ABU GARCIA "FANTASISTA" reborn

One thing that I seldom do is parts salvaging ... especially for reel seat. It is just too time consuming. But I had this reel seat for quite some time and it took me 4 man hours to remove the blank from the reel seat.

The parts that manage to be salvaged are the reel seat, the guides and butt cap.

Test fitting the components

Putting all the components together.

Done with the reel seat and rod decal.

Guide wrapping to match the reel seat color.

After epoxy

Rear view from the butt cap

Guides line up

View from reel seat 

CRB 12-25 Heavy Cover

Here's another heavy cover rod that I managed to complete recently.

Basic ingredients are CRB blank, ALPS MVT reel seat and SEA-GUIDE guides.

SEA-GUIDE KR concept guides

Rubberize cork butt with decorative trimming.

Setting up of EVA grips

Aluminum trimming between reel seat and rear grip.

A closer look at the decorative trimming at the butt cap.

Reel seat full handle setup and test fit.

Guide wrapping - Black thread with metallic red trim

Epoxy over rod decal.

Epoxy over guide wrapping.

Completed epoxy to guides.

Guide lined up

Completed rod ...

Baitcasting Rod for Heavy cover fishing 7' 12-25lb

Planned almost 4 months ago, a standard heavy cover bait casting rod and additional design added along the way.

Simple components. Fuji TCS reel seat custom painted gloss black, fuji rubber gimbal, aluminium extended and custom shaped CAMO EVA split handle.

Used CRB 12-25lb 7' blank for this rod.

Test fitting handle before gluing up.

Black fuji guides with duo tone metallic wrapping.

Rod decal after epoxy.

Epoxy on wrapping

Another round of finishing epoxy coating to wrapping

The rod handle

Fighting butt with Fuji rubber gimbal. Something like SMITH KOZ.

The completed rod

The PINK lite jigging PANTHER

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..

MHX Blend & CRB back to back

I have been away for a week for a break. When I got back, I really have to work a little faster to clear some of the backlog.

I started on this 2 blanks MHX Blend 6'9" 10-17lb and CRB 6' 6-10lb concurrently. The CRB was shortened to 5'6" as per requested by the owner.

Both of these rods have some similarity in the design of the handles.
The CRB used standard Fuji ACS reel seat with KDPS quick lock while the MHX used custom colour ALPS Textouch reel seats. The good thing about this ALPS reel seat is that they come with a double locking nut for the hook.

Guide wrapping completed.
Black thread with silver spiral trim for the CRB and nylon blue color thread for MHX.

I epoxy the wrapping for the MHX first as this owner need it for a fishing trip and I have 2 days for finish this rod.

Please note that the light blue wrapping turns darker after epoxy. That is the nature of nylon threads when it comes in contact with epoxy.

Part of the upper handle.

The handle.

Another view of the handle.

 The epoxy dried in time before it was sent away.


Now, for the CRB. As mentioned earlier, the spiral trim with black thread wrapping.

The completed rod.

And the completed rod look something like that..