Dunkield

I would use a razor blade to cut your thread, that tiny little tuft of thread on the right will get in your way when you are varnishing the whipping.

Keep it simple and use fixed mag I had a Hawke 3-9x50 on mine originally then swapped it for a 7x50 Meopta - IMO it's perfect for the job.

You need to file or grind the end of the feet to a fine taper to avoid that step, you can leave it quite rough as it actually helps the thread 'grip' the foot. Once you have caught the thread in with your first or second turn cut the lose end with a sharp blade while keeping the pressure on, failing to do that will let it unravel with resulting blue air From that picture you can see you started off well but then your spacing got too lose, you can even some of that up with a lolly stick (or similar) but it will be neater and stronger if you get it tighter in the first place.

Never seen one of those before, looking at the position of that head does it fish upside down?

It was probably longer ago than I remember, as always. I used to buy North Western blanks and then have to hunt far a wide for the components to complete the builds. eBay wasn't even a thing then. I am guessing all you could ever need can be found on there now, I am trying desperately not to look as I don't the time to get back into it! You need get some pictures up of your build, your audience is waiting

Always two sides to a story

I whip the female to match the rings, I think I have whipped the male as well in the past, I would need to pull a rod out to check (I haven't built one for at least 10 years more sorry to be so vague) but that would just be cosmetic. There are quite a few methods of finding the spine, I just hang a weight off the tip with fishing line and rotate the blank is that how you did it?

Now you have it the first thing to do is find the the spine, so make sure you check for that before you go attaching anything to it.

I have made half a dozen or so, you need tons of patience but if you fly fish you should have that anyway. These days the answer to just about every question is YouTube, I am sure there are tutorials on there, but my advice would be to search out the rod building section on flyforums. Don't be put off by the fact most peoples work is immaculate, some of them have been doing this a long time. Put some pictures up when your bits arrive I would be interested to see how you get on, there are bound to be others on here who can offer advice.

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo not Maplin's

Well we blanked yesterday but were able to have a good look at the water, it was punishingly cold so we weren't full of much hope. The bonus was fresh muntjac and roe slots all over the place - so we will be back with rifle and rods As for odd lures I still have a Crazy Crawler somewhere, used it a few time but never had a take on it, I should imagine like any popper type plugs it must make you jump when they get hit.

As I mentioned I have boxes of 'old' lures mostly ABU, I have had good results with red/white Hi-Lo's and a blue spoon I can't remember the name of right now. I bought one of those 4D Perches the other day, back when we only ever used live bait perch was the absolute killing bait - that was in the Thames weir pools though. It may be a while before I pull anything from this water, so in the meantime I will keep going on about stuff I caught years ago

You could do with a belt sander to help with the grinding, something like this

Thanks, with a forecast easterly blowing all weekend it could be chillsome, so we have our excuses all ready The water came as a bonus alongside some shooting permission my mate picked up. I know someone who fished it years ago, although he only ever barbel fished it but said it contained decent sized pike. It no longer belongs to a club, so it has been left alone since, so who knows. I can see some fun fur and fin evenings in the warmer months.

Topical thread. We may be going to fish a small stream which is said to contain some decent pike at the weekend. I have plenty of old plugs and spinners from way back they were used as backup if we could catch any bait. It's going to be cold and we will only have a few hours, if the temperature drops the way they say it will the water should be pretty clear. So what advice would more regular lure fisherman have to offer a few hapless chancers?

Are you a film star?

@Walker570 we do see them much smaller, but they are proportionally so, as in good condition not thinner. I think they are really comfortable here, big beech woods and loads of pheasant feeders to go at. Having said all that on the same land we get the odd sorry looking roe, maybe the munties just adapt better? @bumpy22 as you say now is time to see them and shoot them, they will be hiding in undergrowth before we know it!

Another amazing shot

I had to re-assemble a seat on my patch (separate thread on here) as it was bit worse for wear. Despite the fact its a bit of a yomp into the wood it was nice afternoon, so I knew if I left the rifle behind I would end up regreting it. I didn't, so I didn't, I bumped into this unlucky chap on the way back to the truck. A productive trip all round.

Thank you that's the name I was trying to remember. Give Steve a call, top man.

I counterbore those holes ever so slightly with a flat bottomed drill first, then drill the pilot for the self tapper. But having said that my rifles are pretty battered from field use and scratched to hell by brambles etc so I wouldn't lose any sleep over it.

It's OK, we don't charge by the word

Looks like super minis are all the rage http://www.returnofthecaferacers.com/2017/12/express-mail-xtr-pepo-mobylette-sp-90.html

I have built and modified a few 4 stroke motors but never touched a two stroke so I am following this with interest