement contractor. Soooo, wrapping some guides on a rod blank seems like a walk in the park. My second thoughts arose after realizing that I can get a factory built Z-Axis for around $480. If I use the same quality components as Sage (or better), I'm not too far from the discounted price of a factory rod. The only reason I'd do it is to cut into my TV watching time this Fall, and to get better reelseat hardware than the plated Struble Sage used on two of my rods: the plating faded/disappeared very quickly on the reel band! i called Sage, and they said they'd replace the bands at no cost, but I'd rather just get the bands and replace them myself.

Breaking a blank section means you have to re-wrap new guides
if you build the rod your self. Factory rods are of course finished completely, and mailed back. I've only managed to break on rod in my 35 years of fly fishing, and it was sort of intentional. An old clunky fiberglass rod, a pickup door, and a smart-a$$ 20 year (me) just all happened to conspire together...LOL!

 

[jkilroy]

Watched a you tube vid last night, do you have to have one of those tools that gives you the thread tension?

 

[tobewan77]

No tools really need if you have a pair of good scissors. To get tension on the thread, put the spool in a coffee cup then sandwich the thread between some heavy books. Add more books on top to add more weight for tension. You can cut out V notches in a box to create a jig to spin the rod on.

 

[MKern]

Go to a class and buy a rod wrapping kit. Cabelas is like $100 for a full kit and $40 for just the wrapper (get the full kit). Most classes are like $75.

What you spend on the class and building kit you'll break even on your first rod or two compared to MSRP of said factory rod.

i.e. my first rod was a old model St. Croix Avid. MSRP $180. My class was $75 and wrapper was $40 = $115. My blank and materials were $80...Total $195. That rod custom made is probably $240.

My second rod was a rainforest 2wt. $33 for the kit and the factory rod, at the time, retailed for $110.

I couldn't imagine using a cardboard box and books for all the rods I have built.

 

[tobewan77]

Why spend that money when a box WILL work. Did it, then built my own.

It's his first rod, start inexpensively and buy nicer equipment as you grow into it. This post on the rodbuildingforum illustrates it nicely:
http://www.rodbuildingforum.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=1842&view=findpost&p=14483

If you have the spare cash by all mean purchase tools but otherwise it's such a simple device do it for free.

 

[gfen]

For some people it may not be a hobby.

I plan to make two, one to start and one to show off. I'm not going to spend the cash on fancy stuff if I never go beyond that.

 

[tobewan77]

exactly, first rod - do it on the cheap.

If you do it more and more get the tools or build them. Seen some great homemade jigs. I just threw one together with scrap wood.

I would highly suggest getting the alcohol lamp. Really gets the tag end flush without darkening the thread.

 

[jkilroy]

How many hours to bulid one?

 

[RichK]

I spent several days on the bamboo rod I stripped and refinished 35 years ago. After years of R/C model building, I still take quite a bit of time building. Many of my planes are built from blueprints, and it takes time to find quality materials. Assembly must be perfect for me (alignment of firewall to wing tips to tail must be with less than 1mm on a 2 meter plane), and I've spent one year on one of my latest planes. That's me. I know people that slap a plane together during one weekend, and it's always awful.

I spent some time today looking for snake guides for the Sage Z-Axis. The facotry built Z-Axis using Hopkins & Holloway guides, and the top four guides are thin wire. H&H discontinued the thin wire snake guides, but I was able to locate after 20 minutes. That didn't include the time it took to find out which guides were used, and whether they would be critical to getting the most from the blank. The thread took a few minutes, but there are many opinions on which adhesive is best, yet easy to work wth for coating the thread wraps. The leg work and set-up could take as long as the actual hands-on build if you're being selective with parts. I know some guys that build rods, and they say they can get one knocked out with a few hours spent on the bench. That's not theor forst rod, however, and it would probably be wise to spend as much time as needed to roduce a quality build. If you;re good with your hands, I could se a decent rod being produced on the first try. Setting a time limit could derail that.....

 

[jayL]

I bought the cabelas kit that mkern mentioned, and think it was a good value. It got lost somewhere in one of my dozen moves over the past few years, and am probably going to buy another.

I am usually a cheapskate when it comes to buying specialty stuff, and I've only built one, but think that it's tedious enough that I like to have decent tools for the job. Enjoy.

 

[thetonyage]

I saw a $75 switch rod kit on that auction site, i might just have to learn this whole two handed casting thing.

 

[MKern]

The time it takes to build a rod depends on the builder, the epoxy and the finish.

I have done entire rods on a Saturday and dried them overnight and they were ready Sunday morning.

However, typically you are looking at 6-10 hours of active time depending on how fast, nice, tight, or complicated your wraps are.

I prefer 30 minute epoxy and allow it to cure overnight most of the time. While I am waiting for the reel seat to cure and/or the reel seat and handle to cure I file down the guides' feet and cut rubber bands out of surgical tubing (these will hold the guides in place). I do other things like mathematically find out the guide spacing and wind the rubber bands on the top section(s) of the blank.

Wrapping will take the most time though.

 

[jkilroy]

Another question, what do you typically spend on all the materials that go on the blank?

 

[gfen]

I bought a complete kit in the Cabela's Bargin Cave for $15.

My blank came today, upon review I don't want any of the stuff in the kit except mAybe the green thread. And the tip top won't fit. Damnit.

 

[MKern]

The price of materials really depends on how fancy you want to get and how much you want to spend.

Guides are between $1 and $2 each for decent guides ($15 total).
Reel seats are between $5 and $50 ($35 will give a good reel seat).
I wouldn't cheap out on a cork handle; seeing as this is your connection to the rod and will be in your hand the entire day (like $20).
Tip-top is like $2.
Thread is like $2 a spool.
Ferrule cement is a couple bucks and last forever.
Surgical tubing is a couple bucks, but last for many rods.
Epoxy is like $4 at a hardware store.
Rod finish depends on the brand and the amount. I prefer the premeasures cabelas packets and they are like $6.