Winter projects?

[Wetswinger]

Finally finished two of my Winter projects. Finished and sold a NFC Iconoglass 8ft, 5#. This was a natural, white colored blank. It had an uploading, cork reel seat finished with grey tread and blue metallic trim bands.

This latest, just finished yesterday, is an Iconoglass 8ft 6in, 8#. They only had a Teal colored blank available, so I bought it thinking I'd try using the Seahawks colors to finish it in. Proof Fly Supply is selling these custom built acrylic reel seats that are beautiful. Photos do them no justice, as they shimmer as you rotate them and have a 3-D visual effect.

I have one more rod left to build this year. Another Iconoglass 7ft, 4# in grey...

 

[Bambooflyguy]

Nice builds Dan! You’ve been busy.....

 

[Kado]

Ferrules epoxied. Not sure if even makes sense, but I always make my tip sections 1/8th inch shorter than butt and mid sections so they’re a little more protected. I used a pair of mini ferrules for the tip sections in the hopes it will lighten the swing weight. I did not hollow this rod to try and keep it as strong as possible.

 

[Mike Monsos]

I finished machining the #13 ferrule set last week and last night I used the station cutters to prep the shafts then epoxy them to the base and tip shafts. Early this morning was the first time the tip and base section were married up together. The shafts and ferrule mount look straight, the first wiggle of the assembled rod sections feels promising, motivating me to assemble all the components to mount on the shafts. Time to sort out the cork rings for my grip, select a reel seat spacer, machine a slip ring, cap and reel seat bushing and count out the guides that will be mounted. I'm hoping now that this is looking and feeling more like a fly rod now, I can pick up the pace and get this ready for some casting evaluation soon. Life is good

Mike

 

[Kado]

I am envious you can machine your own ferrules. That is the most worrisome part of my supply chain...and most expensive, especially for a 3 piece rod with two tips.
Have you ever considered machining a reel?

 

[Mike Monsos]

To me, the lathe work is a cost reducer plus giving me the ability to make it my way. I looked at a tutorial on making a reel but decided that it is way above my skill level. I know just enough to be dangerous on a metal lathe

When I first started making bamboo fly rods the hardware was a real cost consideration. Now that I have a metal lathe the costs are down but sometimes the frustration level is raised proportionally dealing with ferrule fitting. LOL.

 

[Bambooflyguy]

Ferrules??? We don’t need no stinkin ferrules!!!

 

[Mike Monsos]

Nice to get to the addons in this hobby. I should be turning down the cork to the reverse half wells grip I decided on tomorrow afternoon. After that I'll cut the reel seat side of the shaft to length.

 

[@Dryflyphotography]

I finished machining the #13 ferrule set last week and last night I used the station cutters to prep the shafts then epoxy them to the base and tip shafts. Early this morning was the first time the tip and base section were married up together. The shafts and ferrule mount look straight, the first wiggle of the assembled rod sections feels promising, motivating me to assemble all the components to mount on the shafts. Time to sort out the cork rings for my grip, select a reel seat spacer, machine a slip ring, cap and reel seat bushing and count out the guides that will be mounted. I'm hoping now that this is looking and feeling more like a fly rod now, I can pick up the pace and get this ready for some casting evaluation soon. Life is good

Mike

Mike, to me what you are doing is pure magic, an alchemy within my favorite pastime of fly fishing. So very awesome!

 

[Tim Cottage]

None of it is rocket science but all of it takes attention to detail and the willingness to do whatever it takes to get the results you are willing to accept.

 

[Mike Monsos]

None of it is rocket science but all of it takes attention to detail and the willingness to do whatever it takes to get the results you are willing to accept.

And a little magic

Well the grip is shaped, shafts polished out, ferrules blued, guides located and waiting for wraps. From here on things will slow considerably adding the wraps, trim wraps and varnishing of the wraps. But the finish line is in sight

 

[@Dryflyphotography]

What thread(s) for the wraps and do you use straight varnish or do you pre-treat with a color preserver?

 

[Mike Monsos]

I use YLI 100 silk threads. Easy to find and lots of color choices. I avoid color preservers on my rods unless someone asks for it. In certain circumstances and colors, I think makes sense though.

I like to have a bit of transparency in my wraps. I'll stick to brown tones and tans and gold tones. I have a case of Highland Green that I keep thinking I'll use but it never seems to make it to the wrapping jig in time to get on a rod.

Mike

 

[Mike Monsos]

The wraps and trim wraps are on the base and the tip, the first coat of varnish applied to secure everything. Now it's just wait for the varnish to set up and add another coat and repeat until the wraps look right. Feeling pretty good now about this new "child"

Mike

 

[Kado]

Well….just have to burnish the wraps and get the reel seat cleaned up a little (always manage to get a little epoxy on it) and then ready for first coat of varnish.

 

[Mike Monsos]

I clean up the varnish run off of the wraps with UNWAXED dental floss while the rod is turning on the drying motor. You can double up a 12" length and run it up to the end edge of your wrap as the rod turns, you can move your tipping wrap tighter to the wrap if needed or just "scrub" the flats as they rotate up. if the floss gets sticky with varnish just pull a new section to use off the roll. Doing this will leave you a nice clean edge at the end of your wraps. The key is unwaxed dental floss.

Mike

 

[Mike Monsos]

I should have added that on my final varnish coat I leave a little run off to protect my two-thread trim wrap from getting knocked loose.

Mike

 

[Kado]

I should have added that on my final varnish coat I leave a little run off to protect my two-thread trim wrap from getting knocked loose.

Mike

Your tipping is only two threads wide?

 

[Mike Monsos]

Yes, that's just enough in my opinion.
Mike

 

[Kado]

That's pretty awesome. I can't even imagine doing that. It's says something when the closer you look at a craft, the more impressed you become. Well done Mike.