Rod Building

My daughter plans on building a rod for a school project. Suggestions on a good website to purchase a spinning blank and the proper tools?
Thanks.

Mudhole

Or since you’re in St Paul head up to Thorne Bros

both good options http://www.getbitoutdoors.com/ is another
Also google custom rod builders guild. both on web and facebook lotta help there if you have questions

SportmensDirect for blanks.
Mudhole for virtually everything else.

If she gets into more, there are other sites that have things for cheaper (like winding checks and hook keepers etc.) but shipping offsets the price for only one rod.

I highly suggest getting a rod dryer though. It will make things soooooooo much easier when it comes to epoxying the guides.

I’m right here in town (SSP) if you have any other questions. I think I work with your brother.

S.R.

Mudhole has some very good starter kits,and I also recommend the rod dryer.Who knows,maybe one rod will lead to another?

Rod drier is a must in my book. Rod building is an addicting hobby and there will be more. I took a class a few years back and it snowballed from there. I love it. If she needs some help there are some facebook pages I can give for tips and advice.

I think Thorne Brothers still will let her buy everything from them and show her how to build it in their shop.

Tuma wrote:

I think Thorne Brothers still will let her buy everything from them and show her how to build it in their shop.

Yeah I was going to mention that but couldn’t find any current info on it other than stuff dated 2014. Worth a call though.

As far as the proper tools, all my stuff is home made from stuff I found around my shop and already had. A couple of boards, felt, spring, and screws are all it takes for a simple rod wrapper. I learned to make rods for watching youtube and reading over forms.
Mudhole also offers classes about 1 a year where you build a rod and get to keep it. A class like that can help out lots for the learning curve.

Gary Wicks used to do this, he is in Anoka. Think he does a community Ed class on rod building.

We ended up using mudhole.com and got a turnkey kit. After a few months she finished and we tested it today. Worked great! Thanks IDO!

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That’s awesome! Who says you can’t use full size rods on the ice?!

Looks like she used an iFish Pro with the that?

Yes the ifish pro worked perfectly. I did have to use a rod holder I made 25 years ago in high school woodshop!

Nothing like the satisfaction of success on something you built yourself!