Lightest UL spinning rod I have ever built

This is a one piece MHX-S781 rated at 2-6lb UL blank.
Using Fuji skeleton reel to keep this rod as light as possible.

Not sure whether to fix the locking nut in front or at the back and how to treat the blank section in between the skeleton reel seat.

I believe having the locking nut in front would be more comfortable to hold and decided also to have an EVA form insert between the reel seat.

Shaped the rear EVA grip and reduced the diameter of the EVA fighting butt for this UL spinning rod.

Completed butt section of this UL MHX spinning rod.

Fuji winding checks are use to finished off the split grip and the reel seat locking screw area.

K-guides are selected for this rod.

MHX S781

Completed rod and it weighs only 70 grams

Matagi Rod components & St Croix blank

As a request from a friend that he wanted a costumized rod with something special and I suggested to him to have a look at rod components from Matagi. He instantly felt in love with 'it'.

It's my first time handling rod components from Matagi and I must say it worth every cents for the price that you are paying for it... that is if you can afford it. Very nice components.

Top notch components was used for this light action St Croix blank.

Spiral guide placement setting up

Personally, I always preferred spiral guide placement especially on light action rod. It uses lesser guides to maintain a lighter weight on the rod and the line will not rub against the blank when the load is applied on the blank during hook ups or fighting the fish.

First thin coating of epoxy applied onto the wrappings.

 Poly urethane arbor was used to fit the blank into the carbon tubing.

Split grip carbon tubing handle.

Final step, placing rod sticker prior epoxy.

Modification to FENWICK HMG Handle

I am not sure if I can call it a modification but the rod handle including the reel seat were changed.
The complete handle was reconfigured. The old handle position was said to be too low. My friend wanted a longer rear grip for this rod.

 Originally it looked like this...

The cork grips was removed...That was the easy part..

Removing the reel seat was the hardest part.

All the glue residue was scrapped away using a pen knife and sand paper. A coating of epoxy applied onto the butt section before the new reel seat and grips were fixed.

Translucent Blank UL fiberglass fly rod...completed

Non stop epoxy marathon... and it's done. A truly transparent wrapping with a single black thread trimming across the guide foot. It looks like the guides are tied down with just a thread..

I tried something different on the tip. I have seen a rod builder who did this on his and it looked cool.

** Please visit my classified section if you are interested to get one of this affordable fiberglass fly rod and other fly fishing gears**

Translucent Blank UL fiberglass fly rod near to completion

This translucent blank will have transparent wrapping with a single black thread trim across the guide foot.

No winding checks.

I am using Pearsall's Gossamer Silk thread for the wrapping. The best silk thread for transparent wrapping and you will see what I meant when the rod is completed.

The wrapping is all done.. and I need a couple days for the epoxy. Usually I will apply 3 very thin coats of epoxy to the wrappings.



** Please visit my classified section if you are interested to get one of this affordable fiberglass fly rod and other fly fishing gears**

Light bamboo casting rod

Some of you might have remembered this off set cork handle which I made way back in December last year.

Anyway, I have finally started it .. slow and easy. It took awhile for the trigger reel seat to come as it was out of stock for a few months.

Now, that is the reel seat I was talking about. It looks something like the Megabass Pagani rod except for that wood insert.

After taking the measurement of the top locking nut, the fore grip was shaped and fitted in for a test.

And it was time to do the final shaping of the rear grip..

At the end , it looked something like that.

I finished it off with a rubberized cork for the butt end and a couple layer of U40 cork seal.

That is all for the time being. I still have to get some guides for this rod..



Translucent Blank UL fiberglass fly rod

Last week someone from Facebook messaged me and asked about the white translucent blanks I have and the fiberglass fly rods I built with that blank. He asked a question that I was not able to answer him.. " How's your translucent blank compared to Kabuto's translucent blanks? "

I have never once compared the white translucent blanks I have with those made by Kabuto because it's of different standards all together. Kabuto's blanks are of high standards and I don't see any black spots or dirt in his fiberglass blanks and the ones I got are just fish-able fiberglass fly rod blanks which cost a fraction of the price of Kabuto's rod blank.

The translucent fly rod blank that I have...

A fly rod built by Matt Leiderman from Kabuto's blank

The difference is very obvious.

Anyway, enough said and I am going build another fly rod from the translucent blanks that I have.

 I shaped the cigar style cork grip during the long holiday season and I have found the matching reel seat for this rod. A chrome finish down-locking hardware with Maple wood insert fly reel seat.

 I managed to wrapped the tip top and  will be doing another transparent wraps on this blank. I just love the effect of this transparent wrapping that shows the clarity of the epoxy and it's like the snake guides are just glued on.

 The rest of the snake guides will have to wait......

** Please visit my classified section if you are interested to get one of this affordable fiberglass fly rod and other fly fishing gears**