# My first ever rod project-take 2



## gris (Feb 8, 2006)

If you've read my other thread you know that my first ever rod project ended in disaster, so I'm trying again. 

This time I'm starting from scatch. I'm building a rod for my Grandfather who is an 86 year old WWII combat Marine that wade fishes by himself in Port Mansfield. I'm attempting to build a 7 foot spinning rod with scarlet and gold (Marine Corps Colors) raps. 

So far I've been to FTU spent a bunch of money and reamed the cork to fit.

For your amusement, I'll keep ya'll updated.

Thanks again for the encouragement,

Gris


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## Terrynj (Jun 27, 2006)

I made a rod on that blank...nice stick with good backbone. Make sure you use Cp on that thread...if you really want the colors to show up, you should paint the blank white under the wraps....just layout your guides. Estimate the width of the wrap, tape off each side of it with masking tape, then just spray it with some white Krylon...
It looks like you have everything you need...should be a "piece of cake"! LOL
what part of Clear Lake do you live in?


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## d4rdbuilder (Jan 19, 2007)

Gris, I see you and Terry live in the same area. Maybe he would be willing to personally mentor you on your first build.

Believe me, having someone that's already made alot of the mistakes, your going to make mentor you will take alot off your learning curve.

Keep us posted.


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## Terrynj (Jun 27, 2006)

d4rdbuilder said:


> Gris, I see you and Terry live in the same area. Maybe he would be willing to personally mentor you on your first build.
> 
> Believe me, having someone that's already made alot of the mistakes, your going to make mentor you will take alot off your learning curve.
> 
> Keep us posted.


Yep, that why I was asking where he lived.....Gris you can send me a PM


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## mlv (Oct 12, 2007)

*Way To Go !!!!!*

*Good For You Gris......*
* Keep Pressing Forward !!!!....:smile: *



*ML....:texasflag *


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## Goags (May 28, 2004)

Gris, I'm glad you chose option 2 and you're "getting back up on the horse"! Jerry


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## Putter Parpart (Feb 10, 2007)

*What Mary Lou said; good on ya for sticking with it after the hiccup on the first one!! That's the spirit!!!*


mlv said:


> *Good For You Gris......*
> *Keep Pressing Forward !!!!....:smile: *
> 
> *ML....:texasflag *


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## ellisredfish (Jul 5, 2005)

That reminds me of a story that I heard long ago. It seems that Michelangelo had finished doing a stone statue of David and someone remarked that the statue was perfect. So Michelangelo took a hammer and knocked a chip out of David's knee and said "No one is perfect."

So if you failed once remember: "No one is perfect." Just keep wrapping and if you need help just ask. There are a lot of good souls on this board that are willing to give you their 5 cents worth (inflation).


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## gris (Feb 8, 2006)

*Wow*

You all are so encouraging and very nice. I feel like I'm the new kid in a awesome new neighborhood.

Terry...I live in Oak Brook West off of Pineloch, would you be willing to help me avoid additonal disasters?

Thanks again everyone,

Gris


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## Terrynj (Jun 27, 2006)

fer sure........just pm me and we'll hook up...


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## gris (Feb 8, 2006)

*An Update*

Well so far so good. I met with Terry Saturday and got some great pointers. THANKS Terry! I have the cork and reel eat on, and I have the guides taped on. I'm moving on to the scary part tonight.


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## mlv (Oct 12, 2007)

*And if you make a mistake....so what !!!!!*

*KEEP PRESSING FORWARD !!...:smile: *



*ML...:texasflag *


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## Terrynj (Jun 27, 2006)

gris said:


> Well so far so good. I met with Terry Saturday and got some great pointers. THANKS Terry! I have the cork and reel eat on, and I have the guides taped on. I'm moving on to the scary part tonight.


No problem Mike! I enjoyed it....and don't worry, there just isn't much you can do to screw it up (outside of gluing up you reel seat, the butt and fore grip and realizing you left the hood off the reel seat like I did on my second build..LOL)

Most of the time people have to make a special effort to screw things up. A builder on another board was saying he took his expensive spiral wrap custom in to get some minor work done. When he picked it up, all the guides had been removed and put back on in a conventional guides on top setup. Before he could freak out, the shop said they couldn't figure out how the guides got so screwed up!, but they fixed them for him FOR FREE! BWAAHHAAAAA


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## pg542 (Oct 9, 2006)

Gris, there's a builder who posts here that has a little saying when talking with beginners and it's as true now as the first time I ever read it. With every new build that you start, remember, "progress, not perfection". A man named James Labanowski says that and he's known in the rodbuilders universe as Doc Ski. He is "The Man" and a better friend of the beginner you could'nt find. Like Mary lou says " if you make a mistake,,,so what". Mistakes have a way of being very good teaching tools.lol. As you'll soon find out, one of the coolest things about building your own is when you catch that 1st good fish on a rod you built yourself. Having someone to sorta look over their shoulder and get you started is going to shave ALOT off the learning curve. Way to go Terry! Post up when finished and I'm glad you opted for choice #2,,,,Good luck Jim


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## d4rdbuilder (Jan 19, 2007)

Terrynj said:


> A builder on another board was saying he took his expensive spiral wrap custom in to get some minor work done. When he picked it up, all the guides had been removed and put back on in a conventional guides on top setup. Before he could freak out, the shop said they couldn't figure out how the guides got so screwed up!, but they fixed them for him FOR FREE! BWAAHHAAAAA


Now that's funny right there! LOL!


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## Fishtoys (Jul 4, 2007)

*Real funny*

lol. No joke that's funny.:tongue:hwell:


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## pg542 (Oct 9, 2006)

*Well?*

Gris, I think it's time for an update. How's plan#B coming along? Just bein' nosy,,,,Jim


gris said:


> Well so far so good. I met with Terry Saturday and got some great pointers. THANKS Terry! I have the cork and reel eat on, and I have the guides taped on. I'm moving on to the scary part tonight.


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## gris (Feb 8, 2006)

*I little frustrated*

It is going....ok, sort of.

1. I'm having trouble getting the guides on straight.

2. I'll complete a guide, then do the next, then cut off the first because the second was better, then do the third, then cut off the second. It goes on and on.

Im on the verge of saying to heck with it, strap them all on and deal with the fact that my first rod is not very attractive.

BTW Thanks for asking and thanks for the encouragement.

Mike


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## Terrynj (Jun 27, 2006)

HEY GRIS!
I was getting worried about you!









I was really glad to see you at the Rod Show, we were talking, then I looked up and you were gone! lol

Rods are like anything else, you will always be learning and progressing....my first rods I was so proud now only get shown with disclaimers...."the finish ran on me a little and the grips aren't quite straight and the reel seat has a little goo showing and...and.."etc. Don't let it get yo down. You might try practising more on the dowel rods, but cuting them off the rod is about the same thing. Anyway, just remember.....there are plenty of blanks where that one came from!

Great to hear from yo and post it up when finished!

Terry


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## 123456 (Apr 6, 2005)

gris,
dont fret too much with getting the guides on perfectly straight at first. When you get em' all wrapped you can stillmove them a little bit. Get em' close but I usually dont worry too much about it until I'm done with all of them...then I get anal about it!!! hahaha!

Noel


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## Terrynj (Jun 27, 2006)

Sorry Gris.....I missed that point to...Noel is right. After you have wrapped them you can tweak them to straighten. I find it helps me to rotate the guides to underneath the blank and view it from directly above...rotate it slightly so just he edge of the guides is lined up with the blank...tweak .....rotate back to the center and look for exact equal sides of the guides appearing on each side of the blank. Pick the blank up and look straight down the center of the guides....you will eventually sort out the ones that aren't cooperating.
I was going to say you could always do a spiral and claim it is a new varaition! LOL.except I remembered your doing a spinning...oh well...
good luck and call with any questions...you should still have my number....


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## pg542 (Oct 9, 2006)

NSpannTx said:


> gris,
> dont fret too much with getting the guides on perfectly straight at first. When you get em' all wrapped you can stillmove them a little bit. Get em' close but I usually dont worry too much about it until I'm done with all of them...then I get anal about it!!! hahaha!
> 
> Noel


Good advice,Gris. Sorry I missed you Saturday. Sometimes it helps to put a reel in the seat while aligning everything. Then when everything is true to the reel, remove the reel and eyeball them from each end for straight alignment. It may take a little while before your happy with it, but it will come. If you aren't able to move the guides a little with medium firm pressure, (side to side)then you may be using too much thread tension. Nobody's first build is as good as they'd like but the next one is closer, and the next even closer.........progress, not perfection...... You'll get it,,,,,,Jim


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## Cylinder (Oct 8, 2006)

By the way, most blanks are not prefectly straight, so don't try to line up the guides based on some linear concept. Eyeball the guides with the same amount showing on either side, as Terry indicated. I find that the first guide is the most importent one to line up. Put the reel in the reelseat (as Jim indicated) and use the reel to help line up the first guide. All the others should follow. Lastly, do not color preserve the threads until you are happy with your guide alignment.

Good Luck.

Roger


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## gris (Feb 8, 2006)

*An Update*

I finished wrapping gramps marine corps rod. I think I hate rod building and I think I may be addicted. Now I just need to screw it up with the color protector and/or the epoxy.

I have a question...what can I use to write on the blank that I can epoxy over to protect?

Thanks again for all your interest and support.

Here are some pictures

Semper Fi,

Mike


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## Brad K. (Sep 5, 2007)

Awesome looking work!!!! Very clean. For writing on a blank I use a extra-fine point paint marker (Silver) I have not had any problems yet with bleeding or smudging.


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## Shieldski (Dec 2, 2007)

Yeah, you're definately hooked if you're already feeling the whole love/hate thing... LOL. Great work. Everything looks nice and tight and clean. Good job.


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## mlv (Oct 12, 2007)

*Way To Go !!!!!*

*Good Job there Mike..!!*
* For writing on a rodblank, I use Testors paint, with a fine tipped pen...BUT...practice, practice and practice on some old rods first...it is not the easiest thing to write on a rounded,slick surface....*
* Keep up the good work.....*


*ML...:texasflag *


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## pg542 (Oct 9, 2006)

Gris, glad you stuck with it. Guide wraps look great. Just an idea: the next time you wrap single foot guides, do a search for the Forhan lock. It is a way to wrap single foots that helps keep them from working out from under the thread during years of use. Simple to do and good insurance. Make sure you get a good wet coat(or 2) of color preserver on the threads BEFORE you apply finish. Looks great, post up with finish pics......Jim


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## Terrynj (Jun 27, 2006)

Looks really good Gris! Post up the pics after you put the finish on, it will be a great rod. You will have a better feel for the second one and it won't take you as long...you will know more of what to expect.
Terry


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## gris (Feb 8, 2006)

*It is finished!*

I done with it, and I'm not that ashamed of how it turned out. I might be just a little proud. I do know that I learned a lot, and that my next rod will be much better.

My Gramps will be arriving in Port Mansfield on May 2nd to start his annual six month fishing vacation. The poor guy lives in Hawaii from May -November where he plays golf four days a week. The rod will be in our rod box at our boat slip when he gets there.

Thanks again for all the advice.

Mike


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## Brad K. (Sep 5, 2007)

Fantastic looking rod. Have you got any pics of the finished guide wraps?


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## Terrynj (Jun 27, 2006)

Great job Gris! Glad to see you stuck it out! How did the finish on the guides go?
Now your ready for the next one!


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## d4rdbuilder (Jan 19, 2007)

Mike that's a great job for your first time out! Your grandfather has something to sure enough be proud of there!..... Keep um comin.


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## gris (Feb 8, 2006)

*THe guides*

Here are a couple of pics of the guides. The thread look orange in the picture, but it came out scarlet. Im not sure why the pics look different.


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## remedo (Nov 26, 2005)

Tell your Grandpa, Remedo said "SEMPER FIDELIS". I was a marine too.


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## Goags (May 28, 2004)

Gris, great job! Glad you stuck w/ it. I'd be proud of it, too! Grandpa is in for a BIG surprise. Jerry


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## Terrynj (Jun 27, 2006)

The guides came out really good Gris! The color may not be right because the white balance may not be set right on your camera, the picture looks good anyway. How many coats of CP did you use?


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## pg542 (Oct 9, 2006)

Looks great, gris. It looks like your finish "laid out" nice. Have you casted it yet? Like everyone else said "What's next?........ How about a rod for gris this time?........Jim


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## gris (Feb 8, 2006)

*Thanks guys!*

Remedo....I'll tell him

Terry....I used used two coats of CP. The first coat I mixed with water and really soaked the wraps, the second coat was pure CP.

PG542....I have not casted it yet, I do not own a spinning reel. I almost bought one yesterday just because I wanted to cast it. My next rod...I would like to build one for myself but I just can't justify it, I own a full quiver of high end production rods. My daughter and my brother can't cast a baitcaster well, so my next rod will be another spincaster.

Once again, thank you all for your interest and encouragment.

Mike


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## Profish00 (May 21, 2004)

good job


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## mlv (Oct 12, 2007)

*Good Job !!*

*Mike.....*
* Remember, from this point on, your rods will only get better and better and better !!*
* I'm glad you hung in there !!:cheers: *


*ML...:texasflag *


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## Raymond Adams (Apr 17, 2008)

Well done Mike! Nice looking rod.


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