8' 5wt Green Rainshadow RX7

[GonetoSeed]

Built this for and with one of my daughter's friends. He's a high school junior really into fishing and wanted a fly rod (smart kid too). We worked out a "deal" that I would help him build his own to save some money. He came over a few Sat afternoons and here's what we built:




http://www.rodbuilding.org/photopost/data/507/Ben_s_Rod_11.jpg

[Buck Henry]

Dang Steve, you do some fine work! Love the handle and how it matches so well with the reel seat.

[reviveourhomes]

Very nice!! I cant wait to get back into some building. You always do great work GTS.

[GonetoSeed]

A slightly but not much better picture of the feather inlay. In the sunlight the feather and thread blend together almost as if they are one.

http://www.rodbuilding.org/photopost/data/510/medium/Feather_Inlay_41.jpg

[Gaines'BowBum]

GTS, that thing is a beauty! That feather inlay is pretty cool. How does one go about inlaying a feather? Something I might want to try on the next rod I build...if its not too extremely tough. Great looking work buddy.
--Alex

[GonetoSeed]

Feather inlays are pretty straight forward. Like everything else in rod building lots of builders have different techniques. Here's mine:
- Plan, then plan again how you will lay out the feathers. If you have any questions about how clean the feathers are soak them in warm water & Dawn to degrease and then let them completely dry. Cut them to size and practice laying them out on a flat work surface. Just lay them out and don't worry about them being flat, you are just getting an idea of if the pattern is what you want. If you are using multiple feathers they go on from the bottom up. btw, Jungle **** and/or grizzly saddles are good to start with imo
- You can place them on an underwrap or directly on the blank, your choice.
- If you are using an underwrap and use CP apply the CP using your normal technique and let it thouroughly dry (I let it dry overnight)
- If you use an underwrap with no CP or directly on the blank apply a coat of finish to the area on which you are going to place the feathers. If you have a dark underwrap or dark blank use light colored feathers or they disappear (don't ask)
- Once the base layer is completey dry you need some thinned CP. I use Gudebrod 811 and thin it 50/50 with alcohol. This CP is just for a wetting surface not to color preserve the thread or feathers so thinning is OK.
- Use the thinned CP to wet the surface of the area on which you will place the feathers
- To pick up the feathers to place them I dip the end of a blunt bobkin in the CP solution. (I cut off the pointed end of an old bobkin, there is also a tool in the sewing section of Michaels that works - a wood handle thingy that has a metal coming out of the wood with balled ends). Then place the wet tip on the stem of the feather in the center. The wet point should hold the feather long enough for you to pick it up and place it where you want it (because you already have it nicely cut and laying in the order in which you are going to use it :) ).
- The feather should be "floating" in the wet area. Use a soft brush to gently place any out-of-control pieces of the feather in place and to get the final alignment you want. Don't fiddle or force it, just use the brush to guide it
- When all the feathers are in place let the thinned CP dry. Once it is dry go back over the feathers with full strength CP in order to protect the feather colors. Use a soft brush.
- When this CP is dry you can put on the finish. The first coat needs to be thin, thin, thin. You should see most parts of the feather when dry. There is a lot of air in the feathers that need to escape through the first coat and if the first coat starts out wavy and lumpy the other coats will be wavy and lumpy. Put of a 2nd thin, thin coat. Then a 3rd thin coat. If you want more depth keep using thin coats.

Hope this helps. It's a neat way to give a rod a unique look.

[Gaines'BowBum]

I'm planning to build a 7 weight bass rod in the near future, I think I'll give it a try. That was my problem on the first rod I built, my first epoxy coat was always to thick. I ended up with some bubbles hear and there. But hey it was a learning experience. I think I was just trying to rush and get it done. On this next one I plan to work a little slower and more meticulously. Thanks bud...
--Alex

[Coach]

Seriously, it's fine work. Unfortunately, I have committed to a rod builder in Colorado. My rods will be pretty, upgrades and all, but that is very nice. Hope that guy catches lot of fish with it.

[TheEndlessEnigma]

i have the 7 weight rx7 in green that a good builder on the board put to gether for me. ok it was guthooked. but anyway if you wanna check it out ... drop me a line ill let you cast it. after the first feww 100+ feet casts youll wanna go build one too LOL