Just ordered first rod building kit

[sodaksker]

As the title says, figured I would give it go since I live in the cold land and dont have anything to in the winter since I have quit hunting. Ordered the "building kit" last fall since I wanted to repair some rods but, just ordered the "rod kit" this week. It's a 6' 6 spinning rod that I thought my daughter and I could do together and the rod would be for her. Just wanted to reach out see if there are any common obstacles or mistakes that I should watch out for...or any helpful hints for the beginner. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks

[one-over-par]

Patience!!! lol
I got the starter kit also and a couple clearance blanks to start with. I have built 2 casting rods (practice) & 2 spinning rods (one was practice) the 4th was a nicer blank for shaky-heads. I love this rod!! It gets addictive...Especially after catching fish on rods you constructed.
I've got 3 more in the waiting after the one I'm working on.

But back to the "patience". Following tutorials and whatnot it is not difficult to build a basic rod but start adding the intricate wrapping of thread takes time to get it right.

a snippet of the one I'm doing now... (I don't have a lot of patience so I do a little here and there, this is two weeks to get to this point)haha
wrap.jpg

I'm not all that interested in doing those fancy deco wraps just for looks, I really just want to build solid rods with every component to my exact specs.
Good luck with the build.

Test fit only... no trim bands or glued up.
PXL_20220206_013516649.MP.jpg

[ECobb91]

That wrap is pretty impressive for a 4th build.

to the OP, there’s usually two types of builders: those who are minimalistic and just focus on making the road as light as possible and those who want a truly personalized rod and adds decorative wraps. Just keep in mind the more wraps you have the heavier the rod will be which can decrease sensitivity.

-practice wraps on an old blank, the more wraps you do the better you will get.
-don’t be afraid of cutting the thread off and starting over. If you don’t like the way something is, fix it. The best part about rod building is you get exactly what you want out of a rod. You’re the QAQC for the rod construction, be as critical as you want.
-decorative wraps are a rest way to personalize a rod. They add weight which means decreases sensitivity and balance. If you do them with a split grip I would do it in the area that’s shown in the pics above (between the handles). It might help balance the rod too.
-invest in a workbench magnifying glass if you don’t have one already. It helps see how the threads are packed. (Also pack the threads often).
-when you go to trim tag ends, twist the thread so it gets extremely tight, place the razor blade against the wrap and pull the thread end into the blade to get a clean cut. Don’t push the blade or “saw” it against the thread, doing so creates burrs. If you do get a burr, use a match or lighter to burn the burr down. If you don’t this will create a rigid point when epoxy is applied.
-first rod it might be good to follow a guide layout chart. After that I would recommend spacing the guides based on a static test. The static test allows you to position guides based on the curvature of the rod. It’ll minimize the number of guides while maximize performance.
- when you ream the handle, go slow and check often. If you over ream, don’t panic you can use tape to fill in the gap.
-dry fit your handle in place and tape the guides on. Put the reel on it and see how it feels/balances, and see if you need to adjust the handle position. Don’t epoxy the reel seat without testing first. Once it’s in place, it’s near permanent. (I made that mistake on one of mine, it looked great but once I expoxied the seat and put the reel on, the handle was about 4” too long for my liking).
-when everything is on the rod check the guide alignment. (Put the butt of the rod on the floor and hood the tip, look down the rod from the top and you’ll be able to see misaligned guides easier).
-when you put epoxy on, if it starts to become tacky and doesn’t spread easily, stop and mix a new batch (within reason, like if you’re on your last guide then there’s no need). Don’t be like me and try to push through to save money. Once the epoxy becomes too tacky it won’t level right.
-get a sticky note and put a dab of the epoxy on it. This will be your finger test sample. Don’t touch the epoxy on the guides to see if they are done because you might mess them up if it’s still pliable. Touch the dab on the sticky note to avoid fingerprints or peaks.
-when the epoxy is dried, check to see if another coat is needed. Most rod builders need 2 coats to cover all threads.
- don’t be afraid to ask questions. Some of the guys on here have hundreds of builds under them. They’re a wealth of knowledge and a great resource.
Below are some of the most helpful links I’ve found.

[ECobb91]

http://www.bbcboards.net/showthread.php?t=1035824

https://anglersresource.net/kr-guide...ment-software/


https://anglersresource.net/static-load-tutorial/


https://www.fujitackle.eu/files/fuji_kr_concept.pdf

[Les Young]

Congratulations. I ordered one 3 years ago & have yet to build it.

[Dylevan]

I just finished my 7th and 8th builds. Caught a 7 lbr and 6 lbr last month on a rod I built. That is a totally different feeling. It seems I learn another trick or shortcut after every new build. I screw something up and then find the shortcut from videos when trying to fix it.
Some observations:
Try to learn how to tie off a wrap with no tag end. I have accidentally cut a wrap and had to start over while trying to cut a tag off and also have left fuzzies and burned through the wrap trying to burn it off.
Do not use a butane lighter for anything except lighting an alcohol burner. You will leave soot on your wraps.
Experiment with single and double turn thread inlays.
There are many ways to accomplish the same thing and you will see them all watching videos. Try as many as you can and you will settle on one method that works best for you.
Make sure when you are ready to assemble and glue that you lay everything out in the order you need to put it on. It sucks getting everything glued and realizing you forgot a winding check in the middle of the rod.
And last, dont be afraid to ask questions. These guys have been great answering questions I have had.

[Solitario Lupo]

Watch some YouTube vids and some of those guys will show you how to make it look nice.

[omykee]

Nicely written

That wrap is pretty impressive for a 4th build.

to the OP, there’s usually two types of builders: those who are minimalistic and just focus on making the road as light as possible and those who want a truly personalized rod and adds decorative wraps. Just keep in mind the more wraps you have the heavier the rod will be which can decrease sensitivity.

-practice wraps on an old blank, the more wraps you do the better you will get.
-don’t be afraid of cutting the thread off and starting over. If you don’t like the way something is, fix it. The best part about rod building is you get exactly what you want out of a rod. You’re the QAQC for the rod construction, be as critical as you want.
-decorative wraps are a rest way to personalize a rod. They add weight which means decreases sensitivity and balance. If you do them with a split grip I would do it in the area that’s shown in the pics above (between the handles). It might help balance the rod too.
-invest in a workbench magnifying glass if you don’t have one already. It helps see how the threads are packed. (Also pack the threads often).
-when you go to trim tag ends, twist the thread so it gets extremely tight, place the razor blade against the wrap and pull the thread end into the blade to get a clean cut. Don’t push the blade or “saw” it against the thread, doing so creates burrs. If you do get a burr, use a match or lighter to burn the burr down. If you don’t this will create a rigid point when epoxy is applied.
-first rod it might be good to follow a guide layout chart. After that I would recommend spacing the guides based on a static test. The static test allows you to position guides based on the curvature of the rod. It’ll minimize the number of guides while maximize performance.
- when you ream the handle, go slow and check often. If you over ream, don’t panic you can use tape to fill in the gap.
-dry fit your handle in place and tape the guides on. Put the reel on it and see how it feels/balances, and see if you need to adjust the handle position. Don’t epoxy the reel seat without testing first. Once it’s in place, it’s near permanent. (I made that mistake on one of mine, it looked great but once I expoxied the seat and put the reel on, the handle was about 4” too long for my liking).
-when everything is on the rod check the guide alignment. (Put the butt of the rod on the floor and hood the tip, look down the rod from the top and you’ll be able to see misaligned guides easier).
-when you put epoxy on, if it starts to become tacky and doesn’t spread easily, stop and mix a new batch (within reason, like if you’re on your last guide then there’s no need). Don’t be like me and try to push through to save money. Once the epoxy becomes too tacky it won’t level right.
-get a sticky note and put a dab of the epoxy on it. This will be your finger test sample. Don’t touch the epoxy on the guides to see if they are done because you might mess them up if it’s still pliable. Touch the dab on the sticky note to avoid fingerprints or peaks.
-when the epoxy is dried, check to see if another coat is needed. Most rod builders need 2 coats to cover all threads.
- don’t be afraid to ask questions. Some of the guys on here have hundreds of builds under them. They’re a wealth of knowledge and a great resource.
Below are some of the most helpful links I’ve found.

[apdriver]

^^^^^^very good advice^^^^^

[sodaksker]

Wow!!

Thank you for all the information and links. Much appreciated. I can see the hardest part for me will be just getting started

[willwork4fish]

Make sure you measure your finish 1:1...easiest way is with a syringe.

[sodaksker]

Got it all out of the package, spined the rod and bored out the grips last night. Too early to tell but the daughter might be enjoying it. I know i was.

Thanks again for all your help. BBC and its members are great!!

[geodebasser]

Good luck . It is a very satisfying hobby and I have given many rods away to high school teams and friends.I have been doing it since 2012 and now have close to fifty rods in my closet. I am function over decorating. I want the rod spaced correctly, the guides spaced for maximum efficiency and lightness.

[Mr. Smallfish]

Started last March. On rod #12 now.