03-07-2006, 02:20 AM
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]Well, here's my attempt at custom ice rods. I have never claimed to be a rod builder nor do I exhibit much talent at it but I decided to get into the business when I got so particular no one could give me what I wanted. [/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3][/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]Let me start off with saying I ice fish a lot and I like to use bait casters to do it. Unfortunately, the selection of rods built especially for using bait casters is limited. You either flip a spinning rod upside down and let the line cross and rub on the blank or you buy some cheesy glass rod that just doesn't feel right.[/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3][/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]The first custom rods made by others I used for bait casters were OK BUT with the short, lighter rods with the traditional guides on the top of the spline, the rod would twist at the tip, some times 180 degrees when under load. They naturally wanted to load up like a spinning rod. I'm not rod building engineer but rods are made to endure cantilever stresses and not torsional (twisting). [/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3][/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]The straw that broke the camel's back was when I was on the Berry and I made an extremely hard hookset on a very nice cutthroat. The custom St Coix ice rod blank snapped. I truely beleive that the combination of the bending and the tip twisting of the rod during that hookset broke that rod.[/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3][/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]I had always wanted to built custom ice rods but just never had enough motivation to do it. Well, breaking a $40 custom rod soon got the juices going. I just needed to find a way to control or eliminate those stresses. While browsing some rod building and rod builder sites, I came across a picture of a spiral wrapped boat rod. Seeing how the rod transfered the line to the bottom of the spline, like a spinning rod, I knew that this was the answer to my torsional stress problem.[/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3][/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]After asking several questions, especially with Tubedude, I decided to give it a go and see what I could come up with. I already had the blanks, some purchases 5 years ago when I last thought about custom ice rods. I bought all the supplies I need. I found out the hardest thing to find for ice rods are the tip tops. I like ceramic guides but try and find small tubes with large rings! I ended up with 10mm ring and 6/64 tubes in a Fuji hardloy. I also decided to go the cork ring route for the handle and sudo-foregrip (who really needs a fore grip on an ice rod designed for 2-4 lb trout?). I also decided to try the rubberized cork for durability on my rear grip and fore grip. [/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3][/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]Well to end this long story here are some pics of my creation. As you can see, my craftsmanship is lacking but the rod is fishable and exhibits the characteristics I desired. [/size][/black][/font]
[center][inline spiral_ice_rod_3.JPG][/center] [center]Here's the cork grips I made from cork rings. I formed the handles on my drill press. I really like the rubberized cork.[/center] [center]
[/center] [center][inline spiral_ice_rod_1.JPG][/center] [center]Here's how I laid out the eyes to guide the line around the blank.[/center] [center]I decided to use the 2 guides, spaced at approximately 45 degrees apart to help keep the line off the blank and provide a smoother transition.[/center] [center]
[/center] [center][inline spiral_ice_rod_2.JPG][/center] [center]The rod under load. BTW, did I tell you I hate yellow thread![/center] [center]
[/center] [left][font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]Rod Specs:[/size][/black][/font][/left] [left][font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3][/size][/black][/font][/left] [left][font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]Rod length is 32 inches[/size][/black][/font][/left] [left][font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]18mm Fuji deluxe trigger reel seat[/size][/black][/font][/left] [left][font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]5 guides - (1) 20mm, (1) 16mm, (1) 12mm, (2) 10mm Fuji Hardloy[/size][/black][/font][/left] [left][font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]Spacing from tip to grip -3", 4", 4", 4", 4"[/size][/black][/font][/left] [left][font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]Tip Top - 10mm x 6/64 tube Fuji Hardloy[/size][/black][/font][/left] [left][font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]5" rear cork rear grip[/size][/black][/font][/left] [left][font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]1" front grip[/size][/black][/font][/left] [left][font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]Action - medium Heavy[/size][/black][/font][/left] [left][font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3][/size][/black][/font][/left]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3][/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]Let me start off with saying I ice fish a lot and I like to use bait casters to do it. Unfortunately, the selection of rods built especially for using bait casters is limited. You either flip a spinning rod upside down and let the line cross and rub on the blank or you buy some cheesy glass rod that just doesn't feel right.[/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3][/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]The first custom rods made by others I used for bait casters were OK BUT with the short, lighter rods with the traditional guides on the top of the spline, the rod would twist at the tip, some times 180 degrees when under load. They naturally wanted to load up like a spinning rod. I'm not rod building engineer but rods are made to endure cantilever stresses and not torsional (twisting). [/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3][/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]The straw that broke the camel's back was when I was on the Berry and I made an extremely hard hookset on a very nice cutthroat. The custom St Coix ice rod blank snapped. I truely beleive that the combination of the bending and the tip twisting of the rod during that hookset broke that rod.[/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3][/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]I had always wanted to built custom ice rods but just never had enough motivation to do it. Well, breaking a $40 custom rod soon got the juices going. I just needed to find a way to control or eliminate those stresses. While browsing some rod building and rod builder sites, I came across a picture of a spiral wrapped boat rod. Seeing how the rod transfered the line to the bottom of the spline, like a spinning rod, I knew that this was the answer to my torsional stress problem.[/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3][/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]After asking several questions, especially with Tubedude, I decided to give it a go and see what I could come up with. I already had the blanks, some purchases 5 years ago when I last thought about custom ice rods. I bought all the supplies I need. I found out the hardest thing to find for ice rods are the tip tops. I like ceramic guides but try and find small tubes with large rings! I ended up with 10mm ring and 6/64 tubes in a Fuji hardloy. I also decided to go the cork ring route for the handle and sudo-foregrip (who really needs a fore grip on an ice rod designed for 2-4 lb trout?). I also decided to try the rubberized cork for durability on my rear grip and fore grip. [/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3][/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]Well to end this long story here are some pics of my creation. As you can see, my craftsmanship is lacking but the rod is fishable and exhibits the characteristics I desired. [/size][/black][/font]
[center][inline spiral_ice_rod_3.JPG][/center] [center]Here's the cork grips I made from cork rings. I formed the handles on my drill press. I really like the rubberized cork.[/center] [center]
[/center] [center][inline spiral_ice_rod_1.JPG][/center] [center]Here's how I laid out the eyes to guide the line around the blank.[/center] [center]I decided to use the 2 guides, spaced at approximately 45 degrees apart to help keep the line off the blank and provide a smoother transition.[/center] [center]
[/center] [center][inline spiral_ice_rod_2.JPG][/center] [center]The rod under load. BTW, did I tell you I hate yellow thread![/center] [center]
[/center] [left][font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]Rod Specs:[/size][/black][/font][/left] [left][font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3][/size][/black][/font][/left] [left][font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]Rod length is 32 inches[/size][/black][/font][/left] [left][font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]18mm Fuji deluxe trigger reel seat[/size][/black][/font][/left] [left][font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]5 guides - (1) 20mm, (1) 16mm, (1) 12mm, (2) 10mm Fuji Hardloy[/size][/black][/font][/left] [left][font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]Spacing from tip to grip -3", 4", 4", 4", 4"[/size][/black][/font][/left] [left][font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]Tip Top - 10mm x 6/64 tube Fuji Hardloy[/size][/black][/font][/left] [left][font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]5" rear cork rear grip[/size][/black][/font][/left] [left][font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]1" front grip[/size][/black][/font][/left] [left][font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]Action - medium Heavy[/size][/black][/font][/left] [left][font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3][/size][/black][/font][/left]
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