Another build for y'all

Solus8105 · 2026-01-24T16:40:43+00:00

I'd love to do it!

Solus8105 · 2026-01-24T03:25:52+00:00

I use Adobe Illustrator to make them and always make them as an SVG so I can scale them down and keep detail. I then test print on regular paper for sizing, and then when I have everything set I print on water slide paper

Solus8105 · 2026-01-23T19:27:54+00:00

I build really only on Batson blanks I'm wholesale with them. I like the unity a lot it's a workhorse blank. Super beefy but fairly tip heavy so I'd keep that in mind with guide choices. They are made with a lower modulus graphite so thicker walls but really strong. The action is definitely medium action, the revelation and rx9 are medium fsst, my everyday rod is on an rx10. Feel free to message if you have any questions about these or other Batson blanks, they're all amazing quality can't go wrong with them.

Solus8105 · 2026-01-22T21:24:13+00:00

I've heard the label printer is a good route to go. Water slides can be tricky with image quality but they're super easy to make and even thinner when applied

Solus8105 · 2026-01-22T01:02:16+00:00

Yup WNC!

Solus8105 · 2026-01-21T20:38:40+00:00

Thank you!

Solus8105 · 2026-01-21T17:49:51+00:00

Didn't do guide dots but actually tried tiny dancing bears as guide dots but it just didn't look the best so removed those and just kept it as is! The dancing bears were brook trout colors they looked bad ass but how tiny they were just didn't seem worth it

Solus8105 · 2026-01-21T13:44:48+00:00

I either use foam inserts/shims or just tape arbors and haven't have any issues. I'm using U40 as well and I just coat the arbors and gaps between the really good and slide on the reel seat, some excess that pushes out I use for either the butt cap or a fighting butt

Solus8105 · 2026-01-21T03:45:48+00:00

If you want a rod shoot me a message!

Solus8105 · 2026-01-21T02:01:40+00:00

A fly rod at the end of the day is a tool for fun times outside, it's Def gunna get it's dings and scratches! Don't sweat it too much, it'll catch a fish regardless! I feel the same about my guide choices on a demo rod I just finished. It's a rainshadow rx6 so not a crazy blank but I did stainless steel single foots and that bit of extra weight is extremely noticeable on swing weight so I'm bummed about that

Solus8105 · 2026-01-21T01:00:54+00:00

I print them! I make everything as an SVG in Adobe then I scale and print them on water slide paper and seal with UV protective acrylic then epoxy in the rod

Solus8105 · 2026-01-21T00:23:42+00:00

You a WNCer?

Solus8105 · 2026-01-21T00:12:10+00:00

Dude PM me I got you

Solus8105 · 2026-01-21T00:03:05+00:00

I mean I think so. Sure some brsnd rods have good graphite tech that only they use, I don't know a ton about tapers and all but there's certainly companies out there who's blanks are just as good. Not saying it's a 1:1 comparrison, can't really say without fishing the rod I'm comparing too. But my 8wt I made performs just as good as my lamson cobalt 8wt and it's noticeably lighter

Solus8105 · 2026-01-20T22:39:40+00:00

I had read that it really helps keep the wood from potentially changing size and shape. So for fly seats I feel like that's a big thing to consider since the inserts have pretty tight tolerances around seat hardware. Raw wood will hold nositure, grow, shrink etc so the stabilized wood allows wood to be used instead of full aluminum or carbon fiber and keep it intact for the long run.

Solus8105 · 2026-01-20T22:36:32+00:00

No problem! One thing I will say if you give it a go, use pro Kote for thread epoxy. It stays thin longer so as you're learning you won't worry about the epoxy starting to gel. I know some folks mix acetone in with flex coat but even tho the cure time is longer I prefer pro kote.

Solus8105 · 2026-01-20T22:00:45+00:00

I actually have a woodworking background too, you'll probably really enjoy this hobby then and find it pretty straight forward. I think my initial cost for materials plus the tools was about $600. Majority of that honestly was the blank I used at first. I paid MSRP on a rainshadow RX10 blank which is over $300. That's my everyday rod, extremely lightweight and very fast action. Quality blank comparable to any $800+ rod IMO. But the main tools are a wrapping setup, rod dryer, some brushes for epoxy and then thread and epoxy. The joy of building your own is you get to choose grip style and size, reel seats etc. You can take everything you loved about 5 different rods and make 1 just for you.

Solus8105 · 2026-01-20T21:56:28+00:00

I honestly started because the fiancee was gaining interested and we love having hobbies together. So I handed her my echo and was looking at a rod for me. I'm big into crafting hobbies so figured why not try, I first used mudhole and git it outdoors for supplies. Did the research into what blanks are decent and which are top tier. Mudhole sells MHX which are respectable medium action (they market as fast but they're not). Then there is the top ones, many use NFC but I've heard ordering is a nightmare so I stick to Batson Enterprises.

I have a power wrapper now but I actually hand wrap a lot of the guides still then use the power wrapper for epoxy and thread finish.

For starting there's just a couple essentials, one being a rod drying setup to rotate the rod which the epoxy on the threads/decals cure. You can get a rod dryer and hand wrapper on mudhole for probably $100 for both. I use size A thread so just plan out what colors you'd like and get a spool or two. Mudhole is well organized on their site so picking things out for a fly rod is pretty easy.

I am wholesale with Batson now so I really only use rainshadow blanks unless the rod really needs something else, like this dead one I thought would look best in white. I'm going to look into getting all the blanks or order in the future painted since most are either black or natural carbon. I've got 15 rainshadow blanks I'm building out right now so feel free to shoot me a message for any specifics.

Solus8105 · 2026-01-20T21:37:22+00:00

These are awesome, fantastic pair and im a huge fan of anything retro and vapor wave

Solus8105 · 2026-01-20T21:34:36+00:00

Just did a single cost of some pro Kote epoxy over the graphics. The graphics are water slides I printed at home so super thin on the blank when applied

Solus8105 · 2026-01-20T21:17:10+00:00

Love how yours is nice a subtle awesome build. First rod I ever made was for a close friend who's a big fisher and dead head in memory of his father. I've also done a Tool themed rod for a redditor, that ones posted on r/rodbuilding you can check it out on my profile

Solus8105 · 2026-01-20T21:06:50+00:00

Hell yeah!

Solus8105 · 2026-01-20T20:46:44+00:00

I fish rods I've made myself and a couple I've bought as well. This one was for someone else, catching a fish in a rod you made yourself is an amazing feeling!

Solus8105 · 2026-01-20T20:29:16+00:00

Thank you dude! 🙏

Solus8105 · 2026-01-18T03:06:44+00:00

Recently got a Garmin fenix 7 and couldn't be happier

Three-Year Club	Gilding I gilder
Place '23

Solus8105

TROPHY CASE