What Tools Do I Need to Build My Own Fishing Rod?

“Surely you need some specialized tools and equipment to build that fishing rod,” an angling friend once remarked to me. It provided me with a great opportunity to talk about the craft of custom fishing rod building and motivate some interest.

Some people think that in order to build your own rod, you need expensive and specialized equipment. However, the fact is you probably have what you need in your home already in order to get started on your first rod.

Here’s a list of the tools and equipment you will need:

Round File

If you purchase a cork handle kit, where the cork rings have already been shaped into a grip, you will probably need a round file in order to enlarge the pre-drilled hole of the grip.

Masking Tape

Reel seats for most fishing rods come with an inner diameter that is much larger than the diameter of the rod blank. You will need to fill up this space, and a practical way to do this is with masking tape.  You wrap masking tape to make a few “pillars” on the blank that will enable the reel seat to fit snugly.  Expoxy is applied to the blank and masking tape pillars of course, prior to installing the reel seat.

Coffee Mug

Sipping coffee while building your rod can be comforting - but a coffee mug also has another purpose. When you put the guides on your rod, you wrap the feet of the guides with nylon thread. A coffee mug makes a great holder for the spool of thread while you are wrapping and keeps the spool secure.

A Couple of Heavy Books

When you are wrapping thread around the guide feet, you will want to have some tension on the thread. Running the thread under a couple of heavy books is a good way of obtaining the tension you need.

Scalpel or Razor Blade

When you finish wrapping thread over the feet of the guides, you will want to trim the thread very close. A sharp razor blade or scalpel is perfect for this.

Measuring Tape

A measuring tape is helpful to have a general guideline for where the guides will be placed on your fishing rod blank.  Later, with some test casting, you can make adjustments to ensure the guides are placed perfectly along the rod in order to obtain the best casting and fish fighting performance.

And that is all you need!

Later, if you decide to pursue the craft of custom fishing rod building, you may want to invest in other tools such as thread wrapping machines that hold the rod between rollers as you wrap thread, a lathe if you decide to purchase cork rings and turn the handle yourself to the desired shape and diameter for your hands, and perhaps a small low rpm motor to turn the rod after you’ve applied finish to the thread wraps.

So take a look around and see if you have the tools and equipment you need already to build your first rod.

You are invited to visit Custom Tackle.Com for more information on building your own fishing rod and to learn more about the fishing rod blanks and components available to you.