Sage TXL 3710-3

[SDH]

This is a rod i made back in late feb early march

REC PLRN reel seat and cork grip
H&H guides

Originally planned on doing clear wraps on this rod but in testing on another rod the wraps had a blue tint to them which i didnt like at all so i decided to try green and im not thrille about the outcome but i dont feel like tearing it apart and starting over right now maybe this winter

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/HansenRods/Rod%20Building/txl%203710-3/txl3713.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/HansenRods/early%20season%2007/3-15015.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/HansenRods/early%20season%2007/3-15014.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/HansenRods/early%20season%2007/3-15012.jpg

[SDH]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/HansenRods/early%20season%2007/westfork004.jpg

[Jon]

Nice looking rod - the green thread looks ok. I like the way custom rods are, well, custom! You know, unique.

Does buying a blank and making yourself save a significant amount of dollars?

K

[SDH]

it depends on the components

typically the blank costs about half as much as a finished rod

figure $40 for the reel seat on average
another $20 for the grip or cork rings to turn your own grip
i almost never use winding checks (little metal ring above the grip) so that saves me 5 bucks
about $20 for guides

then there is thread epoxy and rod finish but those you dont have to buy for every rod epoxy and finish goes a long ways

then a jig and a drier come in handy I made a simple jig for myself but a phone book and coffe cup suffice and you can turn and dry the rod by hand but you better have a couple hours to sit around and turn the rod

so i almost always figure on at least another $80 on top of the cost of the blank if you get good stuff you can do it for less and i have and have a few nice rods because of it

[SDH]

forgot to add in the end i probably saved between $75 and $100 on the TXL opposed to a factory rod

[nympher1]

sdh,
I think the rod looks pretty nice..the brownie looks pretty nice too.. 15 or 16"???
If I could be so bold what I might suggest rather than tearing the rod apart and rewrapping is to just add some tipping..black or may be antique gold..
Ron