01-22-2012, 05:22 PM
[cool][#0000ff]For a variety of reasons (excuses) I have not hit the ice yet this season. But I have been busy tinkering with new PVC goodies. Surprise![/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Old Coot visited me on Friday and liked the new QD design I have put together for ice rods. I promised I would take some pics and post them.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I actually tried a prototype of the rod holder head a couple of trips at the end of last season. Worked great. In fact, I have been using the same design on my float tube this past year. Have had 10 pound cats, 5 pound wipers and good sized specimens of several other species test the strength and holding ability of the design.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have tried quite a few different PVC setups for holding ice rods. They all work...but they all have little things that make them "not perfect". Either they are too cumbersome and bulky, break easily, are difficult to get the rods in and out...or are unstable and/or subject to tipping over if a big fish latches on.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]So far, this design looks like it takes care of most of those issues. Plus, by varying the lengths of PVC pipe for some parts you can custom build one to your exact preferences...of height, width, rod angle, etc.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The key to the whole thing is the rod holder head. It is made by cutting and smoothing a 1/2" to 3/4" PVC "T". There are pictures attached that show the three simple cuts. The end result is a small simple holder that allows you to quickly and easily put rods in or lift them out...without having to pull them out of a tube...quick draw. The inside diameter of that fitting is 1"...the exact size of most rod handles. If you need to slightly enlarge it your Dremel tool can remove a bit more of the inside wall without weakening the holder.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The low-slung tripod base is a major part of the stability. It provides enough resistance to a pulling fish that if you have the drag set on your reel it can take line without taking your rod. But, as you can see in one of the pictures, you can also slide a 2.5 pound workout weight down the rear shaft to add even more stability if desired.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I like my rods to rest parallel with the ice surface, with the rod tip right over the hole. And I use longer rods than most so the whole rod becomes a big spring bobber. So I build my holders for a "horizontal hold". But if you prefer to have your rods angle back a bit you can shorten the PVC leg at the rear...or bend the vertical holder shaft as shown in the ANGLE pic.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Another little touch I added was the "
dlebags". These are added with a PVC cross in the middle of the vertical shaft and then adding two 1/2" to 1" Ts...with grooves Dremeled into the tops. These serve to hold your rod vertical while handling a fish or rerigging. Saves on rods broken with clumsy boot placement. The second one can serve to hold a pair of pliers or a lip gripper.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You need to glue or screw the bottom section together...for stability. The other pieces can simply be pushed together and will not come apart during normal use. But that makes it easy to take the whole thing down and toss it in your sled for transport. One word of advice is to keep your PVC pieces in a drawstring bag between uses. It's a bummer to not have all the parts when you are just getting set up for a full day on the ice.[/#0000ff]
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[signature]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Old Coot visited me on Friday and liked the new QD design I have put together for ice rods. I promised I would take some pics and post them.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I actually tried a prototype of the rod holder head a couple of trips at the end of last season. Worked great. In fact, I have been using the same design on my float tube this past year. Have had 10 pound cats, 5 pound wipers and good sized specimens of several other species test the strength and holding ability of the design.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I have tried quite a few different PVC setups for holding ice rods. They all work...but they all have little things that make them "not perfect". Either they are too cumbersome and bulky, break easily, are difficult to get the rods in and out...or are unstable and/or subject to tipping over if a big fish latches on.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]So far, this design looks like it takes care of most of those issues. Plus, by varying the lengths of PVC pipe for some parts you can custom build one to your exact preferences...of height, width, rod angle, etc.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The key to the whole thing is the rod holder head. It is made by cutting and smoothing a 1/2" to 3/4" PVC "T". There are pictures attached that show the three simple cuts. The end result is a small simple holder that allows you to quickly and easily put rods in or lift them out...without having to pull them out of a tube...quick draw. The inside diameter of that fitting is 1"...the exact size of most rod handles. If you need to slightly enlarge it your Dremel tool can remove a bit more of the inside wall without weakening the holder.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The low-slung tripod base is a major part of the stability. It provides enough resistance to a pulling fish that if you have the drag set on your reel it can take line without taking your rod. But, as you can see in one of the pictures, you can also slide a 2.5 pound workout weight down the rear shaft to add even more stability if desired.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I like my rods to rest parallel with the ice surface, with the rod tip right over the hole. And I use longer rods than most so the whole rod becomes a big spring bobber. So I build my holders for a "horizontal hold". But if you prefer to have your rods angle back a bit you can shorten the PVC leg at the rear...or bend the vertical holder shaft as shown in the ANGLE pic.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Another little touch I added was the "
dlebags". These are added with a PVC cross in the middle of the vertical shaft and then adding two 1/2" to 1" Ts...with grooves Dremeled into the tops. These serve to hold your rod vertical while handling a fish or rerigging. Saves on rods broken with clumsy boot placement. The second one can serve to hold a pair of pliers or a lip gripper.[/#0000ff][#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]You need to glue or screw the bottom section together...for stability. The other pieces can simply be pushed together and will not come apart during normal use. But that makes it easy to take the whole thing down and toss it in your sled for transport. One word of advice is to keep your PVC pieces in a drawstring bag between uses. It's a bummer to not have all the parts when you are just getting set up for a full day on the ice.[/#0000ff]
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