RodLab open beta available for download

[cdmoore]

Is anyone up and running on a Mac yet? I know there are ways to do this short of buying more software or a second machine, but looking for a shorter route if anyone has done it successfully. Thx.

[Chased]

Is anyone up and running on a Mac yet? I know there are ways to do this short of buying more software or a second machine, but looking for a shorter route if anyone has done it successfully. Thx.

Give Apple Boot Camp a try, should be free and do a decent job. There's also other paid options that are more user friendly like Parallels and VMWare. I use Parallels and haven't had any issues.

Path of least resistance might be to find a cheap windows laptop on FB marketplace for $50 and call it a day.

[Fcs]

The variable varnish selection dropdown is a good idea. The numbers will be a great place for community input. I haven't dipped in ~10 years and I'm thinking my densities for the classic rod tapers may be light.

Garrison p244 give 55 grains as the approximate dipped varnish weight on an 8ft rod. Garrison was pretty particular in his measurements so I imagine it is reasonable. I assumed a linear taper and worked this back to a function for weight per inch of rod by dimension. That’s what I use.

[TimM]

Thanks! It was just over my right shoulder the whole time.

[cdmoore]

I looked into this about a year ago, Tim, and found many of the varnish makers publish, or will tell you, the cured mass specs for their products. There was a range, but not a super wide range. I calculated the basic mass for any given rod using a German online calculator I found for a frustum that allowed any number of sides and limited data inputs. It assumed regular polygons and flat sides, of course, but still quite helpful. The rod I was working on at the time...the total varnish weight was equal to one of the NS male ferrules I was using on the rod.

[fishbum]

The Garrison 55 grain for an 8' rod is off in my opinion. Too heavy or way too much varnish on the rod if Garrison weighed the rod before and after.

I made an 13', 4 piece spey rod and the varnish only weighed 0.1 oz or about 44 grains on the finished rod. The rod was weighed before being varnished and again after being varnished.

Jerry

[BigTJ]

Jerry how many coats did you give that rod? Three seems to be pretty standard.

[fishbum]

Jerry how many coats did you give that rod? Three seems to be pretty standard.

Two, any more than that is a waste of time.

[BigTJ]

Garrison used 4 coats, according to “the book”, which would explain the weight difference