My first Calstar Build ...

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permitchaser
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My first Calstar Build ...

Post by permitchaser »

Got em for $120 each save a few bucks from MH ,Gio bought one too we were looking for 900h but 850 will do..I will try to get more of this blanks last two he had.
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permitchaser
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Re: My first Calstar Build ...

Post by permitchaser »

PaulieBoy wrote:NICE!!!!! Have fun with the build, those blanks feel like feathers!
:toast:
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kblue
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Re: My first Calstar Build ...

Post by kblue »

Those blanks made me outfished those sealeg regualrs... :toast:

I heard someone said tip heavy because tip is glass...
But IMHO, tip being glass creates much less resistance to fish bite...

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permitchaser
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Re: My first Calstar Build ...

Post by permitchaser »

kblue wrote:Those blanks made me outfished those sealeg regualrs... :toast:

I heard someone said tip heavy because tip is glass...
But IMHO, tip being glass creates much less resistance to fish bite...
If you put the blank on da light you could see the difference from graphite to eglass ,things got delay ,i will get hopefully the reel seat graphite all black, and two missing guides for. braid fujis today from BR 's
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permitchaser
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Re: My first Calstar Build ...

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it is done ,drying now ,fuji's alconite guides for braid ,fuji reel seat ...
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permitchaser
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Re: My first Calstar Build ...

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With a golden permit :bom: the kid have been driving me crazy send me pics every 5 mins lol. i hope he like it .i want it to take pic of the whole maybe tomorrow .
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permitchaser
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Re: My first Calstar Build ...

Post by permitchaser »

Thanks Pauli yes on the tip a little ,but I'm sure you could flip a 20 lb fish easy ,amazing blank the only graphite blank I kinda like.
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snapperfanatic18
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Re: My first Calstar Build ...

Post by snapperfanatic18 »

Nice work raul!!! Te salio empingao! Wish I had the patience to make my own! Lol

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permitchaser
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Re: My first Calstar Build ...

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Thanks Leo yup it is a therapy for me.lol
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Re: My first Calstar Build ...

Post by STRIZ »

permitchaser wrote:With a golden permit :bom: the kid have been driving me crazy send me pics every 5 mins lol. i hope he like it .i want it to take pic of the whole maybe tomorrow .
Just make sure to avoid bad juju cuz you took the pic of the tip on a newspaper that reads "ROTA - ACCIDENTE" Aand so on :jester:

But nice Raul. Always a breeze to build on a nice blank.
Gee Whizz. I still got a pack of blanks from Gators to Calstar and even a Phenix in the pack. Sorry a$$ thing is that why build em when the biggest thing around here locally is probably a pike.

Thats like coming with a tank to a girls fight :auto:
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permitchaser
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Re: My first Calstar Build ...

Post by permitchaser »

Lol Ron it is a Spanish newspaper I used for my rabbit and rod table so it won't get epoxy .Wow you have a whole bunch of goodies there. Bad ju ju lol
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Re: My first Calstar Build ...

Post by Kingofthesea »

I know all of your rods "perform" which is really the only criteria here. But, as far as the right look for me........IMO........this is the one for me. Nice piece Chico
Those old queen slave owners that wrote our Constitution 200 years ago were brilliant.

"Every four years Americans get the President they deserve".

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Re: My first Calstar Build ...

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Kingofthesea wrote:I know all of your rods "perform" which is really the only criteria here. But, as far as the right look for me........IMO........this is the one for me. Nice piece Chico
:toast: KOTS


@ Ron i also got some goodies ...
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kblue
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Re: My first Calstar Build ...

Post by kblue »

Raul

that guide wrap looks so professional and clean... :thumright:

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Re: My first Calstar Build ...

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STRIZ wrote: Thats like coming with a tank to a girls fight :auto:

Oh no...those nice blanks are getting dust...lol

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permitchaser
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Re: My first Calstar Build ...

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kblue wrote:Raul

that guide wrap looks so professional and clean... :thumright:
:toast: thanks Jon ,i start building me one for boat fishing big macks and kings ,8 footer ..i know its long but with action .
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permitchaser
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Re: My first Calstar Build ...

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more pics the kid like it :cheers:
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snapperfanatic18
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Re: My first Calstar Build ...

Post by snapperfanatic18 »

I'm jelly....that's a very nice rod!!!

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kblue
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Re: My first Calstar Build ...

Post by kblue »

permitchaser wrote:more pics the kid like it :cheers:
Classic... Very nicely done...sure kid loves it.

BTW, I like the reel better...lol :mrgreen:

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njp32
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Re: My first Calstar Build ...

Post by njp32 »

permitchaser wrote:it is done ,drying now ,fuji's alconite guides for braid ,fuji reel seat ...
That's a really nice epoxy job! :thumleft:

I'm sort of new to rod building and I've wrapped a few rods but I really suck at epoxy.
I have a 6 rpm rod dryer (basically a microwave turntable motor screwed to a 2x6,), the yellow disposable brushes from mudhole, and highbuild flexcoat epoxy with the syringes. I use mini solo cups and popsicle sticks to mix the epoxy.

i get tons of little bubbles and they don't all come out even when flame is applied. also, i have the problem of the epoxy running to one side and leaving the other side threads exposed after initially coating everything (typically the side where the guide feet are). And additional coats just seem to add to the problem instead of fixing it. It looks horrible really uneven.

I have 2 rods that are completely wrapped but they have just been sitting there for months because I'm afraid to mess up the epoxy. I even considered just paying someone to do it for me but i realized that it would undermine the reason why I wanted to build rods in the first place.

I was wondering if you could give me some advice on applying epoxy. You seem to have it mastered. Thanks!

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Re: My first Calstar Build ...

Post by bigboyjames11 »

Njp32 this is how I do all of my epoxy. This is just my way and im sure there is better ways but it works great for me. I do my guides and wraps separate. Never try to make your epoxy last long than needed and always mix more than you need. I use aftcote rod finish. Mix equal parts in a small plastic cup. Then I place a piece of tinfoil out, raise the edges, and pour my finish out to flatten it out, reducing bubbles. Let it sit for a min then hit it with a torch. Epoxy is all about coats. I put 3 to 4 thin coats on my guides and usually 3 on the wraps. Take your time and dont glob it on. Small amounts and let it soak it. Now for the part that took me forever to do. After you have your guides finished i go to my dryer and stop the rod with the guides straight up and wait 30 seconds. Rotate the rod so the guides are now down. Wait 30 seconds. I keep rotating and adding 30 seconds to each full turn until I get 2 mins on top then 2 mins facing down. What this does is it takes all your excess finish off the threads. It will literally drip off. It also eliminates tons of bubbles. Hit it with some heat. Then I put one more small coat (fresh mixed) on and do it again. Let it dry over night. Take a very fin piece of sand paper and hit the high spots. I use a razor and cut off any small tags that might have come up. Then repeat the finis process till your satisfied. That first coat is the most important to getting a level finish.
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Re: My first Calstar Build ...

Post by STRIZ »

What he said pretty much.

On a side note. Make sure your rod lathe is level. Blank is tappered but you do not want to add to it by having your lathe sitting wrong.

IMO a major problem is a dryer with little rpm.
6 rpm is IMO way to slow. I have used 18 rpm most of the time.
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permitchaser
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Re: My first Calstar Build ...

Post by permitchaser »

finally im home :mrgreen:


@ njp32 i dont know about the solo cups that may b one of your problem {{wax}}? ,i also used plastic cups ,the epoxy have to be mix equal parts then what i do is heat it a little with a heat gun ,it get the bubbles out also epoxy gets easier to used with the brush,also i have notice that thread A makes less bubbles ,make sure your hands are really clean also the blank ,i used reg alcohol ,you have to keep checking for bubbles ,the heat gun works ok for me ,sometimes i also used the torch,once you epoxy the blank or guides or butt wrap you need to heat it make sure it gets thin and its moving around so it can get even all around also when you heat it the excess of epoxy will drop ...hope this help.
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Re: My first Calstar Build ...

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Yeah but be carefull with the heat. Ever so slightly cuz if you bring it to boil which is easily done then you get microbubble gallore
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permitchaser
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Re: My first Calstar Build ...

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STRIZ wrote:Yeah but be carefull with the heat. Ever so slightly cuz if you bring it to boil which is easily done then you get microbubble gallore

yes that's why i told him about the heat gun ,the torch its kind of violent for a beginner ,im thinking of getting me an alcohol lamp ,move it do not leave it on the same place and it wont boil...
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Re: My first Calstar Build ...

Post by STRIZ »

Now here comes IMO a golden one.

Buy yourself a candle hotplate. Those are little hotplates that just get very warm but not burning hot. About 5" in diameter and no taller then 2".

Once you have mixed the epoxy you can just either place the METAL cup on the plate or on tinfoil however you like. Wait a minute and you will have gin clear epoxy mix with no bubble whatsoever. That means if you are gentle and careful with the brush your intake on bubbles to the brush is already exactly zero. When you then apply the epoxy to the blank or thread and you keep calm (seriously nervousness is not the bringer) your finish will be stellar.

Note that the pot life of the warm kept mix is about 10% less. You need to take that into consideration. And mix smaller amounts rather than larger ones..

Little tip to have razor sharp epoxy endings at the guides or the end of the butt wrap. If you use some masking tape where you want the epoxy to end you can later lift it off and be left with a razor sharp edge once it is dried and cured. Be sure to set the masking tape tight only at the very end where the epoxy is supposed to stop and the other half lightly. That way the tape will come off easy. When you remove you have to pull it off in direction of the epoxy and at an angle and not to fast. You do that when the epoxy is really sticky and basically has just about stopped running.

Once you have done a couple you will learn fast that to achieve stellar coatings it also needs the right tools just to make things more easy and quality oriented.

Starts with
Heating Plate (Small Candle Hot Plate)
Mixing Motor. A drying motor with a rubber cup and mixing rod See here http://www.mudhole.com/Automatic-Epoxy-Finish-Mixer
I used Sabre Brushes from 1/4 to 9/16 and a brush cleaner
Smooth masking tape.
Metal Mixing Cup. Can be anything that serves the purpose and can be cleaned with denatured alcohol.
Heat Penn one like this only gets 300F and can be directed very well. http://kmsdesignsonline.blogspot.de/201 ... -tool.html

No more torch no more big hot heat gun. My wife make jewelry and she has (had) one of those. I used it and immediately was absolutely convinced of this tool. Also excellent for shrink x-wrap.


Makes Sense?

All this for free presented by the hazy one LMAO
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kblue
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Re: My first Calstar Build ...

Post by kblue »

:cheers:

thanks a lot

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permitchaser
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Re: My first Calstar Build ...

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plenty of advices there ,try them whatever works for you :wink:
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njp32
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Re: My first Calstar Build ...

Post by njp32 »

Thank you guys so much for the advice! Seems like I have alot to learn. Can't wait to try this out 8)

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permitchaser
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Re: My first Calstar Build ...

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njp32 wrote:Thank you guys so much for the advice! Seems like I have alot to learn. Can't wait to try this out 8)

:toast: we disclose some good tips ...
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