Hi Guys! I recently picked up Jeffroey's P761 Galaxy rod.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=71420Thanks Jeffroey! this may be a slower paced build thread, but Ive started working so I figured Id start documenting.
I sanded the tip section to improve the fit of the last ferrule with good results in about 20 minutes. A quick yard casting session showed that the rod would probably work best as a 7wt for me. It cast a rio gold 6 well enough and could be fished as a 6 at longer distances, but I think a 7 is a better fit. I only have a DT7, but I may try out a WF7 some time soon. I suspect the rod has the tip strength to handle sinking lines as well.
at this point my plan is to perform a fly only conversion with a Fenwick style grip and possibly a small fighting butt. I would prefer to save the original reel seat if possible. Im imagining a short powerful 6/7 that can handle streamers, intermediate or sink tip lines, poppers, terrestrials, or moderately heavy indicator rigs. Given my location and the rods apparent niche I suspect it will be a creek/kayak warm water rod mostly but it could also have streamer and nymph applications for trout.
yesterday I began working on stripping the rod down. all of the guides came off without much of a struggle, but the threads will need some more work to remove. the blank will need to be cleaned off and likely refinished. with the guides off the rod feels a little more limber. perhaps this is wishful thinking, but those heavy guides certainly weren't making the rod more flexible.
next I moved on to trying to boil off the reel seat. my first attempt to pull the reel seat off was at about the 10 minute mark. No dice. I tried again every 10 minutes for an hour and never persuaded the seat to come off. at one point, I yielded to the temptation to give the seat a gentle twist, and I didnt like what I saw in terms of the whole thing wanting to twist up under some of the cork. Ofcourse, that was the end of the twisting experiment. Id rather not boil it for any longer, Im worried about softening the fiberglass. I am fairly certain that the glass under the grip and real seat was softened by the prolonged boil time. I dont want to cut the seat off, but given the choice between risking the blank and destroying the reel seat, Ill save the blank. Any ideas?
Thanks for following along! pics to come.