# Rod building lessons



## bwendel07 (Sep 30, 2007)

There have been several questions on this forum about people wanting to learn about how to go about building a fishing rod or wanting to learn about it. I have been building rods for over 25 years and can give anyone lessons just about anything they want to know. from a simple repair to a full build, to diamond wraps and even weaves. I am located in Niceville and can work around most scedules for anyone who wants to learn. I can show you as much or little as you want to know just as long as someone really wants to learn and not just looking for a free repair. I can show you what to do with stuff that I have on hand or if you want to buy a kit somewhere I will walk you through an entire build. I am not asking for any compensation except maybe bring a 6 pack over so we can have a beer while we talk. But that is not even necessary.


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## tigerbait (Oct 1, 2007)

That's a very nice gesture. I'm in Gulf Breeze and would take you up on it, if I were closer.


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## surfish (Mar 8, 2008)

lord save me, I don't want to get started building rods,it will become an obseesion.One rod will lead to another rod and so on. But I hate waiting a month to have a rod built when I know the guy can build it in 2 hours. 
I have some time on my hands next month I'll probably be in touch.

Jim


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## acoustifunk (Mar 29, 2008)

surfish said:


> lord save me, I don't want to get started building rods,it will become an obseesion.One rod will lead to another rod and so on. But I hate waiting a month to have a rod built when I know the guy can build it in 2 hours.
> I have some time on my hands next month I'll probably be in touch.
> 
> Jim


Please tell me you are kidding. There is no way to have a rod ready for a customer in two hours. A correctly built rod that is.


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## florabamaboy (Nov 18, 2011)

Rod building is truly an art. He'll even I've YouTubed how to wrap a rod and made a pretty dang good attempt at it. But what these guys on here are doing with a rod blank is priceless. There is a reason they're not done in 2 hours. As a bachelor I hung my custom built rods on the wall at home and got more comments than my Dali painting.


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## cajun creationz (Aug 17, 2012)

with no kind of wrap..just a reel seat and the guides can probably be put on in 2 hours with just a 1 color thread on the feet..but then the flexcoat goes on and it takes time to do that right ..usually 2 or more coats..then drying time..2 hours isnt happening even with a bare bones basic rod..i get what he was saying though..just got a little crazy with the actual time frame


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## bwendel07 (Sep 30, 2007)

To a customer 2 hours no. But this guy surfish is talking about doing something himself. If you take away epoxy drying time Yes it can be done all day long. I built rods comercially and can crank them out in two hours easily all day long if you take out all drying time. Yes they are not fancy , no but wraps, winding checks etc. But built properly. Yes. I can also spend over 8 hrs on one diamond wrap. but that doesn't mean diddly squat to a fish. When I flex coat a rod it usually dosent take me more than 10 min. But it does take many hours to cure. I dont count those hours in my build time. This guy is trying to start a hobby and he can take it as far as he wants to go but he does not need to be nay sayed and overcomplicated on something that is very basic. 

Building a fishing rod very simple and relatively easy.

Making a fishing rod fancy with Diamond wraps and many colors and thread patterns changes nothing about the way a rod fishes.


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## surfish (Mar 8, 2008)

what I want in a rod is something that will really cast well ,easily handle the size line and weight the blank was designed for and be versatile. So what I need is really a basic rod. 100% of the fishing I do is from the shore. Don't want any special grips, art work or fancy colors. durability isn't a concern,I don't have any offspring to hand it down too and I'll probably be tired of it and want something else in a few months.If it breaks it breaks,good for the builder I'll be paying for another one
So to me the perfect rod is a minimal build. shrink wrap or corktape handle. No reel seat, I prefer a taped on plate seat.please no flex coat. the finest thread availible for the guides and the smallest amount of epoxy possible.

Usually I purchase the desired blank,guides ,plate seat, shrink wrap. I tape the guides on,test cast and check the guide sizes and spacing,I am basically doing the rod builders design work.So all the rod builder needs to do is put on the shrink wrap or cork tape ,wrap the guides, apply epoxy to the tread stick a but cape on end and done. 150 bucks in his pocket. How can than take a month? if he is that busy why did he accept the job?
I apologize for the whiny rant


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## surfish (Mar 8, 2008)

bwendel07 said:


> To a customer 2 hours no. But this guy surfish is talking about doing something himself. If you take away epoxy drying time Yes it can be done all day long. I built rods comercially and can crank them out in two hours easily all day long if you take out all drying time. Yes they are not fancy , no but wraps, winding checks etc. But built properly. Yes. I can also spend over 8 hrs on one diamond wrap. but that doesn't mean diddly squat to a fish. When I flex coat a rod it usually dosent take me more than 10 min. But it does take many hours to cure. I dont count those hours in my build time. This guy is trying to start a hobby and he can take it as far as he wants to go but he does not need to be nay sayed and overcomplicated on something that is very basic.
> 
> Building a fishing rod very simple and relatively easy.
> 
> Making a fishing rod fancy with Diamond wraps and many colors and thread patterns changes nothing about the way a rod fishes.


bewindle your post came up while I was typing. what you have said ,I agree with completly. I hope your offer will still be there for me in a few weeks.


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## bwendel07 (Sep 30, 2007)

Call me whenever you are ready. Just be patient if it is during snapper season.


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## D3cept1on (Apr 23, 2010)

It takes longer that 2 hrs just for the epoxy to dry


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## cajun creationz (Aug 17, 2012)

i also like minimal rods..but i will always have my plates wrapped on ..the guides are already be wrapped and epoxied ..your saving zero time by taping the seat


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## acoustifunk (Mar 29, 2008)

D3cept1on said:


> It takes longer that 2 hrs just for the epoxy to dry



What it sounds like to me is that 5 min epoxy will suffice, for the guides, just to make that two hr window. So yes, a rod can be built in two hours. I guess for me if I spent $100 plus on components, I want to make sure that I've built it to a quality I can trust. Adding components to a rod in two hours is a breeze. Quality flex coat just isn't happening.


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