Ideas for blanks, fishing an Avet MXL with 30#, throwing 6oz and bait.

definetly a gator t90xh

look at the rod paulieboy has posted.

Looks good, specs are right, but it's gotta be purple to match the reel.

Does anyone agree with the gator t90xh? I was told by a "builder" at the pier that it is too light.

I also have the same blank- t90xh That Raul made for me. I also have the avet LX on it & I put either a 6-8oz weight, plus bait. What are you targeting? This is the casting rod-mutton & big snapper setup for the keys...in Ron case-big rays...lol

It will be my pier rod, kings, bonita, small shark, anything that will hit a live bait.

The blank has def way enough beef for the reel you intend to put on it.
While in the Keys this weekend I even put the blank butt on the guard rail to pump it down. At a certain point the blank builds a lot of resistance and pretty much beefs what is on the other side up.

Like homeboy Nelson said a nice Mutt / Permit / Snook / Tarpon / King and even say 6' sharks setup. Play with the drag a little on super heavy fish and you are good to go. PhishingPhanatic said it would also be a good Dry Tortuga setup meaning you'll get those big Snapper and Grouper off the bottom. After this weekend I believe it is a perfect match.

Go ahead and get the one from Pauli or go get one custom made.

Sounds perfect, thanks alot guys.

I'm gonna build it myself, second build.
Going to use foulproofs, does anyone know the size and spacing of these guides, as well rear and foregrip length.

theres no exact spacing you will need to temperarly put the guides on and bend the rod to make sure the line does not hit the blank.. as for grip lenths are all up to what you like..

i would say about 17-18" for rear and 15" or so for the front

Reel Grip like mentioned everyone like.
I personally think 15" for the front is a little long but then again you have space for the leading or lifting arm.

18" on the butt and bout 6 to 8" for the forehand.

Guides,

There are guide charts but they are only a basic point of view IMO.
Take your blank after you got the spine and after install of grips and reelseat and fix it tight with the butt.

Put a reel on and fix a tip on the blank with masking tape. Then space your guides out. The ones to the top more close and the ones to the bottom more wide = all with masking tape.

Then run a line through and weigh the line down with a heavy weight. I have a couple in the pipe and for all of them I have bent the blank really good. I then relocated the guides so the line will not touch the blank and the curve of the line is nicely perpendicular to the blank. Then mark the guide position center with chinamarker and you got your spacing.

i would say to put 18''-20'' on the but and 6 to 8 for the foregrip

How about guide size and number if I'm building from the T90XH. 9 guides plus tip?

8 guides with the tip on mine. Foregrip- 7 in & 21+ (1/4) on the butt.

Same here

Foulproof guides 7 sizes 20/18/18/15/15/15/15

Tip 1 size 12 or 14 got to measure again

but you can go 9 with tip.

Next will be a slightly different ratio even though the above works perfect and does not offer friction to the line peeling off. Rod casts a mile.

Future ratio if same rod meassurements incl. butt etc. would be

20/18/18/15/15/15/13 to tip 12

I like how the rod cast with a 6oz to an 8oz with the avet LX. IMO feels like a great combo!

i had a rod made from xgereration rods with a black fin T90h 10 foot blank. i had it cut off the butt to 9 foot from 10 foot. 20 inch butt plus a rubber end cap. 7 inch foregrip. My rod has 9 foul proofs plus tip on it. For me its perfect for peir and jetty work. Now if I was gonna go for a caster of heavy lead, baits, bait soaker type rod. I would have gone a full 10 foot blank for sure. I think a 20 inch butt is the way to go. But alot of guys go with a longer butt and shorter foregrip, off the top of my head I don't remember the go to longer butt size vs. shorter foregrip size. I'm sure others will know what I'm talking about.

How much did Andy charge you, he told me 225 and I thought that was pretty ridiculous.

Everyone is different when it comes to rod butt. All depends on your size and leverage to use for casting. My bridge rods are 24" length. I am tall and I like the longer length for casting. My fore grip are longer too. I went with a longer foregrip for fighting larger fish when I have the butt on my hip or to rail the rod when I am on the bridge/boat. It is all preference. There is no wrong or right but what feels comfortable for you. My boat rods I have them at 20" length. Like Pete said you will need to temporarily set your guides and reel seat to figure out what works for you.

A) Just out of curiousity, why are you guys using such big guides?

B)$225 ridiculous? what exactly do you want built? what components? $225 I don't see as an unfair price for a well built custom rod.

I have noticed on my rods with the smaller guides that the casting distance is not really so good. Well got to say that those are really small - like 9 or 10.

I will try a couple different guide sizes but think that the bigger ones work better for me. 20 is the max I would go though from the stripper out

$225 is actually cheap IMO for a good built rod. Friends of mine have bought rods for double that without the rod itself being something very special or so.

Example the rod you are just making for hoser is with a ton of work in it and something like that can go for way much more than $225 even though you will not get the buck back from the weave in general.

50 for blank, 20 for grips, 20 for epoxy, 15 for guides, 10 for graphite seat, 10 for thread.

Thats 125 for components.

Is 100 for basic thread work a lot, seemed like it to me?

I didn't mean to bash, I don't know a lot about building.

what about the cost of $25 to ship everything from the source, along with our Florida sales tax? You are also forgeting about the federal excise tax that is required from all rods that are built and sold. Not to mention the overhead Andy has of operating a business. Selling it for cheaper than $225 would be the equivalent of paying someone to buy it.

I think $225 is what a conventional pier rod built solid from a custom shop around here is. I don't think its to much. Your not gonna find a specific rod like that off the shelf. If your building it yourself more power to you and I'm sure it would be cheaper because your not paying the labor costs.

Alright thanks for the breakdown.

Just for perspective for the forum member debating on price. Hoser has spent roughly close to $200 just for the blank.

$225 for any custom rod is like base price using average components. Like Cuban stated, there are lots of other factors, and I have seen some nice rods from X-generation. I personally would splurge a little more, and get something really special. Maybe kick it up a few bucks and see what they can do with the threadwork, and get a true custom that is yours and does not look like anyone elses rod.

absolutely correct pier-afficionado

Material is often way more than $225

Looking at catalogs and so forth there are so many components where 200 or so bucks do not cover a whole lot.

For a basic setup with the cheaper blanks and easy on the wrap etc.. 200 or so bucks are fine but then again it will be basic.

My next project will be exceeding the $225 just on the materials. Then the work on it etc..

Well if it comes out right that could go double that.

But s3rmadrat if you want to get a rod under $225 with shipping and all you can get it done. Just do not count the work you put in it and use the components that are in that range. Can and will still be a rod that can bring you years of fun and if good built even perform well.

You are spot on, I did not realize all the outside costs other than components, Andy's price seems pretty spot on for a basic 9ft rod now.

I'm gonna build it myself, because want to save a little bit and I don't want to splurge on a nice custom, cause its a pier rod and I'm going to beat the hell out of it.

Thank you guys for all your advice as far as spacing and sizing.

andy is a great rod builder he built me my first custom way back.. it still kicks ass.. 225 for that rod is cheap.. and thats about all you will get for that price is a cheap rod.. but if its just going to get beat up then it doesnt matter what it loks like.. go ahead and build it your self so you see how hard and how much labor it really takes..then you will really see up front on why its not cheap to get quality work.. if you need ant help we will be here to help..