Rod building question

Or video? Especially one that has good details on building the lower handle. (Don't mean to hijack your thread, just have the same Q at the same time)

Try this...
http://www.speypages.com/speyclave/showthread.php?t=139666&highlight=rod+building

No worries cowboy, any and all relevant info is helpful to this guy. Thanks jabrowning, will check it out.

tom kirkman's book is a good very basic beginners book

Check out this series of videos, the guy might like to talk but he doesnt leave any rock unturned. I used this video for my first build and man did it help. Warning, there are quite a few videos in this series.

Building your first Fly Rod - Part 1 - Introducti…: http://youtu.be/8NKKACqIfOo

Sent from my SGH-I547C using Tapatalk

also the kirkman book is very inexpensive at $11 shipped on Amazon

coastrider said:

Check out this series of videos, the guy might like to talk but he doesnt leave any rock unturned. I used this video for my first build and man did it help. Warning, there are quite a few videos in this series.

Building your first Fly Rod - Part 1 - Introducti…: http://youtu.be/8NKKACqIfOo

Sent from my SGH-I547C using Tapatalk

Click to expand...

Start here ^^^

I did the same thing, and found the info in the series to be very helpful. You might also check out rodbuildingforum.com, lots of helpful stuff to be found there as well.

Finally, I must say DON'T DO IT!!!! It's almost as bad as fly tying
JB

Cowboy Tom said:

Or video? Especially one that has good details on building the lower handle. (Don't mean to hijack your thread, just have the same Q at the same time)

Click to expand...

Tom,
I'm a complete newbie hack at rod building, having only built two switch rods so far, I'm just starting a 13' 8wt spey rod now. I've not found the lower grip to be particularly challenging, other than learning the hard way to be sure and drill a bit into the butt cork ring allowing it to slide onto the rod blank. For me the trickier part, if you're working with limited tools and skills like me, is the long upper grip.
I mangled the upper fore grip on both of the switch rods I did and had to do them over. Either way, getting the grips to work out reasonably well isn't too tough with some time and patience... getting them to look even close to Miesers is another story altogether.

JB

there are some good tutorials on the site of mudhole.com

Since you are completely new to rod building, I doubt if you have access to a lathe that you can turn cork on. As your first build, I would recommend that you buy a kit, with blank, preformed grips, and guides, then all you will need is thread, glue, finish and time. I would recommend one of the less expensive blanks to start with. Get some practice wrapping thread on a dowel or scrap rod blank until you are able to make nice tight wraps. Then practice your finish application on the same wraps before you try it on a rod you obviously would like to turn out nice. Practice and experience can do wonders!!

Thanks guys, I've been tying flies for 30 yrs now, so I'm guessing I'll be able to pull this off. An uncle of mine is a master wood turner and has a super trick lathe for turning. Lots of exotic woods to choose from for a real seat. Honestly, I think choosing guides, hardware, threads and finishes will be the biggest challenge. Looking forward to my first build.

I learned by reading Handcrafting a Graphite Fly Rod by L A Garcia. Not a great book, a little dated, but hits the basics. I found videos I veiwed on-line to be even more helpful. On YouTube I found the "how we do it" videos from Flex Coat to be strait forward and useful, especially for a beginner. Like others have said the videos on the mudhole website are good too, as is the info on the rod building websites.