A little strip tease.

[Jrob78]

Very cool, I can't wait to see the grip. I wouldn't worry about it being too loud, you will make it look good! You can always pair it up with a "classic looking" Ardent to balance the flashiness!

I am really surprised your thread didn't sink in, I usually try to give it 3 or 4 days before doing the over. I probably do a little heavier finish than you did on your test too though.

[WaffleJaw]

Originally Posted by Jrob78

Very cool, I can't wait to see the grip. I wouldn't worry about it being too loud, you will make it look good!

I am really surprised your thread didn't sink in, I usually try to give it 3 or 4 days before doing the over. I probably do a little heavier finish than you did on your test too though.

Well see....Im gonna have to order the CRB buttcap....I think Im just gonna order 10 of them to keep on stock,haha....I dont like the eva cap idea.
I need to find a lime green I can do the trim ring with for it....I might use the foam...But I want something more durable.
Might have to make a hobby store run on lunch

I almost did the purple trim ring,but I think its too much....I dont know yet...I got sit on it.

[WaffleJaw]

Well my circle inlays weren't working out with this soft foam...So I went with a different route and did striaght trim bands...I still got some shaping to do..But the pictures give you an idea of how I make these.
The very first thing I do is ream my grip to the size I need it..Reaming after the inlays are done can ruin your grip....Ask me how I know

Next I measure and mark the eva with my china marker...The marks turn into circles while spinning on my $3,000 lathe...You see the D size thread next to the drill...I use and press that onto my marks while spinning to cut the eva up...You can see how straight it cuts it..and it cuts it like butter.
The neon green foam is a sheet I got at the craft soft..Much,much softer than eva but the thickness is perfect for this...I cut my little squares out and cut the hole out to match the grip ID.
I do a quite mock up to double check it,then take it apart and then use Duro spray adhesive to coat the sides to be joined together..(this will get messy).It doesnt take much for a permanent bond...Let it set up for a minute before bonding...Then I use my mandrel to slide the pieces on (quickly so it doesnt bond to the mandrel)..I then rubber band it and slide the mandrel out while keeping it together....I then lightly clamp it and let it set up for 45 minutes..Trim the green down with scissorss.Then its ready for sanding.
You have to sand kind of light on these...I had one inlay come apart...Re-glue a new inlay,clamp and repeat...No problems...It happens if you use too much duro spray..Alot goes along way with it.
Anyway,the main grip is done...Going for a JDM style grip set...Still got alot of sanding on the butt grip...But I like em!!

While the grips were in the clamps...I took my razor saw and reel seat and shaved about a 1/4'' of thread off the seat so I can rest more finger on the blank...Plus ,as always,weight reduction..haha.....**** Im tired.

[Jrob78]

The grips turned out great! I liked the circles a lot but I think I like this better. The flared ends look great too.

[Bassboss]

Looking good walker! Love the color bands! Can't wait to the see whole thing!

btw, love that lathe!

[Bubba_Bruiser]

That is awesome Waffle. Built for speed and comfort. Keep the pics and progress coming.

[WaffleJaw]

Thanks guys!...Its been a slow moving process,but hopefully I will have it moving quite fast in a few days.
Im really looking forward to the test casting!..Got a few other things to tighten up and do before I can glue up the reel seat and handles.

[WaffleJaw]

The handle is glue'd up and the tiger underwraps are on with two coats of epoxy...Im using an extra ACS reel seat that I had laying around...Its too big for this rod as far as the exposed opening goes...I was gonna do an insert,but decided continuing the tiger there to take up the space would look great!
Sure it'll deaden the sensitivity some but well see how much...I just didnt wont the seat to have that much gap from the blank.....plus the tiger will look sweet once I finish it

[Jrob78]

That's going to look great! I'm sure the sensitivity will be deadened some, but no worse than using masking tape or foam arbors.

[basshunter21]

Thats a sharp looking rod, I like what you did with the foam handle.

[WaffleJaw]

A little more work done...finished up the reel seat with the tiger wrap under it..I also did the main tiger wrap and if you look closely you'll see I put my decal underneath it...It turned out pretty cool I think.Ill epoxy it tomorrow...Still gotta add another coat of color preserver.
I also finally static testing and did some test casting with the micro spiral wrap..I gotta say.....Im really liking it!!
It just spools off line so well and smooth..It also cast as easy as anything else.
I was using 17lb mono and chunk a 1/4oz lure(roughly guessing)...I need to measure the casting distance...I did about 20 casts to see how the line flowed...It doesnt hit the blank anywhere from what I saw....Just smooth
I had to make a few adjustments and tighten up the bumper guides and stripper guide....Ill do more casting after I finish up the handle and try and measure the distance....But man its pretty rad,haha

Im also reeeeeally liking micros.....Can not wait to put this rod on water!

[Jrob78]

Like I told you, I can't wait to see this one when it's finished! It looks like the logo worked out really well too. You are setting the bar very high my friend!

[BigBassin144]

Walker, I love the tiger wrap with your logo under it. Other than that though.... it looks great!

Can't wait to see it done.

BB

[Bassboss]

wow, sweet logo, spiral wrap looks interesting. I thought they where suppose to go around the whole blank guess not!

[WaffleJaw]

Thanks guys!!..The logo really does show through quite well..It should pop even more after the finish is applied...Im hoping to shape the ramp tonight for the reel seat and epoxy the tiger....

Sammy on the spirals they do one transition from 0 degress to 180 with most the guides on bottom...Like a spinning rod..The idea is to prevent rod twist while under load...
I used this rod on my trip to Fork...Some of those bass I caught were almost directly under the boat,and I remember experiencing bad twisting of the guides near the tip top....This should eliminate that.

[WaffleJaw]

Getting closer on wrapping up the handle....This is the buttwrap.Im adding another decal on the long,open green part...Waiting on the 2nd coat of color preserver to dry before the 1st coat of epoxy...

[Vegasspider]

Waff, I am going to get off my but and get that spinner ordered soon. I did buy 2 of the Loomi's. Have not recieved them yet so will see if they really are the sh..

I still fish your rod every outing. The only problem I have now is it in Florida and I am in Vegas. Need to get a few back ups

[Vegasspider]

O I almost forgot to tell you, my partner and I won a little local tourn a few months ago. We came up with a saying about your rod. Loomis rods are for show, the Nelson Rods win you the dough...

[WaffleJaw]

hahaha,very cool Bob,thank you.
Yea just shoot me a PM when your ready.

[Cavs1123]

Looks awesome Waffle!

[WaffleJaw]

handle is complete=)

[Jrob78]

Wow!! Looks great!

[BigBassin144]

Walker, that rod looks absolutely sick!

And I know just the reel that would match it perfectly!



BB

[WaffleJaw]

These are the Batson Micro's...Nothing special,just the Hardloy since I was on a budget....The frames actually seem really strong on them...I found them pretty easy to wrap after prep...Kept it simple and clean with a forhan locking wrap.And three coats of CP...Thats a 4mm guide in the pic..
This pic is a few days old..The guides are actually on their second coat of finish and the rod is turning right now...The rod will be on the water in 3 days

[WaffleJaw]

Its was alot of work,but alot of fun too!...I couldn't be happier with the end results..All guides and hook keeper have two coats of epoxy on them...Its a pain trying to keep the finish off the guides but they came out very nice if I say so myself......And the rod itself feels incredibly lighter!!

I also took pictures with the reel on to show the cut down threads on the reel seat...Not only does it reduce a touch of weight,it also allows much more finger to contact the blank...This will be a standard on all my builds from here on out.

And of course,striving for perfect balance without adding counter weight...If I remember right,I move the seat up making it 10.4''....or something like

Ill do a seperate thread with pics on the actual casting after the rod is fully cured.