Marco 'The Exe'
- The Old Buffer
- Crucian Carp
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Re: Marco 'The Exe'
Its all going very nicely. How do you see yourself using the rod when it is finished?
The coiled line travels from the reel, it brings up at last, the hook goes home, and then begins the test of skill. "BB"
Re: Marco 'The Exe'
You know something, OB - I don't know! I'll wait until I can measure its test-curve - I have a feeling it'll be approaching 3 - 4lb, so should be ideal for pike or salmon with (say) an ABU 5000.
A pal of mine who lectures in - among other things - fishery management has offered to field-test my rods and show his carp/carbon-fixated students what real tackle is!
A pal of mine who lectures in - among other things - fishery management has offered to field-test my rods and show his carp/carbon-fixated students what real tackle is!
- Barbulus
- Tench
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Re: Marco 'The Exe'
Wow...you have been busy while some of us are just "coming round" from the night before ! It looks really great and as is so often the case, I admire the tenacity and skill in giving this a new lease of life.
As you say, £ 25 and some skill and work and you will have a terrific rod. Next stop for me....the coffee machine !
As you say, £ 25 and some skill and work and you will have a terrific rod. Next stop for me....the coffee machine !
- The Old Buffer
- Crucian Carp
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- Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2013 1:42 pm
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Re: Marco 'The Exe'
I really do like Marco rods and have been able to pick a few up from the bay of e at very reasonable prices. I am now getting the feeling that they are beginning to appreciate in value as it slowly dawns on folk how good they really are. I look forward to seeing the finished rod.
The coiled line travels from the reel, it brings up at last, the hook goes home, and then begins the test of skill. "BB"
Re: Marco 'The Exe'
The main reason I'm posting all this is to encourage others to do the same thing - quite a few members are frightened to work on their own rods 'in case'. I don't have a workshop, or power tools. Just my desk and the kitchen worktop! The hand-tools are basic in the extreme. If I can re-furbish a rod, anyone can - but I can't Wallis-cast!
Re: Marco 'The Exe'
Well, the rod is now complete. I'm quite pleased with it, even though it hasn't been Barderised! It has a few cosmetic faults - a couple of cross threads in the whipping, some (but not too much) dust spots in the varnish, a bit of roughness in the cork. But, what the hell. . .
Some pics:
The re-shaped handle. I kept the original butt cap and button, removed the original shoulder ferrule and added a couple of extra shives at the top, finishing with a mushroom. New sliding reel fittings. The handle is slightly thinner than before, parallel except for a unnoticeable swell above the butt cap.
Showing the new tip ring, female ferrule, and Agatine-lined bridge rings. The tip, which I erroneously quoted as 4mm diameter, is, in fact, 6.5mm - a full quarter-inch! This needed a fairly massive tip ring. However, it doesn't look excessive. The four intermediate rings were salvaged from those I took off my previous re-furbishment of a Marco Medway.
There was a third pic., but TinyPic threw a wobbler (again) and I couldn't add it!
To encourage other members to have a go, this is the cost breakdown:
Original rod, inc. p&p - £25
New splint-end ferules and tip ring - £13 inc p&p (Anglers Supplies).
Cork shives, reel fittings, green whipping thread - £12 inc p&p (Ted Oliver).
So, a nice useable rod for heavy pike/salmon (OK - carp stalking, too) for £40.
Daren't think what the test-curve is, though!
Some pics:
The re-shaped handle. I kept the original butt cap and button, removed the original shoulder ferrule and added a couple of extra shives at the top, finishing with a mushroom. New sliding reel fittings. The handle is slightly thinner than before, parallel except for a unnoticeable swell above the butt cap.
Showing the new tip ring, female ferrule, and Agatine-lined bridge rings. The tip, which I erroneously quoted as 4mm diameter, is, in fact, 6.5mm - a full quarter-inch! This needed a fairly massive tip ring. However, it doesn't look excessive. The four intermediate rings were salvaged from those I took off my previous re-furbishment of a Marco Medway.
There was a third pic., but TinyPic threw a wobbler (again) and I couldn't add it!
To encourage other members to have a go, this is the cost breakdown:
Original rod, inc. p&p - £25
New splint-end ferules and tip ring - £13 inc p&p (Anglers Supplies).
Cork shives, reel fittings, green whipping thread - £12 inc p&p (Ted Oliver).
So, a nice useable rod for heavy pike/salmon (OK - carp stalking, too) for £40.
Daren't think what the test-curve is, though!
- Nobby
- Wild Carp
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Re: Marco 'The Exe'
That looks a fine job and at a fantastic price too!
- AshbyCut
- Honorary President
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Re: Marco 'The Exe'
Well done, Sir. It's great to bring a rod back to life.
"Beside the water I discovered (or maybe rediscovered) the quiet. The sort of quiet that allows one to be woven into the tapestry of nature instead of merely standing next to it." Estaban.
- Wallys-Cast
- Pike
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- Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2012 11:02 am
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- Location: Durham.
Re: Marco 'The Exe'
A very useful rod and a very nice job you've made of it too. It would be a brill boat rod for pike.
Wal.
Wal.
- Santiago
- Wild Carp
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Re: Marco 'The Exe'
Very good job there! Well worth the extra effort and one gets the satisfaction of knowing you restored it yourself!
"....he felt the gentle touch on the line and he was happy"
Hemingway
Hemingway