opinions please

[finga]

Gidday all,
A thread a little while ago about wooden butts got me thinking about making a butt with as much of it made by me as possible.
How would this style of butt be?? But instead of having a round butt (normal style of butt) below the winch fitting I make it like a small axe handle. (also shown in the next piccy)
This would make the postition of the wrist to be in a more natural state instead of been bent all day flicking sp's or lures.
This all come about when I come across a bit of saddlewood with a bend in it. I put in in my broken down buggered old hands and the imagination went berzerk.
I was even thinking about making the hood and lockring out of wood as well. But these would be made out some really old Aussie hard wood I have.
What do you think??

[Owen]

I think there are some beautiful wood handles around. I've only seen bent handles on fly rods, but I'm sure it's been done before.

There's a mob called gondwana rods that makes some ripper handles in Aussie timbers.
Can't find the web site though.

or for a yankee site, try

http://classiccustomwood.com/Handles.htm


Not sure on the ergonomics theory. It would certainly be better at rest.
When casting & flicking the lure in retrieve you're going to use the full extent of your wrist motion anyway.
But at the end of the day, if it makes it 5% more comfortable to use, that's another 150 or more casts before you're too sore & have to go home

[finga]

Not sure on the ergonomics theory. It would certainly be better at rest.
When casting & flicking the lure in retrieve you're going to use the full extent of your wrist motion anyway.
But at the end of the day, if it makes it 5% more comfortable to use, that's another 150 or more casts before you're too sore & have to go home

That was my theory Owen.
I only have about 5-10% maximum movement to what is normal in my wrist now so any help is a huge help.
I think I'll go down and make a proto-type

[finga]

Here's one I whipped up this morning.
A whole hour and a half.
Because my wrists are also restricted in both directions I put a bit of a kink in along the length of the butt as well.
This only a proto-type and is sitting not quite home according to the old reel seat I had lying about.
My thumb sits nicely in the 'dint' near the spikey bit and overall seems fairly cumphy.The next one will have more of a bend in it. More like 20-30 degrees not about 10-15 degrees that this one is.

[Owen]

Finga,
Are you going to have the blank go up into the handle?
Also wondering how much leverage this kind of handle would have. On a big fish you'd have to use the front handle I suppose.

I reckon you could have some outstanding variations of colour and even use inlays of all sorts.

[finga]

Finga,
Are you going to have the blank go up into the handle?
Also wondering how much leverage this kind of handle would have. On a big fish you'd have to use the front handle I suppose.

I reckon you could have some outstanding variations of colour and even use inlays of all sorts.

Yep, just have to get a blank size to drill the hole.
Leverage is OK as I always use a short butt anyways. My guts get in the way otherwise .
This one is only meant for a smallish spin stick. Up to say 4kg.

Variations in colour??...I have some peach wood down stairs. I can't wait to see the colours in it. They can range from deep red to white in the same log.
Then I can try mango. I could get the whole fruit salad going.
I also have some zebra wood. It's colours are black and a light tan.
The 3rd butt from the left in the pictures above is zebra.

Inlays?? Gees don't even let the cook hear you suggest that. Apparently I spend too much time in the workshop now...
But how about a brass inlay instead of timber?? Or a redwood finga in the butt??
Next trick is too experiment on wooden reel seats..

[Owen]

Inlays?? Gees don't even let the cook hear you suggest that. Apparently I spend too much time in the workshop now...
But how about a brass inlay instead of timber?? Or a redwood finga in the butt??

Or what about that opal ring she never wears?

We have a jambai (bongo) drum that was hand made for us by a guy in Mullumbimby from a piece of camphor laurel.
It was stained using black boy plant. The colours are great.
Not sure how it would lend itself to rod handles, but it's pretty easy to come by.

[finga]

Well Owen you've got me all keen as mustard.
Went back downstairs and got a chunk of timber and started work.
I get really sore really quick holding a rod so I thought I'd make a butt to suit my cactus old hands.
Here's what I ended up with.
First picture is nearside, then offside then bottom then top. The last is a before shot
I cannot finish the butt end yet as I have to go and buy a rod blank and reel seat now and match it all up. When it's finished it'll be all spiffy and smooth and shaped.
There's a few whack of wood to come off the left hand side to finish the butt end (about where the darker timber is) and the blank is going to go out from the right hand side (where it's nice and straight).
The blank should theoretically extend down through the butt to about the big bend.
There's enough length to get my foregrip done as well and keep the same patterns in the timber.
This might be the start of my project rod for the Rod Building M&G
I'm fairly impressed how nice and comfortable the thing feels sitting in my hand.
Cheers Scott

PS the cook says thanks very much giving me stupid ideas.
Looks like the garden is going to have to wait another 6 months

[finga]

I've done some more on the proto-type butt.
It seems comfortable in either hand and in any postion I can think on how you can hold a rod and reel.
Hitting the line release trigger is easy and thumbing the spool is easy with either hand.
Weight comes in at 58gm's.
The reel seat is an old crappy on I had lying about.
Any opinions??
Cheers Scott

[sid_fishes]

scott a while back i did see a trigger grip[ if thats what you call it] it was supposed to end being a natural extension of your hand/arm. it was on a baitcaster and do you think i can find it now. i think daiwa used to have them[ dont quote me] so what is one going to cost

[Stuart]

Scott

Looking very good mate and at 58 grams who could tell. No one can pick at this because you have made this grip for your self. I aslo told you Scott that people will want these grips hence Sid already wanting one. Great work mate, let us all know how it casts.

Stu

[finga]

scott a while back i did see a trigger grip[ if thats what you call it] it was supposed to end being a natural extension of your hand/arm. it was on a baitcaster and do you think i can find it now. i think daiwa used to have them[ dont quote me] so what is one going to cost

Cost....nothing at all.
Come to my house and make your bloody own
Seriously Ian see what you reckon at the RB week-end or come and have a gander before and we can roughly make one in about 2 hrs.
I took it around to a mates place today to see if it would fit different sized hands and looks like it does. His daughter a southpaw and she likes it too.
Now to turn it into a rod....

[finga]

Scott

Looking very good mate and at 58 grams who could tell. No one can pick at this because you have made this grip for your self. I aslo told you Scott that people will want these grips hence Sid already wanting one. Great work mate, let us all know how it casts.

Stu

I was wondering if there was anything obviously wrong with it that the experienced rod builders could see or notice from the word go and save me time bunging it on a rod.
I reckon it's going to cast like a ripper. It fits so snug into the right hand and locks into your grip with no sideways twist or roll.
I loaded the butt yesterday and put about 15kg pull from the top near the reel seat. No cracking noises yet
I better put a rod on it now...
PS thanks for the confidence building guys

[2DKnBJ]

Looks like a fine piece of work Scott.
I will have to have a look at them at the RB W/end.

Cheers Dazza

[Hardb8]

Hi finga,
Ya bloody quick m8.I haven't even got my hunk of wood yet.LOL.What you've made looks pretty impresive.I think the most important thing is ergonomics.Especially with regards to it's owner...You...if it fits your hand nicely,ya gotta be happy.

I'm no expert builder,But with regards to weight.I find it good to have a little extra in the butt section,As it counters the top section of the rod.Although the total weight of the rod will increase,A well balanced rod will feel lighter in the hand than a rod of less overall weight,That is balanced poorly.

I'll try and dig up the picture of the reelseat that gave me the idea of carving my own from wood.My idea will have a little twist from the norm.

I wish I was as quick as you.