first fly rod build

I completed my first fly rod build today. Here are two photos of the handle:

Attachment 132247Attachment 132248

I like it!! What weight is it?

That looks sweet !

Thanks, Redge! It's a five-weight, built on a Lamiglas fiberglass blank. Should be pretty good for popping bugs and sponge rubber spiders.

Thanks, Cschott!

man, you are talented! how much did it cost to do it? how much do you make them for?

That is awesome, I've been wanting to try this. There is a guy in Winsborro, La that is a professional I've talked to him about getting started making rods...that pic makes me really want to get started now.

Thanks, Treefrog. Panfishhunter, this particular rod has over $350 just in components - just the birch bark alone was $50, and the two different kinds of wood were another $90 with shipping. The blank was $100 - you get the idea. The biggest factor though in price for this rod would be my time; I spent over seven months on this rod. I didn't work on it every day, but I easily have two hundred hours in on it, mostly in the handle. So a rod like this would not be cheap. There are a few custom builders out there that make bamboo rods, and they sell them for roughly what you could buy a used 14' johnboat and trailer for; the bamboo is the expensive part on those rods, but on this one it's my time; so for a rod like this, I'd charge roughly what I've seen those bamboo rods go for. Birch bark is extremely time-intensive - basically multiplies the build time of any other handle by twenty.

On the other hand, I make rods without birch bark for very competitive prices. I would make a basic fly rod with a cork handle with wood trim for $250, or an all-wood handle for $300. Blank selection is a big factor as well in cost, as there are very good fly rod blanks available for $50, and there are also $500 blanks available.

so if i wanted per say, a 3 wt rod that could be converted to spinning, with a basic cork handle and a 50 dollar blank, how much would it cost?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by PanfishHunter

so if i wanted per say, a 3 wt rod that could be converted to spinning, with a basic cork handle and a 50 dollar blank, how much would it cost?

---

I could do that for $250. I'll send you a PM.

Want to get me one of those pm me some details

That looks great, lots of time and patience in that job. Wonderful work, post more pics.

Looks real nice.

I have been givin some thought to building a rod for my Brother. I have Never built one before and I know you can buy kits pretty cheap. But they are to learn on. You wouldn't want to buy all the high priced blanks and guides and screw it up. But I am retired now and live in Colorado so learning to build rods is a very appealing idea. OBTW that is a fine looking rod you built. Hope I can get that good :-)

That is a beautiful rod. You have a lot of talent plus a ton of patients.

NICE JOB. I to have been looking at gettting into building rods. It would certainly give me something to do when the weather keeps me inside. I have one more yr until I can actually retire. There are so many things I would like to do that I do not have enough hours in the day to do.:Rofl



FISH ON:fish

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tnpondmanager

I completed my first fly rod build today. Here are two photos of the handle:

Attachment 132247Attachment 132248

---

Looks really good. Well done. Did you put your name on the artwork?

This particular rod had a chevron cross wrap just a little ways above the hookkeeper, so there really wasn't a place to sign my name.

I'm going to wrap up a 7' 3 wt. on a Lamiglas blank. Bois d' Arc downlocking reel seat with a sliding band, classic twist thread is burnt red and orange (comes out brown/copper after finsih) and burnt red trim. It should be great for native Brookies, bream, and I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't use it as a soft hackle rod for Arkansas trout as well.

For the guys who are thinking about getting into it- Building rods is easy, but it's a stacking skill set. If you're buying all of the components in a kit, you should have a rod put together in a couple of hours. If you're doing the kind of work pondmanager is doing with custom grips, butts, and reel seats, you're looking at a little different animal. I don't know the first thing about a lathe, so I buy my grips and seats pre-made.