Hello
Wow what a week this has been,seemed everything I tried to get done took forever.
Even the simplest of chores became monumental,things as simple as getting rod blanks shipped and delivered were nutty.
Stuff around home seemed impossible,finally found my dust masks I have 6 but they have a sticker on them that says they are not intended for medical use.
At least the rod shop got re organized,so did my wood working area and all the storage areas gone through.
Tossed out a bunch of stuff had a big pile by the road Friday morning.
Also have a good size pile of broken fly rod/rod pieces that I need to salvage the guides from.
In between chores managed somehow to get a little rod work done here and there,I'll post some pictures of my Meager Triumphs.
Spoke with several of my Friends this week seems we have time to talk,my friends that feel like talking rod building know I'm almost always available & always happy to chat.
Sorry for my blunder I edited out my stupid mistake, it's typical of the sort of mistakes I made all week.
I'm celebrating a 2 year anniversary today 2 years ago today was when I had 4 Strokes over a period of about 6 hours.
The last one was while I was in the Emergency room getting X Rays.
After that humbling experience everything is a gift,when people give me a hard time now I just laugh and let it roll off my back, because nothing & nobody's worth my getting aggravated.
When you go the extra mile for someone and they can't say Thank You you gotta Laugh so you don't cry.
Managed to get the Carbonite 2/2 Ready for wrapping,the reel seat and grip have been fitted and mounted,the ferrule support rings were made and glued in place,the ferrule unions were taped with electrical tape to prevent blow outs during static deflection testing,the guide set was primarily selected and laid out for taping on the blank,I'm starting with a combination of H&H standard wire on the butt then going to light wire pac bay guides on the tips.
That's a good start,I'll copy the guide size and spacing from the Graphite Boron I Put up last month for a starting point and see where it goes from there.
As we know fiberglass is more robust than graphite in terms of resistance to breakage,we all know we are suppose to wrap our ferrules before we flex glass or graphite/boron.composite rod blanks.
With glass we often just use some masking tape,with graphite especially early graphite not wrapping the ferrule before flexing is a recipe for disaster.
When first got this hoard of blanks started putting sections together to do ferrule fittings and mating sections,it wasn't until I broke my second blank did I remember how important taping the blanks before flexing was so important.
Electrical tape stretched to support the OD is the golden rule.
The Ferrule support rings work in conjunction with a double thread wrap of appropriate length.
Where the support rings really come into play is if during mid cast when your sections separate the ferrule will not crack or split.
Got the Edwards grip turned to size and found an appropriate winding check,the check was missing whom ever did the remake decided it wasn't needed,also realized that the previous remake also involved some grip reshaping so I shaped my new grip to original Edwards Size.
The Edwards 8' 3/2 #5 is also wrap ready,need do guide selection from my NOS of Mildrum guides.
I'll reuse the tip tops and that's about it, the rest of the replacement guides were all wrong for the rod.
I'll stick with the original guide placements and just bump up the guide sizes enough to accommodate modern lines like I did on the Leonard Tournament.
Usually like to have a rod in process at each one of my work stations so I'm going to Re-Start an overdue fiberglass project as well,I'm going to Finish one of my 6' 1 Piece Glass Rods that's been on the back burner since I had the strokes 2 years ago.
It's one of the rods I had in process when I was Stricken.
I'm Going To Call It "The Little Phoenix" I think my friends will get the joke.
Tom may remember he was the one that suggested the "Phoenix" name many years ago.
Someone suggested I just turn my own Light Maple Burl reel seat insert,Someone else sent me a package,in it was a maple pen blank,so that was looking very promising but it didn't have much of a burl,right color maple but faint burl,then during my reorganization I found a cigar box of Maple Burl Blocks,I Think Bob sent me them can't quite remember.I Do recall they were put aside for a special project I was dreaming up.
Anyway found a nice perfectly matching hunk of wood,just need to remember how to turn one down.
Haven't turned any inserts in 2 years,dusted off the lathe, got the old girl oiled up,the block is chucked up in the lathe ready to go just need to sharpen my tools N let the chips fly.
Wish me luck,should be like riding a bike,lets see ?
I'll post some progress reports as my humble projects unfold,I'm looking forward more to hearing about everyone else's projects.
See Penzzz Keeps Adding Great Pictures to Previous Post,That's great but when we get to the next page we don't realize they have been added.
Your Thread Work Looks Outstanding I Love your color combinations !!!
The grip turned out really nice as well, everything looks very professional thanks for sharing.
Rick thanks for up dating us on your projects please be sure to share more with us !.
Didn't realize your a rod maker for hire,please share more of what type of work your crafting.
We love pictures around here.
I get the starring at stuff and thinking about doing or what will look best thing.
Had a great conversation just yesterday with a very dear friend about the same thing having everything but lacking the final step needed to get the spools turning.
Shared with him that I was at a point where didn't even want to go into my rod shop, I was just so disgusted.
Had to force my self last summer to start just going in the door and sitting starring at all my idle lost passion,then with my Grandsons help slowly cleaning up,next came Teaching them how to build a rod. We 3 did some work together,it was very rewarding to see how quickly they were able to catch on.
Back when I taught rod building the kids classes were always the easiest to teach, because children listen and follow your directions,they also don't have as many bad habits.
Then In October Last first agreeing to do and then finally getting going On a custom rod project for my good friend Jason.
It was the hardest thing I had done in a 18 months of my absence from my bench.
Just getting started was nearly insurmountable,finally my motivation was having some cash for my Grandchildren's Christmas,
How by the time the project was finished I was already looking at other projects that needed to be finished,Several rods that had been waiting mostly bamboo projects, where the rods owners didn't care if it took years they just were happy to wait,then I started looking at what other projects I could do,Thanks Jay ! Thanks Josh,Thanks Gino and all The Rest, also Thanks To My Grandsons Nathaniel & Noah because they stopped me from selling off everything last summer when I was really blue.
I'm still not confident health wise enough to take in any work for anyone,seriously doubt I'll ever be, this Edwards is the last of 5 of my overdue projects for my Buddy Gene,after this one God Willing I've got enough going on with the my own stuff to stay busy.
These Diamond Back Blanks Were Like A Shot In The Bottom !!
I'm Looking Forward To Doing What I Love Most As Long As I Can Or Until Hell Freezes Over As My Amazing Father Used To Say.
Also Tom Thanks for straightening out one of my messes again.I know I'm a P.I.A. but at least I'm consistent.
Tight Lines And No Time Like Now To Remember To Thank Our Friends, All Remember To Also
Love Our Fellow Man and Woman ! Loops
Stay Safe !!
Andy Man
A Box Of ______________
Bogus Tags.
Diamondback SPLAY Rod Tag.
There's A Tip Here If You Look For It.
Obsolete Reel Seat Trim Rings,I Still Use Them.
Ferrule Support Rings.
Support Rings Mounted and Ferrules Taped In Preparation For Guide Size And Placement Trials.
Grip Fini.
Check.
This Guy Hangs Around The Rod Shop Daily,At Least He Doesn't Drink Coffee.
Thanks For Sharing & Looking