United Composites USA - Ultralight

This is the lightest UL rod that I have built so far, it can be lighter though. The blank itself is 44grm.

The blank: 6' with the rating of 4-10lb

Fuji skeleton reel seat with carbon tube insert, EVA grips and fighting butt.

SG- titanium guides with zirconium ring.

This bunch of guides just weigh in at 1 grm.

Handle set up.

Mirco guide system ( MGS ) layout.

The complete rod.

Rod weighting session on my digital scale and recorded weight of 95 grm.
It could still be lighter.....

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 .

Project " Rosenbergii II "

A quick overview of another rosenbergii rod that I built before my fishing / prawning trip over the weekend.

The blank used was a solid carbon fiber blank measured at 4'8" and ultralight rated.

Carbon insert SG-reel seat with butt-less EVA rear grip and fuji winding check capped at the front of the reel seat.

ALPS stainless steel frame with zirconium ring spinning guides.

Guides lined up placement similar to KR-concept

Pending epoxy coating.

Another view of the guide layout after epoxy.

Three quarter view

Short butt section

Full view

and from the left are  "rosenbergii I" , "rosenbergii II" and matagi fiberglass UL.

All these 3 are good for UL fishing and prawning..

Matagi UL for upcoming UAG Southern series 2016

2nd rod for this year is another MATAGI hollow fiberglass blank ultralight built. I did that the same fish weaving design on it. Just thought I need more practice to get it right.

It is far from what I expected it to be. Still need more practice, I guess.

Partially finish.

KR concept Fuji k-guides

After a few coating of epoxy

Adding shadow lines effect to MATAGI rod decal

Grey and black camo EVA for the split handle. Clean and simple handle with no winding checks.

No winding check

K-guides line up

and the butt cap....

This rod is now ready for the Ultralight Anglers Gathering -  Southern series 2016 in Melaka on the 28th February..  YEAH!!!!

Here are more photos of the rod taken under the bright blue sky..