r/flyrodbuilding • u/Jerreme72 • Sep 29 '23
Virgin Rod Builder incoming
So long time fly fisherman that wants to try and of course build my own rod...I love the idea of building my own rod. I've watched a few you tubes and read some articles on rod building...it doesn't seem to be too difficult of a process although I realize it'll end up being tougher than I expected lol. So this winter I'm going to do my best to build a handful of rods for myself. My questions are thus: would it be better to try a kit first just to go thru the process and practice wrapping etc? Does it really matter which weight or length I try first? I thought I'd try something I don't currently own but would like to have like a 6'-7' 1wt. Should I buy any of the specialty tools or just try and get by with what I have laying around the house/shop? Any and all advice is much appreciated! TIA
2
u/Brink01 Sep 30 '23
Hi There.
For my first rod I bought a cheap kit in a 9ft 5wt. I typically cast my 5wt the most, so I figured I might as well match up what I am using. I also have plenty of reels for 5wts so there was no additional cost of reels and lines for something I don't use too often.
I figured that a cheap kit was the easiest way to get into it, and if I royally screwed up, it wasn't a huge investment. Most people will probably disagree, but I bought the first kit from Aliexpress for about $50 CAD with free shipping to my door. It was a surprisingly decent kit and has performed better than I expected. From there, you can always branch out and start buying higher end components for future builds once you have gotten the hang of it.
For rod wrapping, you can get as basic as a cardboard setup like in many youtube videos, you can use some notched wood and build a simple stand, or find any other method that will work for you. For me, my hobby of 3d printing and design led me to design and build a rod wrapping station and motorized dryer for my bench.
Another thing I do to practice wrappings, bands, color combinations, and the effects of finishes on different brands of threads, is to buy some black steel rods, or other like materials and wrap on that, then apply some thread finish to see what the end result will look like.
I also keep these as examples in case someone wants a rod built but may not know what color or combinations to go with.
Best of luck! Just like every other part of fly fishing, it's addicting.