Latest Project

[Tom S]

Trying out the new photo features from the forum upgrade. Pictures of a fly rod build underway, finished wrapping this afternoon and ready for finishing.

[Old Ironmaker]

Nice work there. How are you going to finish the handle? Is it cork? I see instructions for mixing epoxy, Tom you don't need no stinkin' instructions. At least you did something productive with this miserable weather we both are having today. Wait, I put a Pork shoulder that I marinated in Coca Cola and Montreal Steak spice overnight in the oven this morning for pulled Pork. I didn't waste all my time.

Edited November 18, 2017 by Old Ironmaker

[Tom S]

Figured I might as well do something while trapped inside. 

Instructions? I don't even need epoxy. Going to try dipping this rod in finish for a super slick finish.

[spincast]

nice work - and that work bench - looks just like mine...... everything you need in reach. I'm  be interested in seeing the finished product, that colour looks like it will really be sweet once the final coat is applied

[Tom S]

Completed my build this morning. Really happy with how it turned out.

 

[mukluk]

Totally professional job on the rod as well as the photos.

[misfish]

That is some very nice clean work. I could use that, I mean, I really could use that rod.

 

Well done Tom.

[lunkerbasshunter]

Great job looks amazing!

[Tom S]

15 hours ago, misfish said:

That is some very nice clean work. I could use that, I mean, I really could use that rod.

 

Well done Tom.

If you're serious shoot me a PM. This one does not have a home yet.

[Tom S]

Just finished up another one. 7' 3/4 weight, wrapped with raw silk so the wraps become transparent. Ritz grip, black hardware, stacked bamboo uplocking reel seat. Really like the way this one turned out. 

[OhioFisherman]

Nice work!

[HTHM]

Very very nice Tom! That earns you a dropie this morning. 

[PUMP KNOWS]

[Tom S]

It's been a slow summer for me, but I'm just wrapping up another rod project.

All you walleye folks will just have to look away, this one is designed for smallies. 7'6" fiberglass blank for slow action with lots of shock-absorption, 6/7/8wt to handle streamers and poppers, all aluminum reel seat for durabillity,  and a Nickel Silver ferrule to minimize the dead spot in the blank. I'm currently doing some test casting before I glue on a fighting butt. 

Thanks for looking.

[misfish]

Thats a beauty Tom. I like the extended hand grip.

Edited November 3, 2018 by misfish

[dave524]

Nice,  I like the line wt., I always found it less work to throw wind resistant bugs and poppers with an adequate line rather than fight with too light a line like a 5/6 wt. I like a bit more length though for smallies but I usually waded or fished from a canoe and low to the water.

[Tom S]

Thanks Dave. 

Agreed about the line weight. Do it properly and you don’t wear yourself out casting. 

Length is great in some situations,  but length quickly adds weight to a fibreglass rod. If you look at some of the best regarded classic rods (Phillipson for example) they were often shorter yet are still known to be phenomenal casting rods.

[dave524]

1 hour ago, Tom S said:

Thanks Dave. 

Agreed about the line weight. Do it properly and you don’t wear yourself out casting. 

Length is great in some situations,  but length quickly adds weight to a fibreglass rod. If you look at some of the best regarded classic rods (Phillipson for example) they were often shorter yet are still known to be phenomenal casting rods.

I was a Hardy Fibalite guy in the glass rod era (late 60's/70's), still got a couple and the matching Marquis .  Shorter rods demand higher casting skill, Lee Wulff would fish Atlantics on 6 foot rods on the old black and white clips of my youth, wish I still had my old green Garcia Lee Wulff 6 foot glass rod, big bucks now with collectors.

[TJQ]

Nice...   thats a pretty cool hobby.

[Tom S]

21 hours ago, TJQ said:

Nice...   thats a pretty cool hobby.

Thanks, keeps me sane.

23 hours ago, dave524 said:

I was a Hardy Fibalite guy in the glass rod era (late 60's/70's), still got a couple and the matching Marquis .  Shorter rods demand higher casting skill, Lee Wulff would fish Atlantics on 6 foot rods on the old black and white clips of my youth, wish I still had my old green Garcia Lee Wulff 6 foot glass rod, big bucks now with collectors.

Shorter rods demand more precise timing. Things happen faster than they do with a long rod. 

That Lee Wulff would definitely of had some collector value. I still scour the classifieds hoping to find a mislabeled Phillipson Swamp Fox or Royal Wand (Phillipson always had cool names) to add to my collection, but no success yet.

[AKRISONER]

man...the finish on those rods got me like

 

looks tighter than my damn winston 5wt

too friggin clean