Mike,
I've had a small rod building business (average about a rod a week) for
several years. Even if you set yourself up with a business (WA State UBI
number, etc.) the only high end blanks that you can get at a discount
without a store front are Loomis. You can also get discounts on St. Croix,
Pac Bay, etc. blanks that are considered second tier. These make a
perfectly good rod - you just can't expect to charge expect to charge the
same as you can for a high end rod. Perceived value is a very big factor in
the fly fishing business - I know that isn't a news flash. You can get
discounts on a variety of reel seats. The best single source of rod
building info on the net is the rod discussion board on the Virtual Flyshop.
good luck,
Keith Bell
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Wednesday, July 19, 2000 3:23 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Rod building supplies
Hey everyone. I have been building rods for family and friends for about 5
years and must be starting to do something right now because I have a few
people who would like to pay me to build them a rod. Anybody know of a way,
short of owning a fly shop, that I can get blanks and reel seats at
wholesale prices?
Up until now I have been buying blanks on ebay but that seems to have dried
up for the moment. The major rod makers haven't changed their line ups
recently so the close out blank market has dried up.
I appreciate any input from the group.
Mike W.
Spangle
