Looking to get into building ice rods. Wondering if someone can point me in the direction of somewhere to get quality blanks and components for a decent price? Also looking at the basic rod building startup kit from mudhole, any info/reviews on this would be appreciated. Thanks!
Dh Custom sells there blanks and fly guides. If I was building that’s what I would be going with.
Mudhole and Sportsmans direct. If you bought DH blanks to learn on, you better have a good stash of cash or you’ll go broke.
Start watching the Mud Hole videos on You tube.
Jr’s also sell parts
Dh blanks are not special can be bought you anyone. Just up charges them and sells blanks. Mud hole, American tackle, Jr and many more most Blanks are made same place just different names. Even the so called high end are cheap blanks.
I also started with mudhole turnkey kit. used blanks from all of the above mentioned. Netcraft has the least expensive blanks and materials.
Jr’s also sell parts
Dh blanks are not special can be bought you anyone. Just up charges them and sells blanks. Mud hole, American tackle, Jr and many more most Blanks are made same place just different names. Even the so called high end are cheap blanks.
Absolutely not true. For any kind of blank, you get what you pay for. There’s different types of fiberglass used as well as carbon. DH and V-Line charge more because they are selling blue dot blanks which are made from Korean carbon(far superior that Chinese carbon) but costs a lot more. If you compare side by side an exspensive fiberglass blank to an inexpensive fiberglass blank there is a huge difference. The reason why I know this is because I used to work for a blank manufacture and build rods.
For the person that initial made the post, there are three builders that really are dominating the craft right now and are being inovative: Lonnie Murphy, Chris Stanton and Andy Wolfram. More than likely most, if not all, Rod builders in the Midwest know who these three and would agree with my statement. I would suggest finding them on Facebook and reaching out. Lonnie is the head builder at Thorne bros and is the reeson why “new school noodle” rods exist. Andy and Chris do thier own thing and turn out incredible award winning work. Just my 2 cents…
I started a few months ago with the mud hole kit. Really enjoy it so far. Check out all their videos for advice, if you want to shoot me a pm, I have a buddy that does a lot of rod building and he pointed me in the right directions to get started. Its addicting!!
Just my 2 cents stay away from rod building. Its very addicting and expensive. If your set on it I would get your blanks from basskhang.com. Very nice blanks and reasonably priced. Sportsman’s Direct also has nice blanks. All the other components you can get from a variety of places. Jann’s Netcraft, Sportsman’s Direct, Anglers workshop or mudhole.com. Just depends on what you are looking for. For information look on facebook at Custom Ice Rod Builders or Ice Rod Building. Lots of information there
Basskhang is good. And inexpensive. I buy a lot of stuff from mudhole. The mhx ice blanks are decent. I’m not a fan of their ice rod kits, though. They come with cheaper, higher frame guides and a tip top which I don’t generally use anyway on ice rods. They also come with a reel seat, rear grip and foregrip which makes for a longer handle than I prefer. I also don’t generally use reel seats on my ice rods. I’ve bought blanks, fly/spinning guides and cork rings (all separate) from mudhole to build complete rods. They work well. Most of my ice rods however, are on Thorne Brothers blanks with same or similar components. Rod building can be very rewarding. The best part is that you can build very high end stuff that no one else has. PM me for questions/tech support. Good luck and have fun!
After looking into this it doesn’t seem something one would do to save money on rods. By the time all of the tools and equipment are in place you’re in it for the same or more than several higher end ice rods. I’d imagine the first few come out as jack jobs too.
I’m sure it’s very rewarding though as a hobby. I’m considering if I need another hobby, this looks like a fun one.
After looking into this it doesn’t seem something one would do to save money on rods. By the time all of the tools and equipment are in place you’re in it for the same or more than several higher end ice rods. I’d imagine the first few come out as jack jobs too.
I’m sure it’s very rewarding though as a hobby. I’m considering if I need another hobby, this looks like a fun one.
Building ice rods is an incredibly simple task. Sure, there is a learning curve but it isn’t difficult.
Building rods can be as cheap or as expensive as you want it to be. You don’t need a $400 power wrapper or a $150 drying station. After DIY’ing 90% of the equipment I needed for about $60, I can now build a custom quality rod for around $30 in parts. That includes sanding the taper and painting the rod/tip. Oddly enough, the most expensive component is thread. Especially if you want more than 1-2 colors or plan on learning wraps and weaves.
I get my blanks from SportsmenDirect for $5 bucks a piece (Extreme taper fiberglass). Everything else I get from Mudhole. I like to use ProKote epoxy for the guides and ProPaste 5minute for gluing handles to the blank.
Make sure to find the spline of the blank and everything should be good.
If you want to write on your blank, say a name or length or rod specs, you can thin out acrylic craft paint with water to the consistency of ink (in the color of your choice to match thread color) and use a cheap nib pen. Or, do what I do, and just use the tip of a tooth pick. Takes some practice to write with a toothpick but it works pretty well to add some colored text. Acrylic has the added benefit of drying quickly and if you mess up just wipe it off and start over.
Hi, to the OP thanks for starting this post. I am also considering dabbling in rod building and have spent the past week reading and watching a lot of videos, etc.
Wow is there more to consider than I thought but the actual building of the rod appears pretty straight forward. I have now looked at my assortment of rods under magnifier, Legend Elites, Legend Tournament, AVID, Dobyns, etc. A lot to look at.
I was thinking of purchasing one of the CRB starter kits such as this one.
http://www.mudhole.com/Basic-Rod-Building-Start-Up-Supply-Kit-FSB-2
Does anyone have experience with the CRBs kits or recommend any other starter kits?
Oh by the way I stopped at Wild Goose Sports the other day to discuss and he is 98 and still going strong. Both my sons built me father day rods with him back while they were in HS, +10 years ago. What a great guy.
Thanks
Hi, to the OP thanks for starting this post. I am also considering dabbling in rod building and have spent the past week reading and watching a lot of videos, etc.
Wow is there more to consider than I thought but the actual building of the rod appears pretty straight forward. I have now looked at my assortment of rods under magnifier, Legend Elites, Legend Tournament, AVID, Dobyns, etc. A lot to look at.
I was thinking of purchasing one of the CRB starter kits such as this one.
http://www.mudhole.com/Basic-Rod-Building-Start-Up-Supply-Kit-FSB-2
Does anyone have experience with the CRBs kits or recommend any other starter kits?
Oh by the way I stopped at Wild Goose Sports the other day to discuss and he is 98 and still going strong. Both my sons built me father day rods with him back while they were in HS, +10 years ago. What a great guy.
Thanks
CRB kit from mudhole is the way to go for getting started! Unless you’re going to do it as a business, I don’t think you need anything more than it comes with apart from some different reamers for ice rods handles and more thread colors! It’s fun and addicting. I’m still working on switching all my personal rods over to rods I really like, you gotta play around to find a blank that fits you but I’m narrowing in on a few good panfish blanks!!
Can’t buy this on a shelf.
IMG_3005.jpg
If you’re on fb join this group, it’ll help you our tremendously
Building rods is a great fun hobby. It doesn’t have to cost big $$ to get into it. If you are handy you can build almost everything you need. The only thing I needed to buy was a dryer. Doing lots of research is the best tip I can say for a starter. It seems like there are tons of people who are building rods out there. Try to find someone that is close to you and is willing to show you the ropes. Enjoy your new addicting hobby.
Yes, a rod dryer is essential in my opinion. I bought the crb 17 rpm motor for like $15 on mudhole a few years ago and made a stand from a 1×6 plank. I also built the wrapping station out of the same 1×6. I’ll post some pictures in a bit. Going to hit the ice for a few hours while there’s no wind and sunshine still.
I was thinking of purchasing one of the CRB starter kits such as this one.
http://www.mudhole.com/Basic-Rod-Building-Start-Up-Supply-Kit-FSB-2
That will be way to go, it has everything to get you started
Does anyone have experience with the CRBs kits or recommend any other starter kits?
Built a CRB crappie rod last spring and really like it.
Oh by the way I stopped at Wild Goose Sports the other day to discuss and he is 98 and still going strong. Both my sons built me father day rods with him back while they were in HS, +10 years ago. What a great guy.
Mel at Wild Goose Sports is a great guy and builds a very nice rod. I used to get all my supplies from him until we moved out of Rochester.
Hi, found a few pictures of wrappers on:
http://www.rodbuildingforum.com/
I’ll work with Mel on the first rod and then refer to the attached pictures to build my own wrapper as I have a shop full of word working tools.
wrapper.jpg
wrapperD.jpg
wrapper1a.jpg
Don’t start. You will start building for yourself, Then your kids, then grandkids, friends. If you build for one you then feel guilty and have to build for all of them. The list continues to grow pretty soon you are building for guys you meet on the lake. You try new stuff trying to make them fancier and before you know it you are building when you should be fishing. All joking aside it is fun, rewarding to see what you can create.
Don’t start. You will start building for yourself, Then your kids, then grandkids, friends. If you build for one you then feel guilty and have to build for all of them. The list continues to grow pretty soon you are building for guys you meet on the lake. You try new stuff trying to make them fancier and before you know it you are building when you should be fishing. All joking aside it is fun, rewarding to see what you can create.
This is a very true statement.
I should have listened, and never started messing with rod building. I don’t care if they look great, just wanted certain features. Now I can’t go ice fishing without a pile of rods. And I used to be secure and happy with whatever I was using…..now it’s glass vs carbon; inside/outside,sitting or hole hopping; feel vs visual; and deliberation between length/handle/guides for situations. The other day I was camera fishing and could feel the bluegill bite, see the rod tip move simultaneous with the camera, on a Thorne Bros power noodle blank…..I think I’ll keep that rod…. But, it makes some of my other creations obsolete and I feel guilty for them. LOL
Anyway, my thanks to those who have posted tips. I lurked up a lot of ideas and have had lots of quality basement time during bad weather. Is that Thorne Bros blank really better or different than others? It’s more expensive. The MH blanks look so similar but my imagination says they don’t have the same feel.
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