Batson RCTB56H

[Owen]

This is my latest.

Batson RCTB56H 5'6" RX-6 graphite/E-Glass blend 40-80lb
Apls aluminium reel seat
Percection ball gimbal
All americal roller guides (spiral wrapped)
Leather foregrip
Hypalon rear grip
Marlin weave (79 x 106 threads) in Madeira #40 - 300 individual threads.
Paua shell inlays


Now all I gotta do is save for an Accurate ATD50. :undecided:

Maybe one day I'll get to fish for marlin, but it should put some hurt on a spaniard in the mean time.

[trout head]

That is mighty fine piece of art Owen , I strive to be 1/2 that good ,

Ian

[sleepygreg]

Beautiful piece of work Owen. I would be scared to take it on the boat for fear some other crew member might scratch it.

Greg

[finga]

Gees matey that paua shell looks the goods.
A lot better then marbling I reckon.
Could you do a small write up on it application?

Good to see the spirals coming into their own.
I would not have a straight overhead now after using a spiral.
But I have to admit I have not seen a spiral with rollers. Very different.

I wonder how thin I can get an oyster shell?

[Out-Station]

Owen, makes my work look primitive at best. Thats great craftmanship.

Scott

[Owen]

Gees matey that paua shell looks the goods.
A lot better then marbling I reckon.
Could you do a small write up on it application?


Scott,
This is the first time I have used it.
I found it by accident so I'm winging it.

It's very thin (think heavy paper) so I used the same technique as snake skin.
You cut a piece big enough for the area and apply glue (I used super glue as it's clear)
You could also use CP or contact cement (CS may show through).
I was worried that CP my not hold it under extreme flexing.

It is pretty transparent when you get it, so dark backgrounds are required to make the shell colours pop out. Black, green and blue work well.


You need to make sure you don't glue where the seam will be.
Once you wrap the stuff on, you cut through both overlapping pieces with a straight edge and razor blade (ask mum to help you)
Remove the piece from underneath and then apply glue and seat it.

Wrap over with thread to squeeze the seams shut and voila!

Now for the donuts

Do nut use any solvents on it!
The shell is laminated onto a PVC sheet so acetone or solvent based CP's will melt it. Epoxy (at least threadmaster) has no effect.

Do nut use excessive glue!
Your thread will stick to it and/or you won't get the overlap out.

Do nut try to stretch it -that will crack the shell apart.

Now you know as much as me.

[Mark Fisher]

Mate you have done a great job with the rod and everything looks fantastic. I'm about to do a 37kg bent butt rod for a customer who wants the abalone inlay. I have all the fittings except the inlay material which hopefully is coming from Kevin Knox in the US. Can I ask where you got your material? The technique you used is exactly the same as I use for the snake skin wraps except I use the CP as a glue instead of super glue. How well does the abalone material cut? Again, great job.

Regards
Mark
Outback Rods

[Owen]

Mark,
this stuff is a breeze to work with.
If you can work with thick paper then you have all the necessary skills.
No white fella magic required.
Your wife's craft tools will finally be useful!
Especially that guillotine thingy!
oh and some of those shape punches!

It is NOT a decal. It's real shell laminated onto PVC so apart from requiring a dark background (because it's so thin it's semi transparent) then it is no different from what has been "traditionally" used.

[RFARREN]

very nice work mate
i can hear the spaniards shaking from here

[ant_72]

Just a quick one Owen, just wondering who you got the paua through?

[RFARREN]

not sure if this is where Owen got it but mud hole has it mate
http://www.mudhole.com/Shop-Our-Catalog/Inlays-Trim-Bands/Abalone-Shell-Inlay-Strips

[ant_72]

Thanks heaps for that will check it out!

[Owen]

Not the same stuff.
The mudhole stuff requires heat and or soaking in vinegar.
This stuff does not.
I can't say where I got it yet until some distribution and availability details have been finalised.
These have nothing to do with me, I stand to make nothing.
It was actually a discontinued product.
Individual's ordering won't bring it back, hence putting the right distributers onto it.

Be patient!