# Latest Work



## Shieldski (Dec 2, 2007)

Hey everyone,

A departure from my typical salt water stuff, the latest is a bass rod. The customer purchased it as a gift for a guy graduating from my alma mater. Built on an All-Star blank, 7'2", Fuji ACS reel seat, split cork grip with 6 axis chevron wrap in between.














































Hope ya'll like it. All comments are always appreciated, Thanks, Jeff


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## Terrynj (Jun 27, 2006)

Wow Jeff! That is gorgeous! You do incredible work and this rod is exquisite! Is it for someone?


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## Doc Labanowski (Jan 9, 2006)

Nicely done. beautiful clear finish too


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## Shieldski (Dec 2, 2007)

Thanks Terry and Doc. 

Terry, the rod was built for a football player that is graduating from my alma mater high school.


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## Terrynj (Jun 27, 2006)

Is he offense or defense? Either way he's a back and tuff!
Is that a decal or a weave in gold? it looks like a dry transfer...


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## Shieldski (Dec 2, 2007)

Those are all just water slide decals from decal connection. 

Not sure what position he plays, I've never met him. Just seen pics of him with 8, 9 and 10 pound bass out of Texas lakes. Looking forward to getting some pics of what he brings in with this one...


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## captneilf (Feb 29, 2008)

Hi Jeff,


Beautiful!!! Great asymetry on the wrap.

I take it you installed the grips after the wrap was completed.

Great job with the pics in the spiral wrapped guide thread.

Capt Neil


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## Terrynj (Jun 27, 2006)

Yeah, I don't know why I said weave....thats a very good water slide. What is the blank?


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## Shieldski (Dec 2, 2007)

It's a blank from Andy Dear. I got the rest of his "trash can" blanks from him, so really no telling what part number it is for sure. Just knew it would be perfect for the application. 

Hi Neal, yes, the cork was put on after the wrap was done. I'm really not fond of visible tie-offs for some reason, guess I think it can take away from the wrap, and this was my first attempt to do this with cork... much easier with EVA for sure... lol. 

And thanks for the comments on the spiral post. That was very informative for all. I know I learned something, as I always do.


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## Goags (May 28, 2004)

That's a beautiful job! I really like the 6 axis wraps, and this one is as good as it gets. Conventional on top setup or spiral? When doing the grip install after wrap, how hard is it to clean the rodbond from the finished wrap...use alcohol? Jerry


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## d4rdbuilder (Jan 19, 2007)

Jeff another winner! Beautifully done


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## Shieldski (Dec 2, 2007)

Thanks guys.

Jerry, it's a conventional, on top, set up. It's a gift and the kid has never seen nor heard of a spiral wrapped rod so the guy paying for it was weary of spending all that money on something he might not understand/use. I was also talking to a bass guy in my apt. complex and he mentioned something I never thought about that may be the only downfall for a spiral on this type of rod: He likes to visually see his line on the top of his rod as he's fishing. He said sometimes you can actually see the line move, without even feeling anything in the blank yet, and that could be the difference in hooking into a good bass and missing it completely. I'm no bass pro so I had never even considered that, but it makes sense. So me and the customer decided to go ahead and make him a "classic" guides on top style and then if he likes it, maybe we can turn him to the "dark" side... lol.

As far as the wrap goes, I just put about 3 coats of TM lite on the wrap and let it cure for 48 hours. The rod bond comes right off, just make sure and let your thread epoxy cure an extra day, at least that's what works for me. I got most of it off with a paper towel and went back with 99% pure Isopropyl and a lint free cloth (I'm in the fiber optics business, and this is what we use to clean the fibers) and went over the wrap once. Came out slick. Then just another 3 or 4 coats of TM lite and it's all done. Also, I didn't bother hitting the wrap with a scotchbrite pad or anything, just put the next coat down as usual and it bonded perfectly.


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## pg542 (Oct 9, 2006)

Once again, great work Jeff. Really nice color choices The camera doesn't lie.


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## Sweet Action (Mar 27, 2008)

Dude, That is friggen BAD ASSSSSSSS!


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## PTH (Aug 22, 2006)

*Question*

That is outstanding work. Can you tell us (rookies) how you give the blank that tapered look or build up right in front of the real seat? Thanks for sharing your work with the rest of us. I really appreciate it.


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## Devans87 (Sep 5, 2007)

That is simply amazing. What a cool looking rod!


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## Shieldski (Dec 2, 2007)

PTH, that is what's called an epoxy ramp. You take some 5 min, 2 part epoxy and build up that section right in front of the reel seat. After it cures, you can shape it with sand paper to whatever size you want it to be. Then just wrap it with thread, right up to the reel seat, and then coat with layers of thread epoxy until the level of the epoxy matches the level of the reel seat. Your first couple is a little tricky, this is actually only my second. My first one was on a tuna rod and it was much larger which actually made it easier. Here's a couple of pics of that one to give you an idea of the process.

Here's the epoxy ramp after being applied and shaped.









Here's the finished product. It's a pretty cool effect, just takes a little practice.









Thanks very much for the compliments, guys. Much appreciated. Jeff


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## PTH (Aug 22, 2006)

*Epoxy Ramp*

Once again thank you for sharing your technique with me. I am working on a rod right now and will definately consider the epoxy ramp. I guess a winding check is not used right?


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## Terrynj (Jun 27, 2006)

Wow Jeff that is beautiful! (Thrasher) Incredible work!


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## Shieldski (Dec 2, 2007)

PTH, no, winding check is no longer needed.

Thanks Terry, I appreciate it. Glad that one was built for me. Can't wait to catch my first YFT on it.... woooo hoooo.

Jeff


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## mlv (Oct 12, 2007)

*Warning.....*



PTH said:


> Once again thank you for sharing your technique with me. I am working on a rod right now and will definately consider the epoxy ramp. I guess a winding check is not used right?


*PTH.....*
* Warning !!! Warning !! Epoxy Ramps are addictive !!   Believe me, you will never go back to using a plain old winding check again !!*


*ML...:texasflag *


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## PTH (Aug 22, 2006)

*Guides used*

Can you tell me what guides you used for this rod? They look real sharp. Thanks


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## Shieldski (Dec 2, 2007)

Hey PTH,

Yeah, I like these guides a lot. They are all from Batson. I started with a UD guide, then moved to the VS3 guides, then moved down to the F series. Here's a pic of the F:









Great quality guides. Although I must say after working those big saltwater guides, these little size 6's just about drove me to drink...LOL. Can't say enough good things about the Batson folks.

Jeff


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## Steve Gardner (Mar 23, 2008)

You should try some of the 1.5 to 3mm guides, after them the six's will seem easy and large
good looking job on the wrap and finish!


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## Shieldski (Dec 2, 2007)

Thanks Steve.

Yeah, that's what I've heard about those micro guides. Not looking forward to that day... lol. I bet size A thread would like like ship rope on those things....


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## d4rdbuilder (Jan 19, 2007)

Jeff, thats an outstanding example of what a guide wrap and finish should look like...Very Nice!


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## mlv (Oct 12, 2007)

*Silk Thread ??*



Shieldski said:


> Thanks Steve.
> 
> Yeah, that's what I've heard about those micro guides. Not looking forward to that day... lol. I bet size A thread would like like ship rope on those things....


Jeff....
I was just thinking, would it be easier to wrap the micro guides, if you used silk thread..?? 
 I had used Fishhawk silk thread on snakeguides in the past,and it seem to work better than a regular size A thread....

ML...:texasflag


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## Shieldski (Dec 2, 2007)

That's an interesting thought, ML. Maybe Steve will chime back in and comment on the type of thread he's using on the micro's.


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## mark blabaum (Dec 6, 2007)

Jeff, I know that Steve has more experience with the micros than I, but they aren't that hard to wrap, they only use half the thread as well. I've found that you can tape them on and just wrap as usual. I've had my best luck by starting the wrap with 3-4 turns then tape the micro on the blank overhanging the starting wrap. I wrap 5-6 more turns over the guide, by this time the guide has cheated ahead a little you can pack the threads and the end of the guide that was uncovered will be completly covered and you can finish the wrapping. I find the 3mm's as easy to wrap as the 6mm's.


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## Steve Gardner (Mar 23, 2008)

Mark I wrap mine almost the same as you cheating the line foreword, but I tape them on first. Or more accurately leave them taped on after static and test casting.

I use Size A thread and a lot of metallics size A. I too bought some of the fish hawk silk at the Expo to try but have not as yet. 

I also find the 3mm easy to wrap, but for someone having a challenge with six's.

 I can see it being harder with three's, But at the same time the 1.5 and 2mm are tougher then the three's

If you do a good job of trimming your tag ends you can get by with one coating of epoxy. Which I prefer just to keep the weight down. 

As little as these guides weigh it is easy for the thread and epoxy to end up weighing more then the guide if you have to use mutable coats.


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