Rod Building Clinic

[Hirdy]

I started putting together a Mudhole shopping list for the rod I want to build (a shortened TFO TiCr X 5wt) and realised that it won't take a lot to go beyond a total value of $1000. That means we're likely to lose any potential savings on shipping to GST and duty charges.

Unless we break orders into small increments, I reckon we'll be better off pairing up among the group for these orders or just buying our own. The shipping charges did look pretty good: a blank, reel seat and some guides (~US$170) were going to cost about US$34 to post.

Cheers,
Graeme

[Tony Ong]

Yeah, have to remember to keep your order under $1000.
With the Bluewater Melville sale currently on, Rohan is doing some great deals. There's a handful of older fly blanks left (quite a few Sage RPLXi's). If you walked in and twisted his arm, I'm sure that he'll just about give them away. Just be wary that he's grumpier than usual, as he's been working long hours, and it's been flat out at times the last few weeks.
There's still a good range of rod building components available, but not too sure what sort of discounts are available on these. At worst, if you're a paid up member, you will receive your 10% club discount.

[Rudolph]

Not many fly blank left. Walked in to buy one and left with a rod instead

[Andre Rossouw]

Some links to good info and places to spend lots of cash!!!

http://www.rodbuildingforum.com/
http://www.rodbuildingtutorials.com/
http://www.flylife.com.au/phpbb3/viewforum.php?f=35
http://www.mudhole.com/
http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/rod-building/
http://www.anglershabitat.com/
http://reelseats.com/shop/

Thanks for the links Brian

[Martin Kuhn]

For those that asked, here is a shopping list to get you started

Blank
fighting butt
reel seat
grip
winding check
guide #1 stripper guide
guide #2 stripper guide or snake or singlefoot snake
guide #3 snake or singlefoot snake
guide #4 snake or singlefoot snake
guide #5 snake or singlefoot snake
guide #6 snake or singlefoot snake
guide #7 snake or singlefoot snake
guide #8 snake or singlefoot snake
guide #9 snake or singlefoot snake
tip top
binding thread
trim thread
epoxy for thread
epoxy for grip, reelseat, butt and tip top (24hr araldyte or similar)
ye olde razor blades (rectangular thin ones for thread work)
metho for cleaning araldyte from grip, reel seat and cleaning blank
acetone for cleaning brushes
small SOFT brushes (good quality ones for a good finish)
chinograph pencil for marking blank at guide locations, marking spine etc
10mm painters tape (tape plus pen can be used in lieu of chinagraph pencil)
rod building jig (try this http://www.rodbuilding.org/library/buildjig.html or search youtube and other rod building forums)
desk lamp
magnifier (for thos with ageing eyes like me)
drying motor and chuck (optional) can use fly drying rotiserie, or bbq rotiseri from bunnings/masters

hope that helps

cheers
martin

[Stephen Winsor]

thanks for the info last night guys! was a good discussion & look forward to planning the first rod I ever build!

i have a couple of thing in mind.. building a saltwater 5wt Sage one, or a saltwater 4wt one still unsure! I like
fishing my 5wt one but I dont like the wooden insert in the reel seat! then I was thinking a TCX 5wt cant decide!

[Rudolph]

Jsflyfishing.com has a great selection and Jay has awesome service

[Hirdy]

Another supplier, this one in South Australia: http://www.therodworks.com.au I'm buying my 5wt St. Croix blank, reel seat and fighting butt from these guys. I've bought from them before and they are very helpful, answering any questions I had about the components I'd need, guide sizing, etc. (My reasons for buying these things from this company is that with the Aussie dollar going down, they are now cheaper here than on Mudhole and the shipping from mudhole drops considerably if the blank is not included in the order. Shipping these from SA will cost less than would have been the case for all stuff from mudhole.)

I'm buying my thread and guides from mudhole.com. They are going to be Fuji Concept single foot SiC Ti guides throughout.

My grip will be an ergonomic cork grip called the "Maniform grip", and I'm getting that from Siesta Floor Tiles in the UK (weird, I know, but I've bought one before and really like it.) Here's the link. They do give a 10% discounts for multiple units, so if anyone else wants one, please let me know ASAP. The one I bought last year cost £17.59 delivered and it was very high quality ("flor grade") cork.

I'm doing something unique and personal for my winding check.

I'll be ordering my stuff next week.

Cheers,
Graeme

[Roger Smith]

Thanks Martin for the info on the rod building jig.
I knocked this up in less than 2 hours from bits of scrap timber and about $9 bucks worth of fittings from Bunnings.
Looks a bit more professional than a cardboard box.
Rog

[Martin Kuhn]

Nice one Rog
Wish I could build something that good in 2 hours.

Ive decided on an 11 wt ONE rod from HCE over east (most of the US suppliers did not stock the 11 or 12wt blank)
The parts are coming from mudhole
Fugi SIC ti K type strippers size 16 and 12
Rec black snake guides size 5, 4, 3,3,3,3,3
REC 7" Fly Grip - Recessed Full Wells AH703-2
Pac Bay BFTL Fly Top
Struble AGH (?) 18 reel seat (left over from previous flyrod build)
FBCC-6 Cork/EVA Foam Fighting Butt
Black Color Anodized Aluminum Winding Check
+ a heap of different coloured Prowrap Size A thread spools......