rod building/restoration

does anyone on this website do any rod building/restoration????
i have an old lindop rapide rod that needs the old varnish removing and then re-varnishing and also the whippings on the eyes could do with a make over.
its not the worlds best rod and it can be a bit whippy at times but i just adore using it and there isnt half a healthy bend in the old girl when i hook a good carp on it or tench...i would really love to see the old girl restored to her former glory.

http://www.barder-rod.co.uk/

Will cost a few bob, but Edward Barder is absolutely outstanding

forgot to mention that its an old glass fibre rod and not a split cane rod...thanks for the info mark.

Nick,

I don't think that Barder would too be interested - currently if you try to order one of their rods there is a waiting list of about a year - and that is for a rod that will cost you over ?800!

You would be better advised to try;

http://www.marktunley.com/

From the testimonials on FM, and eleswhere, he is an excellent craftsman and I've seen some of his rods and they are really the 'mutts-nuts'

Hope this helps.

hi there ,i had the same problem , i made up my mind and said im gonna have a go at this my self it turned out great i done every eye just rubbed it down whipped new eyes back on doing a bit at a time turning the thread onto nail varnish then whipping some more and more varnish its time consuming but well worth it and costs next to nothing ive had big fish on since and the rods been great good luck , ps you can use coulored nail varnich to match in with the colour of your rod, good luck hope this helps , and you havent been riped off by some idiot that takes hundreds of pounds of your hard earned cash...colin.

Nick, Check out http://www.rodcraftsman.com/ . Chris Ward is a master rod-builder and has done some terrific work for me. Don't use the email in the website as he has just changed and is now on roddoctor@ntlworld.com .
He will tackle small repairs to full custom rod builds and often gets jobs like yours to do.

Got to agree with Terry, Chris Ward is very good, ive had rings replaced, and the butt on one of my rods adapted for down the butt casting with a multiplier, great job and cheap.

plus he is local to me.

Nick why not have a go yourself as now with the closed season looming it is the ideal time to fill the void left with no fishing. Also the pleasure when you get a decent fish on Knowing the rod was bought back to life by you adds to the joy.

Whipping eyes on is something I actually enjoy but even the 'do it yourself' costs. Hopkins and Holloway have the rings,threads,reel seats and varnishes/epoxies but they dont come cheap.

With rod rings coming it at around a tenner each and then the varnishes and threads it makes me wonder how Dragon Carp can sell carp/specimen rods for a tenner each! Ok they are cheap end but how can they manufacture a rod that sells for ten quid? Crazy!

i`d love to have a go myself but i aint gotta clue where to start and what to do.to some this is just a crappy,whippy old bit of tat that should be binned but i just love using this rod when i get the chance.
i`ve been promising myself for the best part of a year to have the old girl restored to her former glory and i just wouldnt want to *uck the job up by attempting it myself.

So practice whipping rings onto a garden cane until you're happy with it.
Remove the rings, scrape the old varnish off with a blade held at right-angles to the blank (The back of a table-knife works, as long as it isn't rounded off); then give it a few coats of Spar yacht varnish or similar (NOT NAIL VARNISH!!!!), applied very thinly with a finger,NOT a brush; maybe a coat of matt varnish to finish. Then whip the rings on, dope the whipping with sanding sealer, gently sand off the "nap" that will have been raised by the sealer, and give the whippings a few coats of varnish - finger or brush. It isn't rocket science! And, just like floats, flies and bike wheels you've made yourself, it adds something to what you're doing.
You can also use the opportunity to personalise the rod: change the ring spacings, number and type; add a keeper ring; paint (before you varnish) marks at 3" intervals up the side of the rod you can see, for depth-checks; put on "padding" whippings to protect the blank where a favourite butt-indicator clips on, and so forth.
Much cheaper, and great fun!

Oh, if it's got a cork handle, give it a wipe with soapy water, wait a few minutes, then go at it gently with a nail-brush. The difference, once it's rinsed and dried, will knock you over!