Rod Build: Tiger Eye 8'6" 4pc 5/6wt

Here's my latest rod building project which I finished up this past week

-- 8'6" 4 pc 5/6wt Tiger Eye

-- REC NBS nickel silver uplocking reel seat

-- Custom turned Laos Amboyna Burl insert with CA finish

-- Burl cork grip with burnt cork trim bands in the middle and rubberized cork fore/aft ends

-- Struble nickel silver winding check
-- REC Recoil RSG stripping guides (size 12 and size 10)
-- REC Recoil RSNX snake guides (one size 2 and eight size 1 guides)

-- H&H large loop, light wire chrome tip top

-- Gudebrod sandstone thread with Gudebrod dark brown and Sulky dark copper trim wraps

Here are two pictures of the thread wraps on the butt of the rod.  I wanted to match the color and texture /pattern of the burl cork as much as possible, so I decided to use the sandstone thread.  When putting the finish epoxy on, I was able to get a bit of "marbling" in the thread saturation.  Some areas on the thread are lighter than others.  I believe most rod builders typically try to avoid this and want a nice even coloring across the thread.  This can be difficult with light colored thread over a dark blank.  However, the mottled pattern is just perfect for what I wanted.  I added the dark brown trim wraps to bring a little contrast to the rod, with the dark copper metallic thread adding some flash and matching the color of the amboyna insert.

Here you can see one of the ferrule wraps along with the first stripping guide.  I repeated the trim banding from the butt section on each of the ferrules.  The stripping guides have a single turn of the dark copper metallic thread and both ends of each wrap.  I left the wraps on the individual snake guides without any trim, just the sandstone thread.  There is a single metallic wrap at the tip top however.

Finally, just a shot of where the most of my wrapping and epoxying took place.  I've claimed the hallway bathroom as my own rod building workspace.  It's called "the fish bathroom".  It's a pretty tight fit in there with the card table, but it works.  When working on longer rod sections or making ferrule wraps (when I need to have two pieces joined together) I have to move out to the kitchen table.  Still, this is my little fly rod building domain.  The small space really heats up with the lights above the mirror and the desk lamp on.  The warmth makes the epoxy set up a bit faster, making applying the finish a bit tricky at times, but I'm working on my technique and trying to get better.

I'll have to get some more pictures of the rod.  These pictures were taken fresh of the production line so the rod needs a little clean up before it's truly ready for prime time.  I just couldn't wait much longer to post some pictures.  Until then, enjoy ...