Assembling Your 12’ 6:4 BYO Kit - Instruction Manual...Assembling Your 12’ 6:4 BYO Kit -...

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Assembling Your 12’ 6:4 BYO Kit - Instruction Manual Congratulations on the purchase of your 12’ 6:4 BYO Kit. Follow these easy-to-follow steps to build a simple tenkara fly

fishing rod that will give you years of enjoyment, performance and that self-made feel. We recommend reading through

these instructions at least once before beginning assembly.

Additional supplies recommended: Paper towels, sharp knife, 70% or 91% isopropyl alcohol, pencil, permanent marker,

scissors, and disposable gloves.

Note: If you purchased your BYO Kit with the optional Winn® tenkara grip and wish to mount it with 2-sided golf grip

tape and odorless mineral spirits (not supplied), please refer to the ‘How To’ section of our website for links to videos

demonstrating this method.

- You are going to build this simple fishing rod - (Actual rod may vary depending on options purchased)


Step 1. Identify the components

The thin Tip section is very fragile. Resist the temptation to bend and ‘test the flexibility’ of the rod Tip section.

Butt cap Rod cap

Butt cap insert

ert

WC ring

Handle section

Tip section with red lilian

Cork handle

Cotton swabs Epoxy mixing squares

Alcohol cleaning pads 5-min epoxy (X1) 45-min epoxy (X2)

Mixing sticks

Sandpaper Toothpick


Step 2. Prepare your work surface Clear off an area on a table or work bench. Lay a few paper towels or newspaper down on your work surface. Epoxy is sticky and seems to find its way onto every surface you don’t want, however, it is easily cleaned up before it cures with isopropyl alcohol. You may wish to use disposable gloves while working with epoxy. Step 3. Mark the butt cap insert NOTE: The edges of the aluminum butt cap insert may be sharp! (Figure 2) Mark the butt cap insert with an “X” on the

threaded end (Figures 1 & 2). The threaded end needs to be at the butt end (glossy or non-painted end) of the Handle

section(biggest blank section) so the butt cap can screw into it. Locate your rod Handle section and slide out the other

sections from within it, keeping them together as a unit and place them out of the way. Slide the marked butt cap insert

halfway onto the Handle section’s glossy or non-painted end until it reaches the threads (See Figure 2). If the butt cap

insert is too tight, DO NOT force it on with the palm of your hand as this could result in a cut! If needed, GENTLY scuff

sand the handle section with the supplied sandpaper until it fits (Figure 3). Wipe of excess dust with a paper towel.

Avoid breathing this dust. Mark the position on the Handle section with a pencil (Figure 4).

Figure 1 Figure 2

Figure 3 Figure 4

Threaded end Non-Threaded end

Glossy or non-painted end of

Handle section

Scuff sand if necessary

Edges may be sharp!

Butt cap insert


Step 4. Glue on the butt cap insert Clean the butt end of blank using an alcohol cleaning pad. Using a pair of scissors, open both sides of the 5-minute

epoxy pack and squeeze contents onto an epoxy mixing square. Mix epoxy gently in a circular motion for about 1

minute (Figure 5). Apply the epoxy around the Handle section from the butt end to the pencil mark (Figure 6). Slide the

butt cap insert onto the handle section, twisting it as your push up to the pencil mark, allowing excess epoxy to drip onto

the work surface. Clean excess epoxy on the handle section with an alcohol prep pad or a paper towel and isopropyl

alcohol (Figure 7). A little epoxy on the Handle section is fine as you will be applying more epoxy to the Handle section

in the next step. Allow epoxy to cure for about 1 hour (Figure 8). NOTE: Keep your epoxy mixing square aside so that

you can test it for curing progress. If it sets nice and hard within an hour, you are ready for the next step!

Figure 5 Figure 6

Figure 7 Figure 8

Allow epoxy to cure in this position


Step 5. Mark the cork handle position Your cork handle may come sealed in a plastic sleeve which will protect it during assembly. If you purchased a Winn®

Tenkara Grip with your kit, follow these same instructions if you want to attach it with epoxy. Note that one end of the

cork handle is larger in diameter and has a larger opening designed to accommodate the butt cap insert. Test fit the

cork handle (large end first) onto the Handle section and over the butt cap insert, twisting the cork handle as you near

the end may help (Figure 9). Note: Although the cork handle is ‘Pre-fitted’, experienced rod builders may wish to further

ream or shim the cork handle as desired. You want the butt cap insert to be slightly recessed inside the cork handle

about 1mm (Figure 10). This allows the removable butt cap to seal against the surface of the cork handle and not

bottom out on the butt cap insert. Mark the Handle section with a pencil where it meets the top of the cork handle (See

Figure 11). Remove the cork handle and lightly clean the entire Handle section and butt cap insert with an alcohol

cleaning pad.

Figure 9 Figure 10

Figure 11

Slightly recess the butt cap insert


Step 6. Glue on the cork handle Using a pair of scissors, cut open both packs of 45-minute epoxy and squeeze contents onto an epoxy mixing square.

Mix for about 1 minute. Use your mixing stick to thoroughly apply the epoxy to the area between the pencil mark on

the handle section all the way down to and over the butt cap insert. Keep turning the rod to avoid excess dripping of the

epoxy. Slide the cork handle(larger end first) onto the Handle section, twisting the cork handle as you slide it over the

epoxy (See Figure 12). You may wish to hold the project vertically with the butt cap insert at the top as the cork handle

gets near its final position (See Figure 13). Just before the cork handle reaches the end of the butt cap insert, use a

cotton swab to remove the excess epoxy (See figure 14). This will reduce the chance of getting epoxy inside the threads

of the butt cap insert. Slide the cork handle slightly past the end of the butt cap insert, allowing the butt cap insert to

recess about 1mm (See Figure 15). Wipe off any excess epoxy that may have gone into the threads of the butt cap insert

with a cotton swab. These threads must be clean and free of epoxy for the butt cap to thread in later. If some epoxy got

under the protective plastic on the cork handle, simply peel the plastic back and clean with an alcohol cleaning pad. You

should have time to continue to Step 7 before your 45-minute epoxy sets up.

Figure 12 Figure 13

Figure 14 Figure 15

Final cork handle position

Wet epoxy

Butt cap insert is slightly recessed


Step 7. Glue on the WC ring

Locate your WC ring. Use the supplied toothpick to make a very small ring of epoxy around the top of the cork handle

where it meets the handle section (Figures 16 & 17). Slide the WC ring onto the handle and press into the epoxy (Figure

18). Clean up excess epoxy with a cotton swab and alcohol cleaning pad (Figure 19). Remove plastic sleeve from the

cork handle with a sharp knife (Figures 20 & 21). Allow your tenkara rod to completely cure overnight.

Figure 16 Figure 17

Figure 18 Figure 19

Figure 20 Figure 21

Slide WC ring onto epoxy

Apply a very small amount of epoxy here

Epoxy area shown in red


Step 8. Insert rod sections, butt cap, and rod cap

Carefully insert the remaining rod sections through the back of the butt cap insert, keeping the delicate tip section inside

the other sections (Figure 22). Screw in the butt cap (See Figure 23). Tie a simple square knot in the end of your lilian if

not already pre-tied (Figure 24). Carefully push your rod cap into the top of the handle section; a little ‘nose grease’ may

help it slide easier (Figure 25).

Figure 22 Figure 23

Figure 24 Figure 25

Step 9. Go Fish! Congratulations! You have successfully built your own tenkara rod! Your new tenkara rod is 100% fish-ready now. If

you would like to further customize your tenkara rod, there are many good websites demonstrating how to add thread

wraps, decals, etc. and finish them with Flex Coat and other rod finishing products. Read the information below if you

are new to tenkara. These tips will guide you through the basic opening and closing of your tenkara rod as well as

attaching and removing fishing line from your lilian.

Tie a square knot


Opening and closing your tenkara rod

There are lots of great videos on the internet demonstrating how to properly and safely extend and collapse your

tenkara rod. To open, remove your rod cap, place your thumb and forefinger along the top end of the rod handle

section while you slowly pull the smaller sections out with your other hand. You will notice the sections fit into each

other. A light pinching resistance is all that is needed to properly secure each section (See Figure 26). To collapse your

rod, start from the base (NEVER COLLAPSE FROM THE TIP SECTION) and slowly collapse each section, one at a time into

each other. If a section is hard to collapse, a light tapping of that section will usually break it loose (See Figure 27).

Figure 26 Figure 27

Attaching fishing line to the lilian Most level lines are easily attached to your tenkara rod lilian with a simple slip knot. With the thin Tip section still inside

the Handle section, extend the lilian only(See Figure 28). Loop the lilian through the slip knot in the level line twice (See

Figure 29). Pull on the level line to close the loop and tighten the knot (Figure 30). To remove the level line, simply pull

the small tag end of your slip knot (Figure 31).

Figure 28 Figure 29

Level line Lilian

Light pinching pressure here Hold handle of rod

Pull with this hand


Figure 30 Figure 31

Sectional view of your tenkara rod This image shows the butt cap insert, cork handle and WC ring in place. Notice that the rod handle section passes through the butt cap insert about half way.

We hope you enjoyed your BYO Kit project. Feel free to leave an honest review of your BYO Kit experience at:

Tenkaracustoms.com

Pull to tighten

Pull to loosen

Handle section Cork handle

(Steps 5 and 6)

Butt cap insert

(Steps 3 and 4)

Tenkara Customs

WC Ring

(Step 7)

Assembling Your 12’ 6:4 BYO Kit - Instruction Manual...Assembling Your 12’ 6:4 BYO Kit -...

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