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So part of the bench upgrade was to make a new go bar deck. My day job (home appraiser) has kept me super busy so I've had no time in the shop but got a couple hours in there tonight. So I made my new go bar deck.

I wanted a few options for it. I wanted it to turn so I used a 1/2" dowel at the center and waxed the bottom, it is easy to turn but doesn't free spin which is just fine by me.

I also wanted new go bars and wanted to try the fiberglass rods like most folks use. Having heard all the hassles of the round rods blowing out by slipping I figured a good idea would be to use some peg board on the upper deck to keep the rods in check. Works great.

I got the driveway markers from Home Depot as they were only $1.25 each. I bought 50 of them, cut them to the proper length and put the cap back on. The tapered end is perfect for the peg board.

I also wanted to only have 1 length of rod so I made a 4" riser which I can add or remove depending on what I'm gluing up.

In this picture I've got 27 rods set and I'm sure I could just keep on adding them, but I doubt I'll be using much more than that at one time...

Thanks for looking. Maybe this will help others with the dreaded go bar explosion.

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Looks like a useful deck. I like the rotating design.

Speaking just for myself, I have never had a problem with the fiberglass rods slipping up top. I leave the top ends pointy, and the top of my deck is construction grade plywood, which is rough and relatively soft. The pointy ends dig in and hold on pretty well.

My beef with the round fiberglass rods is that the lateral forces can be unpredictable. You put the rod in place, then after you let go it decides it wants the bend to point another direction. That can cause real problems down where the blunt end (capped) is pressing down on a tall and thin brace blank. So, I am thinking of switching to wooden go bars with a rectangular profile. Then I will know where the lateral forces are pushing before I let go.

I like the peg board idea, I'll probably steal that from you.

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I too like the pegboard idea. My deck is actually my bench and plywood screwed into the ceiling above. I don't really have much issue with the rods slipping but I do sometimes have trouble getting them plumb. Many of my rods are longer than they should be and have a lot of bend in them. This makes positioning the top ends directly above the bottom ends a little tricky and sometimes I end up with a lot of lateral pressure. With the peg board, I have a convenient grid to help. I may just end up drawing a grid on the upper plywood and making reference marks plumb below. Thanks for the inspiration.

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

I put a piece of carpet on the upper deck to grab the pointed tips of the rods. Same driveway markers as yours, Rod, but from the dollar store.

Alex

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Nice!

Don, I have made quite a few flyrods in my day and like go bars they have a spline which you have to find. You can easily find it by bending the rod. Put one end down on a piece of wood and push down with your hand (a block of wood will protect your palm and let the rod pivot ) when the rod is bent it will pivot and bend opposite the spline. It wants to bend that way every time. Sometimes you have to help it a bit because the ends are digging into the wood or the rubber caps are causing too much friction. You can mark the spline with a sharpie or you can get a feel for where it is while you are installing them. Not unpredictable at all. You might have to take the cap off so the rod can pivot more easily but it wants to go to one spot everytime.

L.

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Cut to size.....Beat to fit.....Paint to match.

Link, that's awesome info. Time to test them all and pull the sharpie out.

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Great tip Link!

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

Oh and fly rods.... Hmmm a nice medium to heavy action 10' 5wt for still water trout fishing would do just fine please and thank you.


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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Rod, you must be fishing out of a tube or pontoon boat to want a 10'. I love stillwater and Salmon and steelhead fishing. Have fished a fair amount in your great province but never still water. Kamloops is on the list. Give me an old RPL 590 , Cortland ice blue intermediate and a Hardy Marquis.
L.

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Cut to size.....Beat to fit.....Paint to match.

Yes I tube and pontoon fish although getting close to that longing for a boat all around....
10,000 lakes in the area to fish, we'll never hit them all.


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_________________
My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

That's great info on the fiberglass rods, Link! Really appreciate it.

I love the pegboard idea, Rod!