How to Build Your Own Rod Turner

Rod turners support and turn rods for fishing-rod building. A clamp holds the butt of the rod and independent towers serve as rests that support the rod at one or more places. A drive belt on the outer end of the clamp fits onto the pulley of a small variable-speed motor that you operate with a foot pedal. The base and towers are made from pine and each tower has an insulated cradle for resting the rod. Save the cost of a manufactured rod turner by making your own with a few parts and woodworking tools.

Things You'll Need

  • Variable speed motor with pulley and belt
  • Rod clamp with pulley
  • 1-inch-by-12-inch pine
  • 1-inch-by-8-inch pine
  • Circular saw
  • Wood glue
  • 1 1/4-inch wood screws
  • Power drill with screw tip attachment
  • 3/4-inch spade bit
  • Jigsaw
  • Craft felt
  • Scissors
  • Allen key
  • 3/4-inch wood screws
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Instructions

  1. Base and Towers

    • 1

      Cut a 1-inch-by-12-inch pine base 84 inches long with a circular saw.

    • 2

      Cut a piece of 1-inch-by-8-inch pine 12 inches long as the upright mount for the rod clamp. Lay the piece flat on a workbench. Chuck a 3/4-inch spade bit in a power drill. Drill the hole for the clamp shaft 6 inches from one end and in the center of the piece.

    • 3

      Apply wood glue across one end of the mount. Attach the mount perpendicular to the base, 6 inches from one end of the base with 1 1/4-inch wood screws. Drive the screws through the underside of the base with the power drill and a screw tip attachment.

    • 4

      Cut three pieces of 1-inch-by-8-inch pine 6 1/4 inches long as towers. Mark the center across one end of each tower. Cut a 1-inch-wide-by-1-inch deep cradle in each tower with a jigsaw.

    • 5

      Cut three additional pieces of 8-inch-wide pine 8 inches long as bases for each tower. Attach a tower perpendicular at the center of each base with wood glue and wood screws from below. Make sure the cradles are facing up when you stand the towers on their base.

    • 6

      Cut 3/4-inch-wide strips of craft felt with scissors as insulators for each cradle. Each insulator must be long enough to line both sides and the base of a cradle. Apply wood glue in each cradle and press the felt insulators firmly into place by hand.

    Clamp and Motor

    • 7

      Insert the shaft of the rod clamp into the hole at the center of the clamp mount on the base, with the clamp facing the long axis of the base. Center the shaft in the hole and attach the clamp to the mount with wood screws.

    • 8

      Fit the clamp pulley on the outer end of the shaft and secure it by tightening the keeper with an Allen key.

    • 9

      Position the variable speed motor below the clamp pulley. Attach the belt on the motor pulley and clamp pulley by hand.

    • 10

      Adjust the position of the motor so the belt has 1/8-inch deflection and is directly in line with both pulleys. Attach the motor to the base with 3/4-inch wood screws.

    • 11

      Place the rod turner on a table or workbench. Plug the electrical cord from the motor into an electrical outlet. Place the variable-speed control pedal on the floor. Position one or more towers on the base and rest a rod in the cradles. Secure the butt of the rod in the clamp. Turn the rod using the control pedal.