This is another fun project which I had in mind for a long long time and I just have to do it before this idea got buried by some other ideas.
I have been collecting some champagne corks for awhile and thanks to my air stewardess sis-in-law, I have a full bags of it in my workshop.
The champagne cork goes well with the burled wood insert reel seat that I managed to get my hands on a few weeks back.
No additional finishes was done to the champagne cork. I just bore the hole for it to be inserted to the blank.
Rattan wrapping to the exposed section of the split butt and also at the fore grip area.
By the way, the brand of this blank that I used for this project is Viper Fatale 601. It's a 6 footer ultralight 1-6lb.
I used ALPS zirconium ring spinning guides for the rod. Wrapping the guides with brown color non CP thread.
Spinning guides lined up to the smallest #4 guide.
Full view of the handle.
Overall view of the blank
and the rod is quite well balance too.
Customization of a fiberglass fly rods are hard to come by nowadays.. but thanks to another fly avid I had a chance to have this built.
This is a 3 piece , 6'6" 3wt brown translucent fiberglass fly rod blank.
The action of this blank is not as noodle as those normal 3wt fiberglass fly rod. Soft and sensitive tip with moderate action but it has got plenty of power at the lower section for shooting your line out.
Agated butt cap for the sliding band reel seat.
Agated stripping guide and dark brown nylon for the wrapping.
The cigar shape handle for this fly rod is rattan wrapped. As shown in my previous write up , Rattan Wrapping to cork grip from scratch..
Photo of the rod decal taken when the rod was on the dryer.
When its' done.
Here are the photos of the completed rod.
This light jigging rod built from CRB blank 14-18lb. A very forgiving blank with mod-fast action which I think it suits for light jigging.
Started this a few months back but it was shelved due to short of guides. Just completed lately after a long wait for the Fuji K-guides.
Fuji VSS reel seat with carbon tube at KDPS section.
EVA butt with deco trim butt cap. Modified Fuji graphite winding check for the split butt.
Pre fitting to the blank.
The rod looks kind of plain and I just have to add abit of weaving to it.
I seldom do weaving but this time is exceptional.
After a few coating of epoxy.
Guides wrapped and epoxy
Finally done..
This built is from a 6' 2-6lb MHX blank with Fuji KR guide concept and MATAGI components.
VSS reel seat with full cork fittings.
Fuji KR Guides
Cork fore grip with aluminum winding check.
Pre test fitting...
Thread colour scheme following the decal
Starting on micro guides...
Done with the guide wrapping
Epoxy done...
Cork sealant to handle
MATAGI...
The overall view of this rod
In recent years, I have done a couple of rattan grips for fly rods. This may not be something new to some of you but I just thought of sharing some photos of its' processes.
These are the main ingredient of the "Rattan grip"
Cork rings and rattan strips preferably 3 to 4mm width.
If the strips are too wide, the rattan grip will have fewer wrapping and does not have "enough meat" to show..
The cork rings are then glues, packed and let dry as least 24 hours.
Measuring the outer diameter required for the fly grip.
Then, the cork grip was lathed. Alternatively, you can just use a pre-form or buy those ready made cork grip off the shelf.
Then the rattan strips was wrapped over the cork handle. The rattan strip was glued using a small quantity of Titebond waterproof glue.
If you look carefully, you will be able to noticed that there are shadow lines between the strips.
These lines are created by running a darker colour thread along the groove between 2 rattan strips.
Before you do the threading exercise, make sure the excessive glue and other loose rattan fibers are removed.
Later 2 coating of Spar Urethane are applied on the rattan wrapping.
Pre fittng to the blank before epoxying.
You can find tutorials on this in the internet, but here is the link I referred to when I first tried rattan wrapping.
My other work on rattan grip > Lamiglas
