Building a rod

[jimlad]

I'm talking as a complete amateur here. I've noticed a few website selling Harrison rod blanks, and without doing much research at all, thought I would ask here. Firstly, is it a challenge to do? I've whipped a few rings on in the past but that's it. I'm average at diy.....

Secondly, would it save money at all?

I fancy doing it just from a 'I built that' perspective.


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[peter crabtree]

Might save money at first by buying a cheap telescopic 3m whip for a tenner and whipping the eyes on all the different sections before you attempt Harrison blanks.

 

[sam vimes]

Look at it as a labour of love and the opportunity to get something totally personal rather than a cost cutting exercise. By the time you buy the blank, quality rings, reel seat, cork, whipping thread, epoxy/varnish and other bits and bats you might need, you might not find any saving at all, even compared to a good custom builder.

It seems crazy, but I know that I've bought complete off the shelf rods for less than I could source just the set of rings fitted to them. Rod building quite appeals to me, in much the same way as building PCs used to. I stopped doing that quite a while ago when the savings dried up. I feel that rod building is probably similar. I've not even bothered to replace the odd damaged ring myself. I have looked into it, but it's never struck me as cost effective by the time you buy the right kit in.

I know that many of the older generations are quite adept at rod building. However, I believe that in many cases it was born of necessity. I know a few older specialist anglers that firmly believed that they simply could not buy exactly what they wanted, they had to make them. A lot of them don't make their own any longer though, there's no need.

 

[jimlad]

The old fella made all his own rods, including my first rod. I suppose there's a bit of nostalgia mixed in with making something personal. I think I'll have a read up on it and think further....


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[laguna]

Just do it if its in your blood Jim!