Writing on rod blanks or over an epoxied section of a rod is tricky business. I’ve been doing it for a while, I'm good at it, but there are still some things I don’t know about it. Like; what is the best black ink to use on bamboo or light colored blanks, what other types of paints work well, and what other types of writing tools can be used. I just know my methods. There are some resources available for getting more information on this, like the Rodbuilding.org forum. Like anything, it takes practice and some guidance is nice to have too. Roger Seiders with Flex Coat has been on a mission to provide more guidance to rod builders by creating a series of instructional HD videos. Roger intends make these videos available on the Flex Coat web site when it is restructured, and until then the videos are only available on vimeo.com. Just type flex coat in the search field or go to our home site and click the link. I was happy to help Roger with the ‘Writin' on Rods’ video. I saw its value to other rod builders, and I thought it would be fun to do. Consequently I learned that I don’t feel comfortable in front of a camera. The videos are roughly 3 minutes long and that was enough to hit the main points on the ‘Writin' on Rods’ video. I look forward to seeing what other videos Roger adds to the list. Oh, and my best advise to any rod builder is; don't drink too much coffee before writing on rods, keep the denatured alcohol handy, and get out and fish more. Cheers!
