Blank suggestions

i think that is what i paid for my gatti about 5 year ago best damn rod i have cast yet. but think they will cost a little more now to get them from Italy now.

http://www.gattiflyfishing.it/list.html



any ways what about pac bay rain forest blanks or kit in like a 8 foot 6 inch 5 or 6 weight? here is a link to were i would buy the parts at that or mudhole.com i don't care to much for mud hole but hookhack.com is top of the line and even gives a discounts.

that or mystic i hear is made in michigan blanks?


http://store.hookhack.com/HH-IM7-Two-Piece-Blank-Kits/products/109/

 

If you're thinking about Rainshadow, look on e-bay. There's a guy on there with a bunch of different 2 and 4 piece models priced right.

 

input on blanks:
rain shadows are great blanks for the price. i don't think a gatti will be built for the price your looking to pay cause shipping from Europe is more then the blank right now. i like the pac bay blanks better then rain shadow personally there a softer action to them and they are more winston like unlike the higher end rain shadow blanks like the rx7 blanks that are medium fast there stiffer more broom stick like in the 8 -12 weight class some times too stiff if you ask me the rx6 were delightful when i played with them. they had a more glass felling to them a little softer in action but still a tad stiffer then the pac bay rain forest blanks. the rain forest have a more forgiving action the gatti were fast action but were not broom sticks in the 5 weight i bought seriously a light rod compared to what rods are made of in ounces it was lighter was not tip heavy which the rain shadow tend to be.


try cabelas blanks for your first couple of rods for $20 a blank how can you go wrong or clearance blanks good blanks cabelas throw on clearance. by the way the biggest problems people have are with thread and epoxy. the thread has gaps and rolls on you when you apply the epoxy or bleeds. the epoxy is so thick or thin it does not get thew layers or it sags to much this is ware i suggest a drying motor. all i do so your not sitting there drying you rod for hours on end. cause some times it takes 11 hours to get a rod dry enough to leave it. with the motor you just leave it turn over night. even grip assemble order can be tough..when you add in five minute epoxy.


then you got to do a concept to the rod like super man cape has a big "S" but what are the color it is made of that make it stand out. it its the back ground colors and what colors are planed ahead of time so a lot of planing goes into these rods most of all the weaves and thread art. so some thing like black back ground you use reds, blues, greens, etc.. threads that will stand out but when mixing colors do you use red with green or yellow with orange have not seen to many. but it can be done if done right i always have done red orange and then yellow so it look like flames etc... etc.. or even like light to dark or dark to light etc etc..

plan the rod well it should come out well. by the way if you don't like it don't epoxy it it will be there permanently step back and take a look also try thread master rod finish if you by a rod kit they never have enough rod finish just a tip..


if this is you first couple of rod do standard wraps like black thread wraps with under wrap on a black blank. just keep it simple like the kiss method keep it simple stupid. try not to go to extravagant on the first couple tries. could also see if cabelas has clearance blanks that and bmfs.net and mrfc.com and hookhack.com. even if you think it won't happen it will you will find some thing wrong. and wish you did not do it on a expensive blank practice makes perfect. it is simple to do but i suggest a simple cheap rod at first cause you can screw them up easily.


by the way again you can use a card board box same as a rod wrapper just cut some vee's in the box and use a bobbin for rod thread punch a hole in the back of the box and and run the thread to one of those clamp paper clips put a dowel threw the box and clamp it to it. use that clamping paper clip as a thread guide.


also the books by dale p. clemen's are musts to own mostly the "custom rod building" book i suggest you get that first on half.com if you can if not any used book store that have it cheap will help also try jannsnetcraft.com for it or even mudhole.com


sorry for such a long post just trying to help ya lol's

 

MHX

http://www.mudhole.com/Rod-Building/MHX-Fly-Blanks

 

X2 on the MHX blanks from Mudhole.

I have not built on their blanks my self but have heard good things about them, and the one that I did have in hand seemed like a very nice rod. Materials that I have bought from Mudhole have been top notch.

D

 

i hear you there is you need me to i can get a couple pic of that rod wrapper made out of card board there cheaper to make out of card board then to buy i think the cheapest one were about 109.99 i seen that were solid wood and would not cause problems. any ways the card board one you can make for about 10 bucks. if you need any more help like design of a rod wrapper.


check out dale p clemen's book advanced custom rod building. they show you how to do custom handles for rods all the way to how to align the guides to custom grips to rod wrappers... it is all custom and the planing process will begin on the rod once you get the book. books isbn number is isbn: 0-8329-0436-8 just throw that number in to half.com or search it threw the web you should find the book i would not do any thing till i read that book a little bit.. i think i paid $10
for my book on half.com they sell for around $150-300 at a few places... there great books to own..just got to find it cheap!

 

Caravan on down to the International Custom Rod Building Show in Winston Salem, NC in late February. All I can tell you is that all of the names already mentioned will be there in force as well as more of the big brand names you will probably recognize. There are barrels of blanks for sale and some mighty fine deals.
Here's a link:
http://www.icrbe.com/

 

Jann's net craft in Toledo Ohio. www.jannsnetcraft.com/rod-building you drive there easy off freeway, people are very helpful, they have a good selection of blanks plus supplies. I built my first number of rods with no rod widing rig, just a book for tension, a mason jar for to hold my thread and held the rod in my hands to roll it. I talked with Jerry Kustic (sp) who drove school bus for a second job, use to wrap winson bamboo rods when he was sitting waiting for the kids.

Relax on your first rod, if you get hooked, pick up more gear later. Check you local library if they have any books on rod building you can see for free, put your money toward a blank supplies.


Have fun