Building a rod - video tutorial

[nevadanstig]

Decided to video log one of my last builds. This particular rod was a spin rod, but the building premise and steps are the exact same for a fly rod (and all rods really) so still plenty of use for this forum in this video.
The video is probably more geared towards beginners and those thinking of building, but there's a good number of little tricks and tips sprinkled in that even some more experienced builders might find useful.
The video was quite long, but if you go in the description in YouTube, I've timestamped the individual steps.
YouTube

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[Lewis Chessman]

Hi, nevadastig. Having read your posts for several years it's a pleasure to put a face and voice to your words.

Thanks for posting this. I started rod building this year, 4 rods in now, and have really enjoyed the first 13 mins of the vid. I'll watch the rest over Christmas and don't doubt I'll get some great tips. I, too, now make a saucer for the eye epoxy out of foil and grinned when I saw it on your table. So easy to warm.
And when you mentioned the luxury of a rod turner ......
I knocked one up from a broken microwave's plate motor and now want more! You're right, they do give superior results. In my case, even better than religious hand-turning.

Thanks again and good on you for taking the time,
James.

 

[nevadanstig]

Hi, nevadastig. Having read your posts for several years it's a pleasure to put a face and voice to your words.

Thanks for posting this. I started rod building this year, 4 rods in now, and have really enjoyed the first 13 mins of the vid. I'll watch the rest over Christmas and don't doubt I'll get some great tips. I, too, now make a saucer for the eye epoxy out of foil and grinned when I saw it on your table. So easy to warm.
And when you mentioned the luxury of a rod turner ......
I knocked one up from a broken microwave's plate motor and now want more! You're right, they do give superior results. In my case, even better than religious hand-turning.

Thanks again and good on you for taking the time,
James.

I got great results hand turning. But, specially with the long cure times of prokote, sitting there and turning, and turning, and turning, for 4-6 hours... Yeah, those dryers are ALMOST a must have. Not completely required, but if you're building on a tight budget, that would definitely be the first thing to spend money on!

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[Lewis Chessman]

I'm going to have a chat with the guys at the local recycling centre and ask them to give me a call whenever a busted microwave is thrown in the skip!

Tbh, my hand-turned results might well have been down to my epoxying inexperience. I've been using too much (FlexCoat Lite), doing just one coat, but got far better results on my last build by doing two minimal coats, sanding in between. If I may:



Still not perfect, I know, but far lighter and more even than I achieved before.

But I don't mean to hijack your thread, mate, just encourage others to give it a go. I've tied flies (averagely!) since I was a kid but never enjoyed it as much as I'm enjoying the rod building. It's added a whole new dimension to the sport for me.

 

[nevadanstig]

I'm going to have a chat with the guys at the local recycling centre and ask them to give me a call whenever a busted microwave is thrown in the skip!

Tbh, my hand-turned results might well have been down to my epoxying inexperience. I've been using too much (FlexCoat Lite), doing just one coat, but got far better results on my last build by doing two minimal coats, sanding in between. If I may:

View attachment 14551

Still not perfect, I know, but far lighter and more even than I achieved before.

But I don't mean to hijack your thread, mate, just encourage others to give it a go. I've tied flies (averagely!) since I was a kid but never enjoyed it as much as I'm enjoying the rod building. It's added a whole new dimension to the sport for me.

Not hijacking at all! Time spent chatting about building is time well spent!
The multiple coats is definitely the way to go. I've done as many as 5 extremely light coats on some of my builds. The tip and smaller diameters usually don't need quite as much, but things like butt wraps, dragon scales or complicated inlays or wraps in the larger diameter sections can take a lot more finish to get nice and smooth.

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[Lewis Chessman]

That's great to hear a more experienced voice say so. I tentatively gave the butt section wraps of my last rod three licks, feeling I'd been too cautious before, and it worked well. That was a 'Cupboard Rod', a neglected, whippy '80s homebuild I stripped back just for practice. My best work on my worst blank!
I had enough unwanted, basic gear to make a kit up and it's going to a neighbour's kid, courtesy of Santa. He's 7 or 8 and spins and worms with his dad, so hopefully this will open up fly fishing to him.

I look forward to the rest of your video, I'm sure it'll be a great help on my next, another stripped-back '80s graphite I'll do mainly for the experience and enjoyment. The steel-sleeved butt ferrule doesn't bode well on the action front, through!