Snap!

[tacklejunkie]

micros only have an application when acid wrapped where line slap is eliminated.

I think you are correct with this statement. not only line slap but my tip guide seems to have been designed for an inverted tip.

If you look at the tip guide picture I posted...
You can see the "guide support bridge" coming off the guide insert holder into the guide tip mount.
It is on the INSIDE of the guide where the line rides instead of on the OUTSIDE of the guide away from damaging the line! (like the rest of my rods) It looks as if the guide was meant to be rotated downward so the line pulls on the guide instead of on the rod... so to speak! Either that or they built it backwards? Either way it's not good how they applied it on this rod. I can't believe their R&D wouldn't catch this... or rather knowingly let it slide. This tip guide design damages your line!

That tip guide must have been designed to work with a spiral guide placement or something.
I don't see how they could expect the bridge coming off the guide insert carrier to not cut the line unless it was an a spiral wrapped casting rod and inverted!

What the heck were they thinking?
I try to go to E21 website for warranty and it's completely gone now. It used to be up last month when I bought the rod.. lol
I'll have to find the hang tag. I know I saved it. It has the number.

If they wont replace it I'll salvage the parts for another rod. Almost thinking of doing so already anyways.
I don't want to pay to have this rod replaced at all.

[jumpman]

crappy luck on the stick, let mw know when you got your wrapping down. i wanna get some made

[tacklejunkie]

Hey CKKevin you sure that's the right stick I should get?
It's not overpowered just a bit is it?
I'm gonna go check out the blanks in person soon. I just got the funds together to do this.

[That Dang Guy]

Finally biting the bullet huh? Wrapping is addicting, but can get expensive quickly. It's crazy how fast the little stuff adds up.

Even after the wrapper, you're going to need reamers, files, sand paper, cork paste, rod bond, denatured alchohol, tip adhesive, guide adhesive (definitely necessary if you're working with micros), brushes, brush cleaners, color preservers, mixing cups, epoxy (DII is my choice, great pot life extendable with heat), epoxy mixer (highly recommended), heat gun and/or alcohol burner, razors, burnishing rools, epoxy spatula and threads. And then when you order stuff from the internet, most places ream you for shipping. Luckily CM is local for me, but mudhole will squeeze every nickel out of shipping, but they always have the biggest selection.

If you end up getting a power wrapper, it should definitely be able to form cork and foam. I used to slam it on a spare piece of blank to form before i got an end stock. You just have to make sure you clean it well before doing finishing work or it's guaranteed to end up in your epoxy.

In regards to grip materials, EVA is easy to use. The stuff available at Acid Rod is harder than I've seen elsewhere, even denser than my Cumaras. I've been working with carbon skinned grips. Very steep learning curve to get it too look nice, but i think i got it down. I just have to work on the finished edges.

I just recently used the Fuji SK2 seats as well. The spinning seat is much bulkier than I had anticipated. The casting seat is great as long as you avoid the newer hood for the front, that too is bulky. The winding checks are an awesome addition to finishing, they fit all standard 16 and 17 sized seats that do not contain the inner ribbing.

Most likely you'll skip it on freshwater rods anyways, but my biggest mistake I made on my first rod was trying to use thread epoxy as the surface finish on the entire rod. It's nearly impossible to get flat without putting an excessive of it on. Use a one part precatalyzed urethane like permagloss. I still need to go back and redo that rod...the idea of trying to peel of 9 feet of epoxy keeps that project on the backburner. =p

If you like Gloomis blanks, MHX series is fairly close to the IMX series. Finished out a MB782 microspiraled that finished out at 2.90oz, MB843 at 3.40oz a HS9000 at 2.76oz. Excited about the HM series that's being released soon, it's priced to match St.Croix's SCV blanks, but introduced at at a lower price for now. I'm looking specifically at the DS822 to replace my Cumara that recently broke.

LOL I hope i didn't scare ya. That first rod is always the most expensive and most painful to get at the level of fit and finish you expect out of a custom rod. It's going to be frustrating, but keep with it and it will be very rewarding.

[DarkShadow]

Matagi components, FTW! ;-)

[tacklejunkie]

as with the Kayak..
It has been done!
I dropped 4 hundy at C&M just now.
We'll go with this Rainshadow first and see how I like it.
Bought wrapper and motor combo.

This is gonna be sick. I got those blue guides and blue thread and blue rings and all kinds of stuff. Told them what I wanted, backed down one size on the blank to get a feel like my Crucial Swimstick and here I am.
The guy was really cool. Threw in two rod building books free, guide foot adhesive free (I forgot to say I needed it) and a free roll super thin masking tape!

I went with the Rainshadow RX7 graphite ISWB946 blank.

[tacklejunkie]

TJ's Boomsticks open for biz

[DarkShadow]

I dropped 4 hundy at C&M just now.

http://www.matagi.co.jp/

Have fun!

[tacklejunkie]

The guy at Acidrods said he had the two types of EVA and another type of harder foam on the floor right there in the basket. He said it's more rubber and harder to shape. He said EVA is like $2 a rod and simple.
I went with cork, and paid the $50 for the full reamer set for mucho options.
Gotta do everything the hard/expensive way.

Will check out Matagi f'sho

Agh, knew I forgot something.
I lure keeper!

[dockboy]

Lure keepers are cheap online, you can get a DS style keeper like on the Crucials that will hold most any hook. Then the only issue is shipping. They ream you, but if you order from Mudhole they have custom decals you make to order, so you make a nice label and not spend a bunch. I do it now because my Loomis provided labels all died being moved around on the blank, and my handwriting is crap. The harder foam is hypholon, the same material used on good salt sticks. Hard to kill, hard to shape, and overkill for a freshwater stick IMO.