Cork Handle
What Tools Do I Need to Build My Own Fishing Rod?
“Surely you need some specialized tools and equipment to build that fishing rod,” an angling friend once remarked to me. It provided me with a great opportunity to talk about the craft of custom fishing rod building and motivate some interest.
Some people think that in order to build your own rod, you need expensive and specialized equipment. However, the fact is you probably have what you need in your home already in order to get started on your first rod.
Here’s a list of the tools and equipment you will need:
Round File
If you purchase a cork handle kit, where the cork rings have already been shaped into a grip, you will probably need a round file in order to enlarge the pre-drilled hole of the grip.
Masking Tape
Reel seats for most fishing rods come with an inner diameter that is much larger than the diameter of the rod blank. You will need to fill up this space, and a practical way to do this is with masking tape. You wrap masking tape to make a few “pillars” on the blank that will enable the reel seat to fit snugly. Expoxy is applied to the blank and masking tape pillars of course, prior to installing the reel seat.
Coffee Mug
Sipping coffee while building your rod can be comforting – but a coffee mug also has another purpose. When you put the guides on your rod, you wrap the feet of the guides with nylon thread. A coffee mug makes a great holder for the spool of thread while you are wrapping and keeps the spool secure.
A Couple of Heavy Books
When you are wrapping thread around the guide feet, you will want to have some tension on the thread. Running the thread under a couple of heavy books is a good way of obtaining the tension you need.
Scalpel or Razor Blade
When you finish wrapping thread over the feet of the guides, you will want to trim the thread very close. A sharp razor blade or scalpel is perfect for this.
Measuring Tape
A measuring tape is helpful to have a general guideline for where the guides will be placed on your fishing rod blank. Later, with some test casting, you can make adjustments to ensure the guides are placed perfectly along the rod in order to obtain the best casting and fish fighting performance.
And that is all you need!
Later, if you decide to pursue the craft of custom fishing rod building, you may want to invest in other tools such as thread wrapping machines that hold the rod between rollers as you wrap thread, a lathe if you decide to purchase cork rings and turn the handle yourself to the desired shape and diameter for your hands, and perhaps a small low rpm motor to turn the rod after you’ve applied finish to the thread wraps.
So take a look around and see if you have the tools and equipment you need already to build your first rod.
About the Author
You are invited to visit Custom Tackle.Com for more information on building your own fishing rod and to learn more about the fishing rod blanks and components available to you.
cork handle
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Arundel Handle bar tape cork Blue $9.00 |
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Arundel Handle bar tape cork Red $9.00 |
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VINTAGE CORK SCREW,WOODEN HANDLE,ABOUT 4.5 LONG,3 INCH WIDE,WIEGHT ABOUT 1 OZ. $8.50 |
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Arundel Handle bar tape cork Yellow $9.00 |
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Cork Handle Rubber Strap – Flogger, Whip, Paddle,Crop $34.99 |
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Antique Door handle Bottle stopper cork Neat $8.99 |
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Antique Door handle Bottle stopper cork Neat $8.99 |
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Steel Needle Pump Handle Vacuum Corkscrew Cork Red Wine Champagne Bottle Opener $4.80 |
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CUSTOM BROWNING FISHING / FILLET KNIFE – CORK AND ANTLER HANDLE – LEATHER SHEATH $75.00 |
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Boker Magnum Sporting Knife Wood Handle 2Blades, Cork Screw, etc. Camping Hiking $16.99 |
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Antique Cork Screw with Dark Rich Colored Handle $119.99 |
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Vintage TREE BARK WOOD with Handles Salt & Pepper Shakers CORK Stopper $9.99 |
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4 – Steel T Handles w/ Heavy Duty Cork Screw -New z025 $48.00 |
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10 – Steel T Handles w/Heavy Duty Cork Screw – New z025 $100.00 |
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Dooney and Bourke EUC Cork Handle Drawstring Satchel/ Purse BLACK BEAUTY!!! $149.95 |
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Heddon 205R reel- ball bearings + 6.5 ft economy cork handled rod – nice $22.00 |
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Fuchsia T Shaped Handle Cork Puller Opener for Red Wine $4.80 |
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NEW GREEN TINT GLASS BOTTLE W/ HANDLE CORK 9″ EVOO OIL $17.99 |
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WHITEHOUSE VINEGAR GLASS BOTTLE JAR FLOWER CORK HANDLES VINTAGE $9.99 |
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Retractable Cork Handle Alpenstock Hiking Walking Stick+Pole Protect Rubber Case $17.95 |
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Thermos Nissan FBB1000 34-Ounce Stainless-Steel Vacuum Insulated Briefcase Bottle $20.94 THERMAX DOUBLE WALL VACUUM INSULATION LOCKS IN TEMPERATURE TO PRESERVE FLAVOR & FRESHNESSUNBREAKABLE 18/8 STAINLESS STEEL INTERIOR & EXTERIOR WITHSTAND THE DEMANDS OF EVERYDAY USECONVENIENT TWIST & POUR STOPPER MAKES SERVING SIMPLEBUILT-IN STAINLESS STEEL CUPLIGHT & COMPACT DESIGN FOR EFFORTLESS TRANSPORT & STORAGESTAYS COOL TO THE TOUCH WITH HOT LIQUIDS & IS CONDENSATION-FREE WITH COLDUPC : 04120… |
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Double Hinged Waiter Style Corkscrew – Black $1.94 The unique double-lever hinge system makes removing even the longest, most stubborn corks easy. Contoured steel handle, serrated knife blade, and Teflon coated spiral…. |
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Metrokane Vertical Rabbit 0902205 The newest design from Metrokane in the Rabbit™family of products. This new Vertical Rabbit™is as easy as placing the opener over the bottle and lowering and raising a lever. It pulls a cork in 3 seconds and ejects it immediately with the lowering and raising of the handle. Constructed using a chrome plated zinc dye cast handle, it has a 10 yr warrantly, Hi-Sheen racing-car finish in c… |
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Opinel Knives 01410 Corkscrew Knife with Beech Wood Handles $20.25 Opinel Knives – Corkscrew Knife with Beech Wood Handles. Model: OP01410. 5 1/4″ closed. Features hardened stainless corkscrew with five grooves, 2 7/8″ Sandvik stainless blade and beech wood handle. Safety ring for locking the blade…. |
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Epicureanist Waiter’s Wine Corkscrew with Bone Handle $9.99 Brushed stainless steel curved design with bone accent on the handle. Swiveling foil cutter and stainless steel worm. 4 21/64″ W x 5/8″ H x 1 5/8″ W, weighs 4 oz….. |
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Episode Eight $1.99 … |
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Laguiole Wine Waiter – Olive Wood Monsieur Pierre Dubost, a professional in cutlery, who was himself a cutler’s son, founded Dubost Colas Pradel in 1920. They started in a small workshop but rapidly grew under the inspiration of Jean Dubost, the founder’s son. The bumblebee that is found on all the Laguiole knives is one of the emblems of the area, signifying its reliability The blade, made of high-grade stainless steel, is stampe… |
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EX2 – Ibiza Small Round Brush with Extended Cork Handle, 10 Rows of Bristles $36.00 Extended cork handle round brush with reinforced boar bristles…. |
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G5 – Round Brush – Large – 10 Swirled Rows – 65 mm – Bouncy $40.00 The G series is a specialty design for course hair. Boar Bristles are nestled with a heat resistant carbon fiber nylon , the G is for genius. The bristles are swirled to add density for root lift. Extended cork handle is the most innovative design in ergonomics in a round brush ever. Made in Spain… |