It is currently 28 Mar 2024, 05:07


New Topic Add Reply
Author Message
Rods # 3 & # 4
Post 13 Apr 2021, 11:42 • #1 
Sport
Joined: 05/14/15
Posts: 96
Location: Little Rock, Ar
In the past few months have finished out rods three and four ( Iconoglass 764/4 and JG TTS 895/3 ) which I'm pretty happy with and have learned a lot from. I think at this point however I'm going to take a break and experiment with different wrap finishing techniques ( epoxy vs. varnish vs. urethane etc. ) as well as learn to turn cork. Instead of buying a lathe ( which I still may do ) I've assembled a corded drill set up sort of based on what I've seen and read about on other threads. Already had the drill so purchased a cheap bench top 'drill press' and mounted it vertically on some scrap wood. Still waiting on cork to test it out but it seems to spin true enough to shape a few grips so we shall see. Again, thanks to those of you who have given me advice and answered silly questions, it's been much appreciated !

Decided to build out the Iconoglass 764/4 in gray after researching here as well as getting recommendations for this blank. Just lawn casting the rod is a 5 weight in my hands, and though I have yet to fish it I'm pretty sure I'll continue to fish it as a 5 wt and I like the taper very much ! I waivered on using epoxy to get crystal clear wraps with the red tipping vs using a varnish and getting an amber hue to the wraps and went with the varnish and I like how it turned out though in the future if I build another one I may use an epoxy and go for a clear wrap look. This one balances out nicely with a Sage 504L..........





The other rod I assembled is a James Green Trophy Trout Series 895/3 which is a wonderful 5 wt in my hands with a little bit of extra length for the tailwaters I typically fish and plenty of power for longer casts when needed. I've fished it quite a bit the past few weeks and absolutely love the taper, it's definitely a keeper ! I used a red silk for the wraps, varnished, and though hard to see in the pictures as the silk darkened quite a bit against the black blank it looks great in the sunlight.






And cheap drill setup........



Top
  
Quote
Re: Rods # 3 & # 4
Post 13 Apr 2021, 11:44 • #2 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 03/16/08
Posts: 3540
Location: Upstate-NY
Nice, clean work!

The color scheme on the grey blank is especially nice and pretty unique.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Rods # 3 & # 4
Post 13 Apr 2021, 14:39 • #3 
Guide
Joined: 09/26/12
Posts: 159
Location: AB, Canada
Nice work. Interesting color combination on the Iconoglass rod - it works. Lovely reel seat on that rod too. Can I ask where the seat hardware is from?
Ron


Top
  
Quote
Re: Rods # 3 & # 4
Post 13 Apr 2021, 15:11 • #4 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/26/14
Posts: 3578
Location: US-MN
Both look beautiful! Good call on the vanish for the gray rod.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Rods # 3 & # 4
Post 13 Apr 2021, 16:10 • #5 
Sport
Joined: 05/14/15
Posts: 96
Location: Little Rock, Ar
Thanks for the positive feedback ! Yeah, I wasn't sure if the amber from the varnish would work or not after a few test wraps on the NFC rod but decided to roll with it anyway and see how it turned out and I like the look. But I think it's time to do some experimenting with different finishing methods on different colored broken blanks so I'll have a better idea of how the wraps will turn out.

Eastslope wrote:
Nice work. Interesting color combination on the Iconoglass rod - it works. Lovely reel seat on that rod too. Can I ask where the seat hardware is from?
Ron


Ron...........The maker of the seat is Ray Lee ( RL reel seats ) and he sells on the auction site ( I'll PM you more info ). I purchased this one and a dyed spalted maple for a Steffen I plan on building in the coming months and very much pleased with both. I saw a few bamboo builds on Clark's where someone had used his seat and hardware and thought I'd check him out and glad I did.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Rods # 3 & # 4
Post 13 Apr 2021, 19:35 • #6 
Master Guide
Joined: 11/11/13
Posts: 774
Location: US-CA
Very nice work those rods look great. Two fine blanks the JG trophy trout is a great big water rod.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Rods # 3 & # 4
Post 13 Apr 2021, 20:19 • #7 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 05/19/14
Posts: 3924
Location: USA - Illinois
"your journey to the dark side is almost complete" ;)


Top
  
Quote
Re: Rods # 3 & # 4
Post 13 Apr 2021, 20:39 • #8 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/19/12
Posts: 1007
Location: Beantown
Nice work, and gorgeous Valentine!


Top
  
Quote
Re: Rods # 3 & # 4
Post 14 Apr 2021, 20:47 • #9 
Sport
Joined: 05/14/15
Posts: 96
Location: Little Rock, Ar
Little kern golden wrote:
Very nice work those rods look great. Two fine blanks the JG trophy trout is a great big water rod.


Thanks Lanny ! And thanks again for the recommendation of the NFC........hope to have it on the water next week. And yes, that JG is a pretty amazing stick ! I made the mistake of letting my wife fish it a few days ago and I'm afraid it might be hers now. Ha

jhuskey wrote:
"your journey to the dark side is almost complete" ;)


True..........But "Much to learn I still have.......This is just the beginning"

jalthoff wrote:
Nice work, and gorgeous Valentine!


Thanks ! Yeah, I got lucky a while back and stumbled on an uncommon Val 76 and have to say it's become one of my favorite reels.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Rods # 3 & # 4
Post 14 Apr 2021, 21:40 • #10 
Master Guide
Joined: 03/20/07
Posts: 849
Location: US-TX
Very nice!!


Top
  
Quote
Re: Rods # 3 & # 4
Post 14 Apr 2021, 22:33 • #11 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 12/31/15
Posts: 1238
Location: Northern Rockies
These look very good. Great work!


Top
  
Quote
Re: Rods # 3 & # 4
Post 15 Apr 2021, 06:39 • #12 
Sport
Joined: 01/13/12
Posts: 79
Location: US-NC
great looks on both of those rods! i'm wondering what the reel seats is on the James Green rod?


Top
  
Quote
Re: Rods # 3 & # 4
Post 15 Apr 2021, 07:56 • #13 
Sport
Joined: 05/14/15
Posts: 96
Location: Little Rock, Ar
nctrucker wrote:
great looks on both of those rods! i'm wondering what the reel seats is on the James Green rod?


Thanks. The seat on the JG is a Garrison downlocker from Proof FF.....


Top
  
Quote
Re: Rods # 3 & # 4
Post 15 Apr 2021, 13:02 • #14 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 12/31/15
Posts: 1238
Location: Northern Rockies
melodious_thunk wrote:
The maker of the seat is Ray Lee ( RL reel seats ) and he sells on the auction site

I forgot to add earlier that I have bought a couple of his reel seats, and they are excellent. I will be buying more. Yours looks really nice.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Rods # 3 & # 4
Post 02 Jul 2021, 05:57 • #15 
Sport
Joined: 02/29/20
Posts: 62
Location: SWVA
Awesome job!


Top
  
Quote
Re: Rods # 3 & # 4
Post 02 Jul 2021, 10:57 • #16 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 01/02/12
Posts: 1859
Location: Gig Harbor, WA
Very nicely done! I have been using Ray Lee’s hardware for a number of years and have had nothing but great service and product from him. He is also open to special requests, e.g. no cap on the “cap” section to allow a hardwood butt cap or say, no cork check ring if doing a continuous cork grip/reel seat. He even has included surprise “gifts” in packages such as spalted reelseat blanks for turning. I really like the way that James Green blank turned out. Very clean and understated. Roy


Top
  
Quote
Re: Rods # 3 & # 4
Post 04 Jul 2021, 12:13 • #17 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 10/09/09
Posts: 2796
Location: US-NM
Very beautiful work.......Aurelio


Top
  
Quote
Re: Rods # 3 & # 4
Post 04 Jul 2021, 13:55 • #18 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 09/18/09
Posts: 5561
Location: Relocated to the Drought Stricken West.
Those are really nice. And for rods 3&4, especially so.

I have avoided varnish on light colored blanks for reason you show.

The Shimmers in the black blank are not a structural problem and can be hard to get a handle on. And they look so much worse with macro photography and as a builder. Other people don't notice them.


It's time to go fish those rods hard.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Rods # 3 & # 4
Post 05 Jul 2021, 14:17 • #19 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 11/30/10
Posts: 1846
Location: Michigan
Looking great!


Top
  
Quote
Re: Rods # 3 & # 4
Post 07 Jul 2021, 05:28 • #20 
Master Guide
Joined: 11/18/18
Posts: 356
Location: US-TX
Nicely done


Top
  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  

New Topic Add Reply



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 13 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Jump to:  
Google
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group