New rod build

[StrykerDM]

Got the reel seat, cork, and tip top glued down on my 4wt epic fiberglass blank. Will be starting wrapping this week. Got my sage 8wt blank in the other day so that'll be the next rod build after this one. Never casted a sage rod but heard good things about them.

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[rayb]

I'm betting it turns out great. Are going to post up as the stages are completed?

[StrykerDM]

I'll try...think I have some pictures of it all early on as I glued the reel seat on.


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[Andrew32]

That rod looks pretty sweet. What is the model of the 8wt sage blank?

[Kayak Kid]

The rod is beautiful. I use Sage blanks almost exclusively and really enjoy them. However, I believe that I'm gonna have to try building a fiberglass rod in the near future. Ron Mac praises them, and, that man knows his stuff.

My problem is that I can't handle the high country any more. Anyone know of an easily accessible fresh water possibility near Houston?

[karstopo]

The Epic rods, are they the "fast glass" as they call it? I don't guess you have finished your build yet to have cast your rod? The little experience I have with fiberglass fly rodding has been great. I'm glad that there are so many new fiberglass rods on the market and others making their debuts. I can't believe how much I enjoy my little 7-8wt CGR.

[karstopo]

Which Epic 4wt are you building? It looks like they have an 8' , 7'6" and a pack light blank.

I wish they had the bandit blank in a 7 or 8 wt.

[StrykerDM]

They are fast glass and I'm building the 480. It's an 8ft 4wt blank. Going to try to start wrapping this week since work has been busy.

I've got a 6wt built out already that's an epic 686. It was the first rod I've done and I did it last year. You're welcome to try them both once I get my 4wt built.

I also just got my 8wt epic 888 blank in the mail. Now I've got plenty of rods to build out now. The 8wt sage one and the 8wt fiberglass epic I plan on trying to use for redfish.


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[karstopo]

They are fast glass and I'm building the 480. It's an 8ft 4wt blank. Going to try to start wrapping this week since work has been busy.

I've got a 6wt built out already that's an epic 686. It was the first rod I've done and I did it last year. You're welcome to try them both once I get my 4wt built.

I also just got my 8wt epic 888 blank in the mail. Now I've got plenty of rods to build out now. The 8wt sage one and the 8wt fiberglass epic I plan on trying to use for redfish.


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Thanks for offer to try them. I probably relate to my CGR and fiberglass because of my self-taught lazy casting stroke. But anyhow, I enjoy the bend and flex.

[StrykerDM]

I just like something different every now and then. I also just ordered their epic fly line for the 6wt that's supposed to be optimized for their taper. I'm excited to try it out.


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[StrykerDM]

I have most of the 8wt epic rod components. Titanium reel seat and black/white thread, matched with titanium stripping guides and regular snake brand guides.

I'm now waiting on joe from custom fly rod grips to make me some grips and fighting butts for the epic and the sage blanks.




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[StrykerDM]

So I ended up having knee surgery and am on crutches for 4 more weeks. Lots of time to get back to my rod building projects.

I fixed a bunch of the wraps I'd previously done and now just have to finish doing the brown trim wraps. I finished the area near the grip as well. I don't use hook keepers so I didn't put one on. I wanted just the brown trim wraps around the epic writing but they were so fragile by themselves I added some thin clear wraps to bump them up against.

Hopefully will finish the trim wraps and maybe epoxy after thanksgiving. I'm going to try the new method with the propane torch to heat the epoxy and get it smooth.

I have two other fly rods to build so I may wrap the other two and then epoxy them one after the other. We'll see.





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[StrykerDM]

Trying my hand at some fancier ferrule wraps.




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[cougmantx]

Am I the only one that can't see the pictures?

[StrykerDM]

Hmmm...I uploaded them from Tapatalk but then looked at them on my PC and can't see them either. Weird. Let me try it again


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[StrykerDM]

That should work. I had to break out the old photobucket account. Does anybody know why you can't upload pics from tapatalk anymore?


And I finished all the wraps and trim wraps this morning. Just going to sit it in the corner until I can epoxy it next week once family leaves after the holidays.

[StrykerDM]

Finished wrapping the 4wt and now finishing up reaming cork grips for the two 8wts. Should glue them both up tomorrow.

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[StrykerDM]

Reel seats, grips, and tip tops all glued down. Now to start wrapping some more rods. I think I might epoxy all three one after the other.

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[StrykerDM]

Got the epic 8wt all wrapped and ready to go. Think I'll take a break from wrapping and epoxy the 4wt and 8wt this week.

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[Salty Bum]

the rods look awesome. I have a Scott Heliply 12 weight and a Winston LT 6 weight I need to finish. It it looks like I have time coming up soon to do just that.