Rod Building Supplies

[Cope]

Would like to try my hand at building a couple fly rods. My question is, what equipment would I need to start on a basic level. I was looking at some stuff but thought I should get some advice before I purchase anything. Thanks

 

[tobewan77]

cardboard box with v notches cut out. Cup to hold spool of silk or nylon thread and heavy books to sandwich the thread between to add tension.

Then buy your blank, eyes, cork grip, some files and you're about set. Hook and Hackle make great kits with all components needed.

edit: forgot your color preserver if wanted and then your epoxy or varnish to finish the wraps.

 

[MKern]

Cabelas has a nice kit for $100. To me it's well worth it.

You'd break about even on your first rod, and save money on every one after that.

The kit comes with a wrapping apperatus, drying moter, tapered cork reamers and a bunch of other knick-nacks.

 

[beeber2]

Don't do it just to save on cost. Just keep in mind that with most warranties, if you break it, you will return the rod and you'll need to rebuy components like the reel seat and cork grip. You'll be able to reuse the guides.

 

[Cope]

Thanks boys, I may have to make a trip to Cabelas this weekend.

 

[jayL]

Cope wrote:
Thanks boys, I may have to make a trip to Cabelas this weekend.

In my experience, cabela's has very little rod building stuff in-store. Most of it has to be ordered. I own the kit mentioned, and have never seen it in the store.

 

[MKern]

Jay's right. It's probably online only; but with those save $20 when you spend $100 coupons floating around you could get it even cheaper.

beeber, I wasn't saying to build rods to save money, but I was factoring in costs in relative terms.

 

[wsender]

Those kits you speak of, do they come with the blanks? I saw a TON of 'kits' but none of them have the lathe. Which specific kit are you guys talking about?

 

[jayL]

Kit.

No blanks. Just tools.

 

[skiltonian]

I got the kit too from crapelas which came with three different cork reamers, which to buy after the fact would have been half the price of the kit. I just got two new blanks (8' 6wt and 10' 5wt) and with everything including 60 min and 5 min epoxy i still only spent $116 with shipping. Building is well worth it. The 6wt with same blank and lesser components just sold used on e-bay for $80. good luck with your new hobby and feel free to ask the board more questions or go to the rod building forum for tons of useful info.

 

[wsender]

haha, kinda funny that the turning motor doesn't come with a rod chuck.....

 

[wsender]

haha, kinda funny that the turning motor doesn't come with a rod chuck.....

 

[skiltonian]

yeah, the drying motor isn't worth a monkey's ***, but I do use it and it works - I made my own chuck. I rigged up my fly drier made from an old rotessie grill motor as my main dryer.

 

[PennKev]

tobewan77 wrote:
cardboard box with v notches cut out. Cup to hold spool of silk or nylon thread and heavy books to sandwich the thread between to add tension.

Then buy your blank, eyes, cork grip, some files and you're about set. Hook and Hackle make great kits with all components needed.

edit: forgot your color preserver if wanted and then your epoxy or varnish to finish the wraps.

I would go with the above recommendation for your first rod.

Also be sure to have the following:

Razor blades - Trimming tag ends of thread

Isopropyl (Rubbing) Alchohol or denatured alchohol - for cleanup of un-cured epoxy adhesives and finish. Don't use anything harsher. Solvents such as acetone can remove the factory finish off of the blank.

Paper towels - see above

Rat tail files or reamers - about the same price, if you have the files, still consider the reamers. They match the blank tapers more closely and will make reaming a bit easier.

And finally:

Some sort of drying motor - You'll see references to rotating a drying rod by hand, but you need the patience of a saint. Without a drying motor, you will essentially need to sit and rotate the rod by hand every few minutes for 2-4+ hours depending on the finish you use.

The first rod will be the toughest, but is far from an impossible task. The best advise I can give is to practice guide wraps and finishing on an old junk rod or carbon arrow shaft. Once you are satisfied with your wrapping and finishing skills, move on to the real deal. Also, go slow and don't settle for sloppy.

Kev

 

[JoeE]

I don’t have much to add to the information already provided. However, it is not the tools (yes, they do make is easer) but buy the best components you can. You spend all of that time working on a rod and you want to save $10.00 by using cheap thread, guides and reel seats. That said I do like Janns $10.00 cork handle and reel seat (I blacken the aluminum bands) and they workout well on the one piece 4 and 5 wt. quads that I have been making, but the guides I’m putting on costs around $40.00.

Joe E

 

[bikerfish]

I like those janns handles/reelseats as well, I'm using them on a couple paddock glass rods I'm building right now. they are pretty nice for 10 bucks! the cork is a little rough, but I sand it lightly with some extra fine paper and they turn out really smooth. I'm doing another mcfarland later this winter, might try a lemke seat on that, those seats look really nice! I got one of the last blanks from mike, he will no longer be selling blanks, only complete rods, which are way out of my price range.