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Topic: Going Classic with a Touch of Modernity?  (Read 3642 times)

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slowriprun

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I'm going to tear down a 10 foot Berkley 'Pro Fisher' fiberglass rod.
I'd like to share ideas with others that enjoy doing it. I'm not good at it. I know there are other boards for 'rod building' but the deal there is mostly new, high module graphite rods, built beautifully, yet just not my style, as of today.

So, I bought this guy for less than 10 bucks, and it was beat up. The cork was in good condition; I like to work with that. The blank looked to be solid = No obvious chips to the black paint or indents ( I can feel those by running my hand slowly up the rod).

Using mostly 80 grit sand paper, I took it down to glass.

I'm not digging on the brown blank, so from here, I'm going to color it and epoky it, before 'modernizing' it with new guides. Plus, I don't have any guides to use anyway. :smt002


slowriprun

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Man, I can't even post right and I'm going to build a rod?

Now, I'm going for two pictures. Big step.


Jedmo

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Looks like a great project bro. Can't wait to see how it will turn out. I'm sure it will be another great fish catching rod.

Jedmo
1st place GS3 2009
7th place AOTY 2009


Christian

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Nothing feels as good as a glass blank. way to toe the line and go after what you want. I bet it turns out great!
santa cruz raptor!!!


Baitman

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  Did you rig up a " rotisserie "  to turn it on?      I'd love to see some pics of peoples ideas on turning methods.
Sometimes the fish isn't the only prize.
2nd place  Simply Fishing 2013
   Designer  Raptor kayaks





You must pass through the valley of stupidity to ascend the mountain of knowledge.


ex-kayaker

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Nothing feels as good as a glass blank.



I'll cheers to that....gimmee glass!


Very interested in this build, thanks for posting it up.


..........agarcia is just an ex-kayaker


slowriprun

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Okay, after stripping it down to glass, but leaving behind the "Pro Fisher" Berkley emblem and softening the brown, to an auborn color, I applied the epoxy and will do the same to the second half today. Then it will be ready to be wrapped.


I don't have any kind of turner, wouldn't mind one, but haven't needed one, just need to Not forget about the rod and turn 180 every couple of minutes.


slowriprun

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Here it stands, after a few long hours hunched over watching thread go round and round and round. Exicting stuff, and it became even more excting when I realized that I needed to start over.
 
It's not easy having the patients of a 17 year-old boy who'se been locked away in a boy's catholic school, but suddenly finds himself at Burning Man and surounded by girls who want nothing more than to drain the life-force out of every man so they can take over. (I'm just kidding about the last part.)

Rather than waiting to find a set of usable used guides, I forged ahead with what I had. As it turned out, the second guide from the reel seat was a couple millimeters shorter than than the rest of the guides. Did I check before I wrapped? Oh no, eye-balled it. So, off it comes and I pirate a cheap gold colored guide, to go along with my other black guides.   :smt012 Better 'something' compared to 'nothing." After I wrap it, the gold guide decides it's time too go through mitosis and it starts to devide into seperate parts. They're momentarily glued together.

So, I won't epoxy today; I'll unwrap instead. And, best of all, is the awareness that, even after being so recently stupid, I'm not going to wait for that set of usable used guides. I'll forge ahead, each day a new one; shoot, each moment a new one, almost like the Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, except without the ignorance is bliss ingredient.

Wrapping rods my way is an emotional roller coaster. Give it a try some time when ya grow tired of peace and serenity.



Meat Hunter

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Nice tear down man. I too like the glass rods when the fishing requires a rod with a soft tip. I tried a rebuild out but had to remove the seat due to one of the hoods being cracked. Well I nicked the blank with the dremel removing the seat and now have a useless 5' "blank"  :smt044

If cost is prohibiting you from buying new guides I highly recommend fuji hardalloys. They are very inexpensive and have held up well for 2 seasons of heavy use. No rust whatsoever and the metal is scratched to hell. Alps are good as well and I highly recommend the stainless frames and zirconium inserts. They seem as smooth as the SiC rings I used from a no-name company.         

For me layout takes the longest amount of time and has the most trial and error. Looks great though and post up more as you build them. I have a Calstar GFX-700ml blank waiting for guides and I will try to post up the build when I can afford the hardware. 
327# L - 93# RF


slowriprun

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Nice tear down man. I too like the glass rods when the fishing requires a rod with a soft tip. I tried a rebuild out but had to remove the seat due to one of the hoods being cracked. Well I nicked the blank with the dremel removing the seat and now have a useless 5' "blank"  :smt044

The transition from mono to braid, because I like fishing light line, necessatted leaving behind the fast action/high module graphite rods. Something has to give and the 10lb test would be first. So, into the time machine I go.

And the break happens in a blink :smt011 I'll only mess with a seat if the rod is given to me; it seems like a crap shoot.

Useless 5' blank: Another member broke a Diawa Emblem surf rod on the first day out, snapped it a bit behind the first guide on the top half. Using a broken blank that I had sitting around, I tappered out a piece that fit snuggly into both ends of the Emblem, Monkey glued it and wrapped the area, to hide the break and to provide reinforcement. It caught a 26" striper last night.

If cost is prohibiting you from buying new guides I highly recommend fuji hardalloys. They are very inexpensive and have held up well for 2 seasons of heavy use. No rust whatsoever and the metal is scratched to hell. Alps are good as well and I highly recommend the stainless frames and zirconium inserts. They seem as smooth as the SiC rings I used from a no-name company.   

Thanks; I saw those fuji hardalloys and didn't give 'em the time of day, figuring that they wouldn't even be worth the time. But 2 years is great! And for the money? Yea.

If ya get the time, could ya layout the lay outting that you're doing? What's the step by step procedure that you've found works the best. I'm all over the place. When I get some quality guides, I want to do it right and do it one time.

Man, I look at some of the top end guides and it hurts. Some just stand out and scream, "I'm bad ass!" I picked up a 50 and a 40,,,all I could afford.



Are ya using a turner? If so, is it 10% easier or 80% easier to wrap a rod?     

For me layout takes the longest amount of time and has the most trial and error. Looks great though and post up more as you build them. I have a Calstar GFX-700ml blank waiting for guides and I will try to post up the build when I can afford the hardware. 

Yea, please do post it up.


Meat Hunter

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As far as layout I like start with a 3" gap between the top and 2nd to last guide. Next gap is 3.5", next is 4"  ect although I like to space the ones after the stripper father apart. I usually move to a closer spacing depending on how the blank/line look when I tape the guides on and static test the rod. If the line looks like it's even coming close to the blank I move the guides in closer. It all really depends on how fast the rod is and what size guide is being used. This is of course for a conventional, a spinner allows for a lot more leeway. I run the stripper anywhere from 19"-22" depending on what the rod will be used for. I use the blue 3M masking tape to secure the guides for testing before the thread comes out. I them do copius amounts of eyeballing to make sure the spacing is just right.

As far as my equipment I use the hand wrapper by Batson with the electric drying motor. I really like the combination and will likely never buy a power wrapper. The motor works great and reverses direction when you turn it on and off which helps when laying the epoxy. From what I understand it takes time to learn a power wrapper and many rods before one sees the time/ease benefit.

That's great the you fixed the break on that surf rod and it turned out well. My dad broke a bass rod much further up the blank and we did a similar repair that is working great. Good to hear it worked on a rod like that though because it isn't a weenie 6# bass rod.

If money was no object I would build all of my rods with fuji titanium frames and the SiC inserts :smt044  Meh $100 a rod for guides? No biggie.   
327# L - 93# RF


slowriprun

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I need to slow down and do these layouts. Since I'm working with used rods, I've just been working off the reel seat for guide alignment for the first half. For the top half, I'm finding the spine and using a little tape at the top or using the top eye to work off. Then, embarassingly, I'm just flying by the seat of my pants. I don't like; sometimes my spacing is okay, often it ain't and I re-do.

Question: "It all really depends on how fast the rod is and what size guide is being used." ??? Not getting enough of this.
Question: "I run the stripper anywhere form 19"-22" depending on what the rod will be used for." ??? Just not getting this one.

Thanks for the 3M tape idea,,,been trying different tapes and hated all of 'em.

But the hand wrapper makes a big difference quickly? If so, I need to fab. something like it because the way i'm doing it forces me to shut the world off. I can't do anything while thread is on the rod.

Yea, it was painful to think about stripping down that brand new, sweet rod, and it was cool to see it come back to life with a striper putting a bend in it.

100 bucks for guides :smt005. The wife won't let me spend more than 10 bucks for rod, guides, thread and epoxy, combined. Sure would love to play in that other world.

Thanks for your help.


slowriprun

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Well, I put a couple of "bent memories" into the glass of the new rod. Now, I'm going to tear it down and do it right.


Jedmo

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I'm sure it was a very rewarding feeling catching fish with that newly build rod of yours. Nice catch there bro.

Jedmo
1st place GS3 2009
7th place AOTY 2009


slowriprun

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Thanks Jed; yea, it brough a smile to my face :smt001. Tearing it down and starting over won't :smt013. I hope your weekend was good and don't forget to give me a call.


 

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