Here's a donation rod I just finished for my son's high school baseball team. This will be one of the silent auction items next month. Batson Rainshadow 8' 8-15 lb. (although it feels more like 10-20 lb) blank painted in a root beer finish. Fuji GLVLG spinning guides and PacBay graphite reel seat matched with a Bass Pro Shops EX4000 spinning reel. Split-grip hardwood handle assembly made with Spalted Maple and Zebrawood with ivory and black inlays (thanks Mark B. for the info and tips) and 6 coats of Tru-Oil. Guide wrap colors, dark brown NCP A and gold NCP A. Trim colors, dark brown nylon A, gold nylon A and tan A. Continuous tiger fade with dark brown NCP A and gold metallic electra A under with dark brown nylon A and gold nylon A overtop and (and of course bear paw prints). Fun project. Randy.
Big thumbs up to both the work and the photography! Beautiful. Randy what material did you use for the ivory and black inlays and what did you bond it with doing the handle blank? Jerry
Jerry, The ivory inlay material can be purchased online at a number of sites. I just cut it square with a hacksaw close to the size of the wood blank (2"). The black inlays are sheets you can also buy online. I got them from a site that sells components to make pool cues and they cut very easily. I also cut them to size and scuffed both sides as well as the ivory with sandpaper. Glued them up using Rod Bond. After it dried, I cleaned up the sides with a belt sander and turned to round on a wood lathe.
It looks sick.