TFO Professional Series 9 Wt 4 Pcs

[arkman]

My wife got me into rod building because she bought me a gift certificate to Thorn Brothers in Minnesota. I always thought it would be fun to make a custom rod. I started this in March and finished it finally in September. I just got a bit distracted and decided I'd like to practice on some "cheaper" rods. Its been done for a while but I finally got time to shoot some photos.

I still haven't really casted it much but so far I really like it. I LOVE the reel I found for it. Hopefully next weekend I get to give both the rod and reel a work out on some steelhead. Its my first steelhead trip ever so it should be fun.

I hope you enjoy!

 

[TeddyBallgame09]

Congrats!
That's a Beaut!
Thanks for posting!!

Best of luck with it on the water!

 

[arkman]

Thanks! It turned out nice. I was really nervous when I started but its not that tough to do. I learned a lot from the process and my next rods will be even better...hopefully.

 

[vanceinak]

Great job!
I thought about trying to build my next rod (also a TFO) but decided that since I'm just trying to learn to fish & tie & may not need to learn to build rods at the same time ;-)
Congrats on yours!

 

[Pennell]

Hi,
Nice job. You can make the whipping turns tighter by pushing the whipping with your finger nail ,(I use my thumb), every few turns . This illiminates the spaces which can be seen on your whippings.
Hope that helps and again , good job.

:thumbsupu

 

[arkman]

Thanks for the nice comments.

Pennell- I packed the wraps as tight as I could. I don't quite understand what happen. If you could see it close up you'd notice that the threads are packed tight but its like the thread turned transparent with the epoxy. It was super frustrating. I was really hoping that it was a much more solid red even a little bolder than it is.

Its almost like I was using silk thread, even though I wasn't. Any idea why that would be?

Thanks again for the nice comments.

 

[mcnerney]

Nice work indeed, congrats! Hopefully, it isn't too late in the season to give that beauty a workout.

Larry

 

[arkman]

I'm heading out steelhead fishing tomorrow before the season closes. I'm hoping that the fish are so tough on it I have to make use of the TFO warranty.

 

[Frank Whiton]

Hi arkman,

You did a great job for you first rod, congratulations.

I can see the discoloration you mentioned. I don't know if it will help but did you use a color preserver on the thread before the epoxy? I am sure one of our rod wrappers will be able to help you out.

Frank

 

[imxer]

arkman:

You can be proud of your first rod. Nice job.

It has been many moons since my rod building days but these comments might still be useful.


Re: As Pennell points out, you can help keep the wraps tight by pushing gently on the bottom of the wrap to move the thread a little closer to those "above" them. I used my thumb nail and tried to keep even pressure all the way around. After the wrap is complete did you burnish it to make the thread even and close the gaps? This helps smooth things out. "Just right", even thread tension as you wrap helps too. Practice will lead to that.
In addition to color preserver, a treated thread that is designed to keep the thread from changing color when applying epoxy can be used, hence no [theoretically at least] color preserver is necessary. Did you use size "A" thread?

 

[cattech89]

Okay, I know that I know absolutely nothing about rod building, buuuuutttttt, I kinda like the color variations. The way I see it as long as the wraps are tight, as you say they are, I think they add a bit of uniquity to the rod.

 

[arkman]

Thanks cattech. I sort of like the variation but I still wish it had turned out a little different.

imxer- Oddly enough this was the best (at least I thought), that I had packed and burnished the threads. I think the problem maybe came from it being wrapped for 2 months before I epoxied it. I wrap slow and pack just about every turn to three turns. Then I burnished it after it was all said and done. I'm not sure what exactly happened.

Oh well, I'm still really happy with the way it turned out.

Thanks everyone for you comments.

Expect more to come this winter.

 

[Pennell]

Hi Arkman,
Ok , does sound like you have lost some of the colour from the thread or could the turns have loosened off in the time between wrapping and epoxying ?

"but I still wish it had turned out a little different."

Yeah I know exactly what you mean. You spend so much time and effort doing the best you can but it does not turn out as you had pictured. IT IS A BUMMER.

It's still a nice job though. I wish my first rod had turned out as well.:shocking:

All the Best.