Butt Grip

First to go on is the butt grip. We have chosen a synthetic grip with the inner diameter (ID) on the center hole being a bit smaller than the blank diameter. This is because the synthetic grip has the ability to expand by about 50%. We will use the Rod Bond epoxy to adhere the grip to the blank and help slide the grip into place. Measure the total length area needed for the butt grip, reel seat, and fore grip.

Using a 3M Scuff Pad or similar material, lightly remove the shiny finish or top layer from the blank. You never want to get into the material! Then clean with alcohol and a paper towel. You can install Teflon tape over each end to keep the epoxy off the grip. Slide the grip over the tip and let it slide till it stops. This will be above where its final resting place will be. Make note of where the top of the grip was located on the blank. At this point you will start to apply the Rod Bond after sliding the grip up and out of the way. NOTE: Rod Bond is a 1-1 mix ratio. Measuring spoons from the kitchen work great. Mix well! Apply the epoxy to the blank from where the top of the grip stopped, to the butt. Slide the grip over the epoxy, turning as you go. We want to get as much epoxy into the grip as possible. Keep turning and sliding until it gets too hard to move. Remove any excess epoxy at the butt end.

Now we are ready to push the grip into place. Place the butt against a sturdy wall, preferably in the basement. Squeeze the top end of the grip with your hand, and in 1 motion push the grip all the way to the end of the butt. Yes, you will have epoxy all over! Spray alcohol onto paper towels and remove all the excess epoxy from the blank. Now take the cleaning solution, spray it onto the paper towels, and wipe the same area. Scrub! Do it 2 or 3 times as needed. Now, repeat the procedure using alcohol and paper towels. The area will be squeaky clean.

Reel Seat

Using alcohol and paper towels, clean out the inside of the reel seat. Many times, residue from manufacturing is still present. Any oils, dirt, etc. may hinder the adhesion of parts.

I use Teflon tape and cover both ends of the reel seat to prevent epoxy from getting places where I don't want it. I measure the length of the reel seat, and make a mark where the top of the seat ends. You will notice that the reel seat is not tight to the blank.

Epoxy being applied over masking tape bushings that are used to hold the reel seat in place.

We will fix that by using 1/2-inch masking tape to build four bushings to hold the reel seat in place. Mark off where the four bushings will go. Start with the bushing near the butt grip. Keep wrapping it around the blank until the reel seat just fits over the bushing, not loose, and not tight, just snug. Do this for the other three bushings. Slide the reel seat in place.

Done properly, it will not move. Slide the seat up the blank and cover the open areas and bushings with epoxy. Work the epoxy around the bushings. Try not to leave any pockets of air.

When cured, the area under the reel seat will be one solid unit. Clean away all of the excess epoxy, as we did with the butt grip. Remember the line we marked on the tape when locating the spine?

It's time to line up the center of the reel seat, where the reel is installed, with this line. When done, set the rod aside to allow the epoxy to cure, or install the fore grip.

Fore Grip

You install the fore grip in the same manner as you did the butt grip. Use the Teflon tape as before. Clean the area. Let the rod sit for a day.

Guide Installation

We have already done static deflection to position the guides correctly. We know exactly where each guide will be located. Now we have to decide how we are going to install the wraps. Will we use an Under Wrap? An Under Wrap will protect the blank from burrs on the guide feet. It also enables us to use an extra color. Next, we have a wrap to hold the guides in place, the Guide Wrap.

Then we have another optional wrap, the Top Wrap. This wrap will add strength for holding the guides in place and also the option for an extra color.

Decisions, decisions and more decisions! We also have to decide how long the wraps will be. You will likely change your wrap designs many times over the years.

For our rod, we will use Under Wraps that start 10 mm before each guide foot. Previously, we left the guides wrapped to the blank with masking tape. Now we will measure 10 mm before the start of each foot and place a piece of masking tape to mark the start of each wrap.

A finished guide wrap.

After measuring for each guide, we can remove the guides and the tape that held them in place. If you used guide tubing, just slide it past the wrap ends, as we need the tubing when we install the Guide Wraps.
Now we can install the Under Wraps with the type of thread and color decided earlier. When that's finished, remove the tape marking the ends. Using a rounded tool, burnish the threads to flatten them out.

This will remove slight gaps. I install a coat of finish and then wick off excess epoxy so we end up with a thin coat. Rotate the rod for six hours, and let sit for one or two days.

Next we install the guides. You can start from the tip or butt end. Lay the guide on top of the Under Wrap. Check how the guide feet lay on the Under Wrap. You might have to form the feet with a pair of pliers to get a proper fit.

The feet should lay flat and the guide ring should be perpendicular to the blank. Center the guide on the Under Wrap. Hold it in place using the guide tubing or masking tape.

Make sure the guide is positioned on the top of the blank or spine. Start the wraps at the foot end, on top of and just inside the Under Wraps. Wrap the guides and then sight-check to make sure they line up in relation to each other in a straight line.

The coat of finish over the Guide Wraps is most important. When the thread goes over the guide foot, and before it touches the blank, a tunnel is created on each side of the foot. If these tunnels are not completely filled with epoxy, the guides might move. When the guides move, the wraps loosen.

How do we prevent this? Different builders use different ways. I install a heavy coat of epoxy over the Guide Wraps. I let the finish penetrate the thread and seep into the tunnels. I also heat the installed finish a bit to make it more runny and penetrating. I will brush on more finish in a starved area if needed.

An alcohol lamp filled with denatured alcohol is my tool of choice. Finally, I wick off the excess finish using a brush that I constantly wipe on a paper towel to remove the collected finish. The final result is a thin coat of finish, but the tunnels are filled with finish. Put the rod in the dryer and rotate for six hours. Let dry for a day.

The Top Wrap is installed starting on top of and just inside the Guide Wrap. The finish is applied, but this time we do not dry brush to remove excess finish. This is the first of three full coats of finish to cover and secure the threads.

Between coats two and three, using a sharp razor, any nubs or bumps can be cut in order to even out the coating. Let the rod dry for two days in between each coat of finish. After the last coat, let it dry for seven days in order for the finish to completely cure. Now the rod can be polished using a good brand of polish such as Mother's Plastic Polish.

Some say this is too much work and takes too long. Yes, you can certainly take short cuts, but you get out of a project what you put into it. Anybody can make a sloppy project. We want you to create and build a custom rod you will be proud to fish with.

In this series of articles, we have just scratched the surface of Custom Rod Building. In the future, we can go into more details of all phases.
Always remember that if you have any questions, log on to www.noreast.com, and then follow the link to the Fishing Rods Forum, where the other rod builders and I are always available and waiting to help you.

Have fun designing, building and catching fish using YOUR Custom Fishing Rod!

Editor's Note: If you missed any of the previous parts of this series, you can find them in the January and February issues under "Past Issues" at www.noreast.com.