24kg rod builds

Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote dustin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: 24kg rod builds
    Posted: 21 Oct 2012 at 12:04pm
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Hey all,

Thought I would post here as the other forums I've checked, although they have a lot of rod building info, don't seem to do much of what I hope these builds will do, ie marlin fishing.  It's really interesting how different the long range or tuna rods are. 

I learned the basics of putting a rod together over 10 years ago, my early efforts were satisfying but very frustrating at the same time as I struggled badly with getting the epoxy to properly set in the 99% humidity of Singapore where I lived at the time. A few months after moving into a flat with enough space to put up the rod building jigs, I felt it was time to give rodbuilding another go. 

My test mule was a cheap, white solid glass boat rod which had been spray painted black some months back. 



Huge relief when the epoxy set nice and hard. 

Time to try something more ambitious.  I'm planning to fish a bit with my dad in Indonesia in the next few years and all the 20/30 lb class gear fished with the old man back in my teens is too light for what I want to target. 

I had an old Seeker TS60XH lying around that I'd part assembled but never wrapped, not wanting to mess up a nice blank with a crap epoxy job.  The blank had been built with a foam rear grip that I now had no use for.  With some regret I cut the rear section off and fitted a size 2 ferrule. 

It didn't take long to underwrap and double overwrap the guides and the epoxy set nicely although there were a few lumps here and there caused by over application.  I hate to see epoxy go to waste and have a tendency to add more of it than I should.  Not a good idea.



Still, everything looked fairly reasonable until I gave the rod a good bend... and hairline cracks started appearing at the tips of the first four roller guides. Cry  Noooooo.....

At this point I felt there was nothing I could do except add a third layer of epoxy to build up the thickness.  I'd seen similar cracks develop on other rods but this was the first time it had happened to me.  I needed to resolve the issue as my second blank needed building.  It would be a complete new build, too, so there were lots of decisions to make.  Slick butt or aluminium butt, what size grips and so on - even how long should the complete rod be.  
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Blue Asparagus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Oct 2012 at 7:51pm
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I will follow this with interest as I am build 4 as well same thing to game fishing, if I can get away with it I will be doing away with rollers and building on the same concept as a jig rod, am using seeker blanks which are 6ft
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote dustin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Nov 2012 at 3:14am
dustin View Drop Down
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The next blank was a 5 foot 6 inch, 50/80 stand up kindly given to me by a friend. This would be a complete build and I kicked around lots of possible configurations - slick butt vs aluminium butt, different lengths and so on.  How long should a heavy 50 stand up rod ideally be?  What butt configuration is the most practical?  I knew I would be using the same roller guides as on the Seeker blank - how best to avoid the same problem of the epoxy cracking at the guide feet?  Some photos coming soon but in the meantime do chip in with your thoughts. 
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Billfish2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Nov 2012 at 8:20am
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Hi Dustin
I would give Leon @ Offshore a call, PM Me if you want his number he is really helpful.
Not sure where you are but if your in Auckland I have 3 - 4 50lb - 80lb stand up rods if you want to run your eye over them.
 
I have A lot of Leon's rods and they are very well made.
Or the other guy to talk to would be Kieren @ Reel Rods.
 
 
 
 
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