How much would it cost to make your very own rod.

[fish4fish]

Ok it is once again being discussed on the Utah board and it peaks my interest, so i thought that i would post it here, how much would it cost to make a 6'6"-7' rod with a cork handle that was sensitave enough to throw jigs, but that you could also throw cranks, spoons, spinners and power bait with.
[signature]

[WFBRadio]

Well that is a loaded question
The short answer is " nothing" because you provide all the free labor
Your final price will depend on how much you want to spend for the hardware.
[signature]

[gdn443]

I looked into once and it was cheaper to buy a good rod than to make it. But like fishing if its a hobby you enjoy it doesn't matter. Face it we could buy fish fillets cheaper than it costs us to chase them, but wheres the fun? Plus you can make some one of a kind rods.
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]I'm sure you are looking for real info here, and not just off the wall remarks. The general statement is that a USEABLE rod will run from a low end of about $35 to as much as $200 or more. The major difference is in the blank you buy, and the quality of the reel seat, handle components and guides.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]If price is the considertion, you can get a decent blank from Cabelas for $20 to $30. If you want Loomis, you will need to spend about $60 on a blank. Similarly, you can get a complete set of guides from Janns, for under $10...or you can pay $4 to $7 apiece for each of the guides and tip top for a fancier stick. Cork is more expensive than foam, but is preferred by most seasoned anglers.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Those who end up building their own rods seldom do so just to save money. You can buy some pretty good complete rods at Wally World or other volume outlets for under $30 dollars. You can buy JUNK for even less. But, to buy a quality rod, that you could make for under $100 (Loomis blank), you would have to pay up to $200 at a quality tackletorium. So, you CAN save a few dollars on the high end stuff, but not if you wanna just go cheap.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The biggest reason I make my own rods is to get exactly the combination of length, strength, action and guide placement I want. That says it all. I am apalled at some of the shoddy workmanship on even some of the higher priced rods on the market. They are either machine wrapped or contracted out to cheap labor. The alignment and placement of guides is often totally wrong for the action of the rod.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]If you are artistic, making your own rods also allows you to decorate them with fancy wraps and woven patterns. That is advanced stuff, but it doesn't take long to be able to do some nice work, if you get the hang of working with the threads.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Shoot me a PM if you get serious and need some help in choosing a blank and components. I just helped another old time BFTer to build 2 new ice rods and two 6' baitcast rods (Med action) for about the same thing you are looking for. Total component cost, for all 4 rods...between Cabelas and Janns (including shipping)...was just under $120. He elected foam handles, so you would have to add a few dollars for cork.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[fish4fish]

Thanks TD, for now i am just getting ideas, i looked through m cabelas rod building catalog and started getting ideas, but for now thats all that they are going to be is ideas. I want to build one just so i can say that i built the rod that i caught the fish on, if that makes sence.

I read the discussion on the utah board, and i posted this here, i forgot about the rod building board, but the general concess is that the cabelas rod blanks are good, is this true, or would you look to other brands, im not a hard core fisherman i just do it for receration so i wouldnt need top of the line items.

If i were to go ahead and build a rod i would need 1. a blank that fits my needs. 2. a handle, foam is fine with me, cork is a little slick for me. 3. eyelets. Am i missing anything, i noticed that the thread and epoxy can come with the rod plank if you get the "kit" for a few dollars more. And is it completly nescessary to get a rod wraping station, cuz i think that i could just build my own of that, they look rather simple. Am i missing anything else, oh yeah, about how long would a task such as this take, cuz i have lots of free time in the evening.
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]I ain't rich, but I also ain't broke. I can afford to buy the pricier blanks but I still wrap most of my rods on Cabela's Fish Eagle II and IM7 blanks. They are always exactly the length, strength and action I order. They do have quality and quality control.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]On the two I just finished, they featured something new. They actually have a spiral wrap around the straight fibres on the lower third of the rod. I have never had one break, but that does add a measure of extra strength at the part of the rod that usually fails first on big fish or when abused on snags.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Fishing with a rod you made is probably one of the more gratifying things in fishing. It is right up there with tying your own flies and making your own jigs. Not only do you have gear matched to your style of fishing, you wrap it in the colors and designs you want, and when you are finished there is definitely no other rod in the world just like it...for better or worse.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]For your first rod, you might be ahead to get a kit, so that all the component parts are there. I have built several rods from Cabelas kits. In doing a price out comparison, I cannot find where they charge any more than if you bought the parts separately, on your own. In fact, when you consider that they usually include thread, adhesives and rod finish, you probably come out ahead...as long as you like the color thread(s) they provide. I have a bunch of different colors.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]You can probably figure out the basics by following directions and looking at a couple of web sites. However, you will do better if you have someone coaching you, while you work, and explaining the reasons for doing everything in the right order. It's kinda hard to "un-epoxy" something if you did it in the wrong order.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]They had a rod building class at HFT last year. You live kinda far south to make one of those worthwhile, but if there are enough folks interested in having one in Utah County or something, we could maybe have a series of two or three classes to help a few folks make their own rods. The first gathering would be to decide what kind of rod they want and then make a shopping list and source of supply for the parts. Once everybody has their parts we could get together to fit and install the handles. That can take time and shaping, even with a kit. The next class would be guide wrapping. The last class would be finishing.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Good news. You do not need a fancy rod wrapping station. I learned to wrap rods by watching an uncle recondition his old bamboo fly rod while still a pup up in Idaho. My uncle put the spool of tying thread in a shallow bowl, ran the thread through the pages of a heavy dictionary (for tension) and simply held the delicate fairy wand in his hands as he turned it. I use a spring tension thread holding device, clamped onto my desk, but I still do most of my wrapping "hand held". When I have a longer one piece rod, or anything too heavy and cumbersome to work on without support, I prop one end in a felt covered groove in a piece of wood, sitting on a moveable wooden TV tray. Then, I just move the tray as I need to, in order to take the weight off my fingers as I turn the rod to wind it.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]So, the good news is that you do not have to spend a fortune on setting up to wind a rod. About the only thing you will need to think about is some kind of motor to rotate the rod, horizontally, as the clear epoxy coating dries on the thread windings. You can do without that, but it definitely adds the "customized" finish look you want. Hint, I used the rotisserie motor from a grill for several years. Just had to duct tape it to a vertical support and use a shaft and masking tape to fit inside the base of the rod to get a good snug fit.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Rod building is like a lot of things. It's a big mystery and intimidating until you have done it once. Then you wonder why you never tried it before, and start planning all of the other rods you want to build.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Here's a semicomplete list of the parts you need"[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]1. Rod Blank[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]2. Reel Seat[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]3. Graphite "arbors" (fit between rod and reel seat)[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]4. Rear handle[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]5. Butt cap (last thing to go on, after epoxy finish)[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]6. Foregrip (in front of real seat)[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]7. Tip top (needs to fit as precisely as possible)[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]8. Guides...either 5 or 6 for most spinning rods.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]9. Ferrule cement (thermoplastic tip top bonding)[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]10. Waterproof glue or epoxy (for handle assembly)[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]11. Wrapping thread...size A for most freshwater[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]12. Color preserver...liquid coating applied to wrapping thread to prevent discoloration when epoxied.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]13. Rod Finish...high build clear epoxy is best[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]14. Optional: Winding check and Hook keeper ring.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Again, if you buy a good kit, most of the essentials will be contained. All you will need is a brush for the finishes and a razor blade for trimming the wraps as you whip finish them.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[fish4fish]

I sure can. Ypu will probably need to register. It is free, and they dont sell your addy or spam you. Plus you can win prises by being a member, the registration box is in the upper left corner of the main page. I pointed to the link to the utah board on the main page, here is a pic:


[signature]

[utwalleye]

TubeDude about sum'ed it up for you, thanks Pat. I have been away for a few days chasing them 4 legged animals with sharp sticks.
on some of the more exspencive rods like, loomis, fenwick, st croix, sage, and so on, you will save about 1\3 to 1\2 of the price of that same rod store bought by wrapping it your self. making the rod wrapping station is no big deal as you have seen in the catalog.
if you do build one get a string tensioner so the wrapes will all be at the same tension, or some guys have used a thick book and run the thread thru the middle of it, and you can adjust the tension by placeing heavy objects on the book. hope this helps, once you start rod building it becomes an addictive hobbie. later chuck
[signature]