Rod building questions?

[scotty14]

I fish 100% inshore/flats. I like medium power/fast action spinning rods.

I have always wanted to get into rod building and have some questions for the experts....

1. How much does it cost to get into rod building?

2. What are the bare minimum equipment items that I would need...aside from the Mudhole rod building kits?

3. Which spinning kits are the best quality for the money?

I have watched the videos on the mudhole website--seems to be something I can handle.

Thanks!

[TampaJim]

1. How much does it cost to get into rod building?

Somewhere between $200 and $25,000 ... it is very addictive and it can REALLY get out of control easily. I have TWO rooms dedicated to it, a small woodworking area in the garage and lots of expensive toys in every location.

2. What are the bare minimum equipment items that I would need...aside from the Mudhole rod building kits?

You REALLY REALLY REALLY shouldn't be looking at this from a money perspective, if indeed you are.

Want an addictive and costly hobby? GREAT, jump aboard and you have been warned. Just consider that you will ALWAYS be adding new tools and other build items.

Trying to save money? Don't even think about it. Go buy factory rods.

Simply want control over the build? Let someone build for you ... it is less expensive and less time consuming AND you still get to call the shots.

3. Which spinning kits are the best quality for the money?

Kits aren't the way to go. The blanks are fine, but the components are lower quality than they should be ... that's how they make the price appealing AND still manage to clear a tidy profit.

IF you decide to build ... have a professional builder help you get started. It will cost you LESS than shopping on your own and you will get the proper assistance.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

TJ -

[scotty14]

Thanks Jim. I just like the idea of building a rod myself--I think it would be satisfying to build a rod from scratch that performs well on the water. It sounds like an addiction---and it seems like you are addicted by the amount of passion in your posts. There should be places where people can rent and use the necessary equipment to build a rod.

Anyway, thanks Jim for the info---good to see you on THIS site.

[TampaJim]

IF you decide that you want to go down the path of no return ... send me a PM and arrange a visit. I will be glad to give you a tour including "tools of the trade" and review component selections, etc.

It will take a couple of hours to provide enough information for you to understand the general scope of the work involved. Once that is accomplished, you can make a commitment whether to spend $$$ and give it a whirl.

TJ -

P.S. I have been on this site for years, I just didn't make much noise.

[dunfly]

First suggestion is take Jim up on his offer. I've never met him but he is very knowledgeable when it comes to rod building. Seeing his setup and spending some time with him will greatly reduce the learning curve.

I am probably at the opposite end of the spectrum. I build a few rods a year for myself, friends and family, so I am definately a "hobby" builder. Since I had fly tying equipment, I had some stuff already. I hand wrap on a wood stand I made myself. I turn cork handles with a hand drill setup. I would say you could set yourself up to build a few rods for less than $200.

The biggest mistake I made when I first started out was not buying a drying motor. I tried turning the rod during drying by hand and could never get a smooth finish. The drying motor also makes it much easier to apply the finish.

[scotty14]

Thanks Jim and dunfly--I plan to build a rod this summer when school and baseball wrap up. Jim--if your offer is still on the table in a couple of months...I may take you up on it--just to check things out.

Thanks again guys.

Scotty

[TampaJim]

I'm not going anywhere AND I will actually be able to better afford the time in a couple more months. You will be welcome to visit when you can make the trip.

TJ -