giving it a try

ok went to bogans sunday and bought a seeker blank and all components for a 7ft baitcasting rod. i will try to use info online but any tips and /or help will be appreciated. first full build, i have done some repair work but not this much. been practicing my wrapping and getting better but im gonna take it slowly. feel free to post any info you have to help me. also willing to trade plugs for help if anyone is interested. just finished some plugs and they will be ready by the weekend.

The best advice I can give is go slow and think each move out before you start it.
If you have any questions please ask. Some of us here can walk you threw the build ONLY if you ask questions, there are other sites that should have any answers if you do a search and read.
A good one is "rodbuilding.org" there are alot of probuilders there and plenty of pix to get ideas. But remember to ask first if you have any questions.
Good Luck with your first build
The first is always the hardest !

i dont have anything to add except i love seeker blanks...

I'm going to keep a eye on this post for all your updates

Good luck and hope you make a rod of a life time....

thanks guys, yes i am not shy about asking questions. i was very impressed with the assistance at bogans. i hope this is ok to say, you know sponsors and all. but yes i have done alot and i mean alot of practicing and i think i have come up with some colors for the wraps. what do you guy think of an emerald green underwrap the blank is a midnight blue, almost an ink color. and then blue and gold overwraps? im trying to bring gold in for the reel. its for a penn 975. i am not set on these colors so if anyone has suggestions i would love to hear them. its will have 7 guides from 16 to 10 i think. plus tip. also i was thinking about shaping the aft grip kind of making 3 sections to it. not sure how to explain it. but how is the black foam to shape? i was thinking of using my lathe and sanding it. i dont want to get too fancy but just change the shape a little. ok so ive asked too many questions already right? anyway i guess my first question is epoxy. is one better than another to use? not sure the tutorials dont specify. ok thats all for now thanks again,

dozer 277 wrote:thanks guys, yes i am not shy about asking questions. i was very impressed with the assistance at bogans. i hope this is ok to say, you know sponsors and all. but yes i have done alot and i mean alot of practicing and i think i have come up with some colors for the wraps. what do you guy think of an emerald green underwrap the blank is a midnight blue, almost an ink color. and then blue and gold overwraps? im trying to bring gold in for the reel. its for a penn 975. i am not set on these colors so if anyone has suggestions i would love to hear them. its will have 7 guides from 16 to 10 i think. plus tip. also i was thinking about shaping the aft grip kind of making 3 sections to it. not sure how to explain it. but how is the black foam to shape? i was thinking of using my lathe and sanding it. i dont want to get too fancy but just change the shape a little. ok so ive asked too many questions already right? anyway i guess my first question is epoxy. is one better than another to use? not sure the tutorials dont specify. ok thats all for now thanks again,

Which seeker did you go with? Brielle B&T is a good place always very helpful. I would do some test wraps on some dowls to see what the different color combos look. Are you using NCP thread or regular nylon. If you are using regular nylon the colors will change when you put on finish. My offer still stands if you need any help with the rod. I personally use threadmaster finish but Aftcote is very good too and it is easier to work with if you are just starting out. I hate flexcote!!! sets up too fast and yellows like a mother f****er.

If you need any help my offer still stands so let me know.

mike i think ( cause im away for 2 weeks and cant look) its the cl708 its a 7ft graphite blank. havent gotten the thread yet still in color choice mode. biggest question right now is epoxy for the butt cap grips and reel seat. not sure which to use. as far as wraps i have an old penn mariner that i have been practicing on. i saw what you were saying about the colors changing with the flex coat. i will contact you as i go and give updates. thanks again for the offer of help. larry

ok we have officially started. got the spine found that wasnt as easy as it looked. glued on the gimball and ordering some epoxie to put on the grips and reel seat.

way to go larry looking good cant wait to see it finished....

mike i ordered the rodbuild u-40 epoxie and i got an assortment of 32 different color threads size c in NCP it was a little pricey but it will give me alot of choices on colors. when the stuff comes in i will give progress reports. now i'm getting impatient. i want to start.

quick update, since i was waiting for the epoxie i picked up a china marker and started laying out the guides. measured up from the gimbal and marked out the reel seat. not sure whether im gonna put the threaded portion forward or aft. seems when using a baitcaster i tend to loosen up the reel lock nut. i think im gonna put it aft but not sure. well set up the guides and put some line on it and hooked it to the yorkie pup. little sucker put up a good fight but i was able to land him and released him to swim (run) away. on a side note yorkies have teeth so its not a good idea to lip them. well judging by what ive read i like the placement of the guides so i will leave them there. now its a waiting game till my stuff comes in today. should have the grips and reel seat on this weekend and start underwraps next week. quick question should i coat the underwraps before i put the guides on?

Dozer you don't need to coat them before doing the over wraps . But I wouls suggest that you burnish them cause you might not beable to get to certain spots under the guides to burnish the threads to smooth them out before epoxying. Also always wash your hands before dealing with the wraping thread so no oil from your hands transfer on to the threads or wraps wich can cause fisheyes

thanks charlie cant wait to start wrapping.

Ok lesson #1 when installing aft grip make sure you have a piece of wood with a hole drilled in it just larger than the diameter of the rod and push the grip all the way down in one fluid motion. if you stop halfway its a bear to get started again. and it gets shorter when you get it to the bottom. even after you pull it back up to un compress it. reel seat went on without a hitch. and foregrip was a breeze also. its drying now so pics tomorrow. now that the handle assy is almost 2 inches shorter ive gotta respace the guides so more to come. also foregrip creeped up on me after about 30 minutes so i pulled it together with string till it dries. should be set up by now. wrapping will commence soon.

Ok quick update. after numerous wraps and removals i have come up with a suitable color scheme. finished building my wrapping station and boy what a dream to use a motor for the underwraps. finished them and built a thread holder with an adjustable tensioner. again very nice to have consistiency. did a decorative wrap between the 2 feet on each guide just for color. again with much searching on the internet. and numerous unsuccesful tries at short wraps coming untied. ok put on the guides and aligned them, now its starting to look like a fishing rod. after all the guides were installed and aligned it was time for the creative butt wrap. well another lesson learned. when doing the chevron wraps they dont tell you that you have to go above and below or the center of the pattern is not facing towards the reel. it moves around to the side. ok got creative and went to one side and then went to the other. kind of a double chevron. looks very nice and it brought it back up to the center of the reel seat. ok now time to finish the ends of the butt wrap. did it once and hated the look. did it 3 times before it looked good. now its time to coat the threads with clear. cant wait to do it. i am going to take some pictures tonite before i coat it and then after. if it looks good after the clear i will do a final picture. if not i will cry and give up. no not really but i hope to use it next week so here we are. I learned alot and am looking forward to the next one. i think it will be a fluking rod or an 8ft spinning rod for plugging. I would love to spend some time with someone on here who builds alot just to see how the pros do it. tutorials teach just so much and you cannot ask questions.

sounds good larry....IF AT FIRST U DONT SUCCEED ..TRY TRY AGAIN....cant wait for the pics....

of course even the best laid plans ect. ect. well no pics no clear no NOTHING errrrrrr. well maybe this weekend. the kids and the house and cleaning the church took priority last nite. goin out on my buddies boat tonite so saturday looks good after i do oil changes on 3 of our vehicles. and finish the garden, and plant the flowers in the planters and, and, and, i guess next week is looking better. steve i'm looking to take wed thurs, and fri off next week. what is your schedule looking like? thinking about taking pop to the beach one day and see if i can get him into some fish. let me know. call me on my cell 973-886-7573.

will call u buddy ....see if we can hook up and fish...