Fly rod and Rod tube winter project

Thanks for the kind words guys; from where you sit; it probably looks like i know what im doing.

Still waiting for materials; today i finished the last two things i could. Knowing i wanted a way to identify the reel i pulled out my electro/chem etching machine; which hasn’t been used in ages and dug thru the stencils looking for something remotely applicable. Lo an behold, i had an “Alaskan Super Grade” and by removing Grade it fit well. I guess going forward this reel will be my “Alaskan Super”. It’s not entirely suitable as the name would lead you to believe this was a King Salmon reel; actually it’s only a lowly 3/4wt. Reel! But it looks cool and that’s all that really matters!
Then on to the Ratchet knob. (spool to Americano’s) The J.W Young 3 panel grip knob is hand’s down the most comfortable IMO and no self respecting Pirate would leave the good stuff behind, so I used Delrin for mine.

Today i finished up the hardware that makes the crank knob complete now. Probably don’t look like much but at 74 those threads look pretty small while single pointing them on the Lathe. I also put the spool billet in the lathe and roughed quite a bit of stock off. It can set a day or so incase there’s any internal stress squirming around in there trying to get out!
For perspective that first screw that looks like a “plow bolt”, is only a 10/32!
Im still having fun. I’ll move over to the Mill and slot those 2 round head screws tomorrow.

A decent fly rod is worth protecting. Years ago I bought an Eagle Claw combo rod for spinning and fly fishing. It has short sections and came with an aluminum case. It is a crummy rod but I have taken on the back of horses and mules, down the Grand Canyon, and on plenty of canoe trips. The fishing can be spectacular out where other people rarely go, and that rod has always been there. I have a fancy fly rod that I use for day trips and in power boats and the drift boat, but some of the best fishing experiences of my life have been with that old crummy Eagle Claw rod.

One of the best was wading in shorts in a big creek in the Sierra Nevada mountains on a pack trip. I had some beat up flies a friend tied for me. I was catching golden trout every third cast for about an hour. There was no one around. The fish were only the size of brook trout. I put them all back, but it was maybe the best day of fishing in a life of fishing.

Like ppine’s Eagle Claw combo fishing rod, I have an old fiberglass Fenwick combo rod that went all over Alaska when I was a young man. It even went to Japan with me so I could fill out my life list of all of the Pacific salmon species.
Since I retired with time to do it , I have bought a S-type fiberglass, graphite and bamboo fly rod blanks. Plus the Tennessee handle grips and rings, guides, threads and finishing coatings to build my own combo rods that are mainly used as fly specific rods. I know they are functionally better than the old Fenwick rod, but don’t provoke all the great memories that the old rod brings back to me whenever I see it.
……..BB

Rods i’ve built or repaired always seem to find their way into the “favorite category”.

Had a pretty good day today but had to cut it short to start on an Ebony mouthpiece for a friends Alphorn.

The spool is staying absolutely true so i finished the outside profile and the bushing bore. On the crank side i still have the latch recess and mill work, on the opposite side some turning to accept the check gear.

That ugly packing follower will provide the material for my line guard.

That ugly packing nut cleaned up fine and will make nice line guards, however i had to buy a smaller corner rounding mill so the guard will get screwed on later.
The latch recess in the spool is done as is the latch cover. It was left on the stump for easy holding in the mill.

the Alphorn mouthpiece is done too And makes noise, which is good i guess? Now my buddy can give the Ricolla cough drop guy some competition!