The last of LAMI EXCEL blank ( 8-20lb 7' ) Baitcasting Rod

I had 3 of these blanks for the past 2 years and this built is the last piece of the Lamiglas Excel blanks in stock.

LGC-XL844G 7'0" , 8-20lb Lure wt. 1/4- 5/8oz. 

Reel seat setting.

Fuji ACS custom painted gloss black and KDPS black hood.

Handle setup.

SEA-GUIDE Titanium SiC guides. This set of guides is less than 3 grams, all 11 pieces.

Black and metallic copper thread wrapping.

Spiral guide placement.. and the last guide is always off centered.

Overall twist and turn....

Lamiglas decal. 

Decal after epoxy.

This blank doesn't come with the blank detail decal. Guessed this is the best that I can do.

The rear end. ALPS butt cap.

After epoxy

Handle view.

Ultralight BC North Fork Composite

This will be the last ultralight bait casting rod that I will build for myself..... I hope.

I have a 4-8lb bait casting rod and wanted one slightly lighter, I dug up the stock of blanks that I have and I found what I needed... a 2-6lb, 6'6" North fork composite blank.

Since the 4-8lb rod was using Fuji skeleton reel seat, I wanted something different. Getting bored of Fuji components and so I planned to use components of other brands.

This skeleton reel seat is from Sea-Guide. Looks kind of unique but I took me awhile figuring how to mount it on the blank, until I saw the similar reel seat being used by a rod builder from USA.

I mean seeing is one thing, but I still have to find the suitable material to use for the installation of the reel seat.

Elevation view of the reel seat mounted on the blank for test fitting

Bottom view.

Reel seat aluminum trim and a small straight EVA rear grip on the reel seat.

The handle set up before epoxy.

I made some changes at the fighting butt to make it more interesting. The earlier version was just too plain.

Then I decided on the hood. Plain carbon tube with silver aluminum trim to finish off at the top.

The guides are from ALPS. Titanium frame SiC ring micro guides size #4.5 - #6.

On with the rod decal.

And epoxy.

The guides wrapped. I only put up the guides after getting the decal done.
That's the first coat.

Final coating.

ALPS butt cap

The handle

Completed rod with micro guides.

Just a quick update on the rod testing..

I was using a 4lb fire line in the Quantum Smoke reel.
Tested with LC Wander 60 (6.2 grams) and a few other micro lures and have no problem casting 5 grams to 14 grams lure.

Caught this peacock bass on a spin fly .

AFM MHX 6'6" 8-14lb with a TWIST

They say "Start with the end in mind" is to imagine how would your built be when you have completed the rod. Is it going to be what you imagine it to be or it will be another disastrous built?

This is another MHX rod blank project, 6'6" 8-14lb , fast action medium power.
Tastefully selected Andrew's fishing reel seat and MATAGI butt cap.

Preform cork fore grip

Cork rings for rear handle.

Stacked, glued and ready to be shape.

Shaped cork handle pre-fitting

Trying some new weaving pattern. Not that perfect but I guess it should be okay.

Completed. But...

But, I guess not all fisherman liked weaving pattern on their rod and the weaving was removed.

The rod was finished with a simple and clean metallic wrapping at the fore grip.

Simple metallic wrapping to guides

Static load test to spiral guide wrapping for centralization and adjustment.

Final static load test before epoxy.

Epoxy done and cork handle are sealed with cork seal.

Epoxy to guide

For the grand finale, fixing up the butt cap.

Pending curing.

The outcome of the completed rod. I remembered doing a similar built some years ago. 

Hope to see the rod in action soon..

MHX 6'6" 8-14# : Another basic BC

Just completed another piece. Basic split grip design with spiral guides placement.

Handle setup with KDPS quick lock and EVA foregrip

Again, another practice session on this fish weaving design and I still can't get it 100% right.

The rod decal goes on next to the fish weave 

After 2 layer of epoxy and the blank is now ready for the guides.

The owner of this rod preferred to have a spiral guide placement for this rod and here it goes.

The last guide is not at 0* and I believe that the last guide should be set to "centralized" the line when retrieving.

"Centralized" here meaning having the line at the center of the blank and when we are retrieving in the line will not be lop side in the spool.

Load testing the blank and the spiral guide placement.

Then 2 coating of epoxy on the wrapping and I am done.

Epoxy on the wrapping.

The handle

Another view of the handle

Built by yours truly

and guess what...
the rod weighs only at 124 grams on the digital scale.