Attn: Custom Rod Builders

[USMCbassman]

So I've been mulling this over and over and I've decided I'm going to jump on this train and give it a shot. With that said I have a couple of questions for you all:

Obviously I should probably learn to wrap by hand prior to going to a power wrapper; yes? Don't have the cash for a power wrapper right now anyways, but I could save it very quickly. As well I don't want to invest in a power wrapper if I decide I don't like it.

Mud hole and get bit fishing both sell starter kits; is this what I should start with or should I piece it together?

The reason I ask that last question is because I can pick up a brand new Batson hand wrapping stand for 34 bucks off of eBay, a drying motor for a little more and the additional support stand for 10 bucks.

The list of tools seems endless to get started and I'm not looking to get started tomorrow; however, I do want to have a rod completed by Christmas time for my little fishing buddy (my oldest daughter).

Hhhmmm, I had a few more questions, but now I forgot. As they come back to me I will come back and post them....shoot!

Any pointers, tips, etc on where and how is the best way to get started I'm listening. Kinda like a corn farmer...I'm all ears! I know a corny joke...LOL!

Seriously though, I'm interested to hear your trials and tribulations as you were starting, what you would do differently, what you would keep the same and what you wish you would have known prior to starting this hobby. I have spent countless hours on youtube watching videos about this, it doesn't replace actual experience or getting experience. It's just a matter of getting everything gathered up first.

Thanks all

[Jrob78]

Building rods is a lot of fun and very rewarding. One thing I will say off the bat is you aren't going to save any money doing this. Most people don't get into it to save money but those that do end up disappointed. Also, everyone does things a little differently, it's pretty common to ask three different people a question and get three different answers. Your first rod will be challenging and there will be things you feel clueless about, by the time you finish it, you will feel like an expert.

You definitely don't need a power wrapper. It would probably cause you more trouble than it would fix. I don't know anyone who wraps with power. The cheap wrappers you can buy work just fine but a lot of people build their own. One of the added benefits to building your own is you can make it bigger. My wrappers are 4' long and really support the length of the rod. It seems like wrapping on a really short one would be difficult but a lot of people do it. If you're handy, have the tools and the time, that might be something to think about. We can show you pictures of ours and there are tons of pictures online.

The kits, I'm personally not a fan of them. To me, you're basically putting together a factory rod, someone else has picked out all your components. It might be good for learning the basics but takes some of the fun out of building a rod. You need a blank, guides, a tip, thread, winding checks, a reel seat and grips. If you know what kind of rod you want to build, the components aren't hard to pick out and myself or one of the other guys will be glad to help point you in the right direction.

You're right, the tools for rod building are endless. Luckily, you don't need all of them to get started. Once you have your wrapper and dryer ready to go you will need finish epoxy, glue epoxy, a measuring tape, some brushes or spatulas for applying finish, some masking tape, tip glue, a razor blade/Xacto knife....that's all I can think of off the top of my head.

Your best bet is to read as much as you can. Search the archives here for rod building threads and go to rod building forums and read everything that sounds like it pertains to someone starting out. rodbuilding.org is a good place to start, Mudhole also has a forum but I'm not sure how active it is. rb.org also has library, it has some good information. There also used to be a site called rodbuildingtutorials.com but it looks like it is no longer up and running. There are lots of vendors, Mudhole is probably the most complete and has the best website. Familiarize yourself with some of the products they sale.

My brain is a little foggy tonight, don't hesitate to ask any questions you might have. It's probably a little easier to answer specific questions. I'm sure one of the other guys who build will have something to add. Welcome to a very addicting, rewarding, fun hobby.

[WaffleJaw]

You need to make the 1.5 hr drive to Acid Rod in San Dimas and talk to Mark Griffen at Acid Rod. (Yea I googled mapped itThey have an incredible selection and Mark is a straight shooter....I would give anything to have a custom rod supply store that close!!!

I build custom rods as a part time/hobby business....Jrob pointed out a lot of good points....You wont save money,but you also cant put a price on catching bass on a rod you built yourself...The first one will always stick with you!

Like Jrob,I built most of my tools....Including a mixer for my finish, Double rod dryer...Hand wrapper , Static tester etc....You can buy them if you want, but we all wrap and do it differently (also mentioned) and these fit my needs just fine with room to grow...

A burnishing tool is your best friend....Dont have to be the plastic one the sell....Anything smooth,small and round will work...I use a polished circuit tester I got a an auto parts store....

Here:



Like Joe also said...We got a few good rodbuilders on here...Doesnt hesitate to post a question....We all helped each other out and still do!

[USMCbassman]

Thank you for the reply guys, a little short on time at the moment and I have a few more questions I'll post up in a bit.

Once I get things set up and maybe even before I'll make that drive Waffle...Thank you!

Mud Hole is hosting a class in San Diego in Oct which I told the wife that is what I want to do for my birthday. I was going to drive over to Phoenix for their one in Aug; however, the one in SD is more conducive given it's only 45 mins. down the road vice several hours.

I'm not in it to save money, I think it will be fun and challenging and that's what I like. Plus it will be productive and rewarding. I like a good challenge that involves working with my hands. Hence why I like working on cars, trucks and motorcycles and working out. They all provide tangible results....

What did you all build your hand wrappers out of? Pine, oak, etc?

Thread holders and tensioners as well? Same wood?

Are there plans you can buy to assist/modify in the build process of the wrapper?

I have about 3 years of woodworking experience (granted it was years ago) and access to a full wood shop so I'm confident enough to attempt building one of these. Just not sure where to place those additional holes for thread spools on the base, they seem kind of random.

Any books/dvds you'd advise someone to read prior to starting?

What about guide spacing, how did you go about figuring that out? Is there a chart available? As well as guide size.

Well, those are actually probably better left for down the road...I need to concentrate on gathering tools.

Do you all do mock build ups as well?

Reamers are a necessity, correct?

More will come as I put together my lists as to what I need to get started...Thanks again guys!

[Bubba_Bruiser]

I was going to mention the same as Waffle about Mark at Acid Rod. I would recommend going to the class MH is putting on personally. I think my biggest feat and probably alot of others would have to be dealing with epoxy and they could help you out in that aspect and teaching you the basics. I know Acid Rod can be slow on getting you stuff, but MH gouges the heck out of shipping stuff to you. Sometimes you can catch a free shipping promotion with over $150 purchase though, just sign up for their newsletter.

I would recommend checking ebay for Dale Clemons and Tom Kirkman's general building books. They have a lot of the basics you will be looking for. While dated, Clemons will take you in to more of a history of rod building along with teaching you. The books usually retail for 20-50, but I think I found them all for under $15/piece after waiting a little while.

As far as equipment goes. I started with a Flexcoat hand wrapper and still using it today. I have upgraded from the original one and now have an '8 base, but it still a hand wrapper. The guys mentioned the main things to have on your bench starting out though.

You have a pretty solid forum that is west coast based called bloodydecks.com There is a rod building forum built in to it with some nice work and the guys are usually willing to help you along. Like the others said, rodbuilding.org is good place too for information.

I have JRob and Waffle's number and they led me through so many builds and helped me out. They usually tell me what works and I will tell them what won't hahahaha. I hope you find a liking in it though, if you ever need anything, just holler and we will give you 3 different answers to choose from.

[Jrob78]

I built my wrapper out of 1/2" mdo board. We use it at my work so I built my wrapper out of some left over. I also built my thread tensioner and drying motor stand out of the same material. Actually, I've built 2 wrappers, they are both similar but I made some adjustments to the 2nd one to better suit my needs. I'll post some pictures to give you an idea of what it looks like. It really isn't very complicated at all.

I build all my rods with micro guides. I pretty much only build for myself and that's how I like my rods. That makes guide sizing pretty simple, I use all size 3's or 4's. If I build a spiral, I add a 6 and a couple of 5's to the 3's or 4's. You can think about that when you are ready to start buying components. You will also have to decide if you want spinning or casting, some of the parts are different and the way you lay out the rods are different as well.

As far as guide spacing, I use static testing to figure out where my guides need to go. You can use formulas or "recipes" but every blank is a little different as are guides. To truly get the best fit, you need to test the blank with the guides you intend to use. We can get more into that later also.

If you use cork you will need some kind of reamer, if you use eva you can probably get away without reaming. Eva can be ordered with different inner diameters and it stretches, cork doesn't stretch at all. Eva is easier to work with and high quality cork goes for about $4-$5 an inch.

Your wrapper includes supports for the rod and a thread tensioner. You want to be able to secure the blank into the supports because you will be putting tension on it when you wrap your guides on. You need to be able to keep the blank from moving. You also need to be able to move your thread tensioner up and down the length of your wrapper. This way you can keep the blank stationary and move the thread carriage to each guide. My wrapper has a track for the supports and one for the tensioner, that way I can move everything independently and get it where I need it. Anyway, hopefully the pics will make sense.

[Bubba_Bruiser]

I know Batson ans MHX blanks comes with a guide recipe, but like JRob, I seldom build by their specs. I will build a standard guide run with a 10,8,7 and then 6s on out. And 6,5,4 or 3s for a micro build. I generally put my 1st guide (stripper) 19-22" from my reel seat and then I put the tip on and static test it for the rest.

My first reamer was a screw driver with sand paper strips or a ratchet wrench with and extension with sandpaper on it. Reamers definitely help keeping it center though. I side wallered a few grips. Its amazing what you can come up with to help. One of my most valuable tools is a Revlon cuticle pusher I use for burnishing, packing and individual thread movements. I started out using the flip side of a set of fingernail clippers though. Just like anything else, you can go all in for a chunk or start with a little ingenuity for less to see if it is really for you.