Rod building

Flieguy · #1 03-23-2013, 10:42 AM

Who builds their own rods?

Something I'd like to try sometime

MtnGiant · #2 03-23-2013, 10:50 AM

Not yet...but am actually going to Fishtales today to enquire about the course they offer and hopefully build a 2 or 3wt rod.
Wayne is the guy to talk to.
He works Tue and Thur there.

PS....do u live in Bragg Crk area?
How do you like the fishing there?

Flieguy · #3 03-23-2013, 10:57 AM

Ya I was also thinkin about the fishtales course, that's where I learned to tie.

And yes, I live between Priddis and Bragg creek. Lots of the local creeks offer some little trout, and I ice fish Mclean pond regularly. I used to have access to upper fish creek, and it wasn't uncommon to have 20 fish days there (rainbows and brookies) on little spinners or a fly rod. That land has since changed hands and I no longer have access.

pikergolf · #4 03-23-2013, 12:16 PM

I do, I've done around 7, bit of a learning curve, but I can't imagine someone not being able to build a functioning rod. The wrap finishing is where experience shows, if you got an old blank to practice on that will help as well. Mudhloe.com has a lot of useful video's. If you are the least bit handy with wood, a wrapping jig is very easy to build, if your ready to take the plunge PM me and I'll send you pics of one you can build for well under thirty bucks.

Be forewarned it's addicting and you will be looking for excuses to build another, and protect your self, wear the proper respirator when working with epoxies.

Couple other sites are valleycustomrods.com and rodbuildersupplies.com, both Canadian.

rottik9 · #5 03-23-2013, 05:59 PM

I am looking at building a 8 wt fly rod for pike fishing. I am finding the prices for blanks a bit expensive, around 200 for the blank. Anyone have a good supply site.

Joe

pikergolf · #6 03-23-2013, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rottik9

I am looking at building a 8 wt fly rod for pike fishing. I am finding the prices for blanks a bit expensive, around 200 for the blank. Anyone have a good supply site.

Joe

http://www.rodbuildersupplies.com/
http://www.valleycustomrods.com/
http://www.mudhole.com/

I really like the MHX blank, The rainshadow's are a little slower action, depends on what you like.

Don Andersen · #7 03-24-2013, 04:00 AM

DO NOT ----- I repeat DO NOT try to make your own fishing rod. To do so may cause you to drop into an ever escalating whirlwind of rod building culminating in the ultimate reason your kids are now hungry or your wife poorly clothed. You will spend every last cent buying rod making equipment to make bamboo rods. Of course, this will require your kids leaving home at a relatively young age so that the rod shop can expand info their bedrooms. Plus the injuries, while are not generally life threatening, can and do cause concern at the local hospital. After all, they are familiar with knife wounds but bamboo cuts are a whole new thing.
And lastly, you have to make sure that you use long sleeved shirts. After all, who but a cane builder shaves his forearm. It certainly isn't a fashion statement, he's checking the plane blades for "shaving" sharp.
Be aware, your craziness is contagious! You will infect others.
Stop this silliness now!

Don

bowhunter12 · #8 03-24-2013, 06:06 AM

I've only done 4. First one I built, was for my dad my dad a nice 9wt G Loomis for christmas when i was 16. I got a rod building kit off of cabelas. It came with a vhs that tought me how to make it

calgarygringo · #9 03-24-2013, 07:07 AM

Send Kingfisher a PM he is a rodbuilder and I am sure he could answer most or any questions you may have.

pikergolf · #10 03-24-2013, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don Andersen

DO NOT ----- I repeat DO NOT try to make your own fishing rod. To do so may cause you to drop into an ever escalating whirlwind of rod building culminating in the ultimate reason your kids are now hungry or your wife poorly clothed. You will spend every last cent buying rod making equipment to make bamboo rods. Of course, this will require your kids leaving home at a relatively young age so that the rod shop can expand info their bedrooms. Plus the injuries, while are not generally life threatening, can and do cause concern at the local hospital. After all, they are familiar with knife wounds but bamboo cuts are a whole new thing.
And lastly, you have to make sure that you use long sleeved shirts. After all, who but a cane builder shaves his forearm. It certainly isn't a fashion statement, he's checking the plane blades for "shaving" sharp.
Be aware, your craziness is contagious! You will infect others.
Stop this silliness now!

Don

Pay attention guys, he's lost everything to the disease. LOL

grinr · #11 03-24-2013, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pikergolf

Be forewarned it's addicting and you will be looking for excuses to build another...

LOL,what to build,what to build??
I'm already facing that dilemna and I haven't even built my first rod yet.
I was planning to take one of the Fishtales courses this winter/spring,but been too busy to commit.That,and I can't decide what to build?I already have all tje rods and more than I "need".Thing is,the few that I "want" to build would be on more "high-end" blanks,and I don't want to tackle them until I get a few less expensive projects under my belt.So now I'm lookn for excuses to build a few kit rods that I'll probly end up giving away as gifts to brother,father,son?

pikergolf · #12 03-24-2013, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grinr

LOL,what to build,what to build??
I'm already facing that dilemna and I haven't even built my first rod yet.
I was planning to take one of the Fishtales courses this winter/spring,but been too busy to commit.That,and I can't decide what to build?I already have all tje rods and more than I "need".Thing is,the few that I "want" to build would be on more "high-end" blanks,and I don't want to tackle them until I get a few less expensive projects under my belt.So now I'm lookn for excuses to build a few kit rods that I'll probly end up giving away as gifts to brother,father,son?

I think you might be pleasantly surprise what a hundred dollar blank will do. I do wish I lived in a bigger center so that I could compare rods. I had said at one time that I hadn't compared to a big name rod, I forgot about one comparison. I had a chance to do the MHX blank rod next to a G. Loomis GLX rod, I liked the MHX better because it was a faster blank. But that is a personal like, the MHX certainly felt as nice to cast as the GLX though, it was a little lighter and crisper.

I saw a man out at BH last year that could really cast, it was in my mind to go over and ask him to try my rod and see what he thought, wish now I would have.

Ronbill · #13 03-25-2013, 10:12 AM

My additction

started a decade ago when I pruchased a nice little 7'6" 4wt (Payne 100 taper) bamboo blank from an established American rodmaker off ebay.
A couple dozen new rods - and several dozen restorations - later and there's no sign of quitting. As others have alluded to, this is a slippery slope - you've been warned.

pipercub17 · #14 03-26-2013, 12:41 PM

i have been building rods for about 5 years now
i have gone to building on pieroway fly rod blanks now get all my cork and supplys from them now too
.

Off in the Bushes · #15 03-26-2013, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pipercub17

i have been building rods for about 5 years now
i have gone to building on pieroway fly rod blanks now get all my cork and supplys from them now too
.

Are they blank blanks (no writing on them) or are they branded with the pieroway name. The first rod I built was a tactical from him and it is awesome love it.

pipercub17 · #16 03-27-2013, 01:20 PM

they have the pieroway brand on them but it can be removed easly

jeprli · #17 03-27-2013, 02:54 PM

Just looked at pieroway blanks, i can not beleive their prices. For that kinda money you can buy almost any top brand blank. There is also no data on any of these blanks apart from length, line weight and number of sections, which doesnt really say much.
Don't want to sound negative, but pieroway doesn't really make sense to me.