Who sells rod blanks and rod building components in the bay area?
- Thread starter DIYLureJunky
- Start date
I don't know of anybody that sells rodbuilding supplies locally........This is a pretty experienced board......what are you looking for in a rod....We could probably help you out......Be advised though.....You are probably better off buying a factory rod as it takes a while to learn what you are doing
I'm far from a local but if you are not in a rush, you might want to try looking at local fishing shows. My last few rod blanks were purchased at fishing shows. Good stuff too.
You can get rod blanks online but shipping can cost as much as a blank that was on sale, unless you are willing to buy in bulk.
You can get rod blanks online but shipping can cost as much as a blank that was on sale, unless you are willing to buy in bulk.
I used to get my blanks from Fred Hall show in Long Beach Convention Center. There used to be a tackle shop in Valley Blvd, Rosemead CA, where I got my rod building supplies. The tackle shop no longer exist after it was burned down by fire. I moved to San Jose since 1997 for my career and just got back to fishing again since last year. I have given away most of my custom wrap fishing rods to friends and family members when I moved. I like to find a blank similar to Shimano Trevala, but need it around 7 to 7.5 feet length. I have done wraps similar like this:
Ahhh Very Very Nice! My older brother taught me how to wrap rods by hand when I was 8 years old. I was so into it during the early 90s. I did some crazy rods that I actually used. One of my brothers friends would actually copy some of my designs. It got to a point where I'd do things like weaves and other techniqes that couldn't easily be copied by machine. Life gets in the way sometimes, so I no longer wrap as much. If I do, it's just simple inlays or maybe some marbling. I still got people wanting me to do weaved cord grips but that's killer on the hands to do and it takes time. I don't even own one personally. Lol
If you are willing to order online try Getbit Outdoors or go directly to North Fork Composites, if you are looking for something close to Shimano. It's Gary Loomis's new (a few years now) company.
If you are willing to order online try Getbit Outdoors or go directly to North Fork Composites, if you are looking for something close to Shimano. It's Gary Loomis's new (a few years now) company.
Actual work time once you have done a few is probably closer to 10 or 12 hours. Unfortunately it has to be spread out over several days for drying purposes. Grips and reel seat takes less than an hour to cut and glue, but then needs drying time. If you want to shape the grips that time varies with what tools you have. Guides take anywhere from 10 to 45 minutes a piece to wrap depending on your skill level and hand or power wrapper. Butt wrap times vary on how fancy you make them. Clear coating only takes about 10 minutes, but then needs 12 to 24 hours to dry and usually 2 to 3 coats are applied. Takes time and work, but catching fish on a rod you made is that much sweeter.
Funny you mentioned that shop in Rosemead, it’s was brought up a few days ago in a conversation with some old timers. Anyways, try hi’s tackle box in south city. They are starting up rod building again. Another place to try is rusty hook and coast side 2 in Pacifica. Rusty hook use to do custom rods but not so sure now (been over fifteen years since I’ve been there). Coast side can point you in the right direction since it’s so popular with the locals whom, more often than not, use custom sticks. Good luck.
Btw, look into black hole slow pitch rod blanks. Very parabolic bend.
Btw, look into black hole slow pitch rod blanks. Very parabolic bend.
For normal wraps with no decorative cross wraps, yes, it can be done in 10 to 12 hours. I'm talking about those fancy wraps, as shown on the video. If you can do those in 10 to 12 hours, you are way ahead of me 
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I ended up buying a Tsunami slow pitch rod. I was thinking just wrapping the butt section. I'm not too crazy about the spiral wraps on the guides, so I took them all out and decided to wrap the whole rod from scratch. The only thing I don't have to do is put on the handle and reel seat. It took me 14 hours to get to this point. Guides are not yet wrapped.
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Back when I was building rods I used to get most of my blanks from Cabelas.......I would wait for their closeouts......I was getting Salmon/Steelhead Blanks up to 10'6" for $25/ea..................Looks Like those days are LONG GONE.
My favorite perch rods are rebuilt Ugly Stick Salmon/Steelhead Rods......I tend to wrap them as a simple spiral wrap for the guides......Some of them I have stripped and wrapped several times....The blanks are pretty much Bullet Proof.......I have over 30 rod blanks collection dust in my living room from 4'6" UL one piece blanks to a South African Import 18' 3-piece blank......I just rarely have to time to sit anymore.....But now that my creative juices are flowing again with my lure making I might get back into it
My favorite perch rods are rebuilt Ugly Stick Salmon/Steelhead Rods......I tend to wrap them as a simple spiral wrap for the guides......Some of them I have stripped and wrapped several times....The blanks are pretty much Bullet Proof.......I have over 30 rod blanks collection dust in my living room from 4'6" UL one piece blanks to a South African Import 18' 3-piece blank......I just rarely have to time to sit anymore.....But now that my creative juices are flowing again with my lure making I might get back into it