How G.Loomis Rods are Made – A Behind the Scenes Look at the Factory’s Secret Sauce (continued)

Before rods can be outfitted with components the blank needs to be cut at the ferrule station, here multi-piece rods are cut with a diamond tipped blade and the end of all the blanks is cut off so that the tip top guide can be applied later in the process.

The cork grips are bored out to match the blank diameters

G.Loomis works with high grade raw cork and each cork handle needs to be bored out to fit the right diameter of the blank they are working with. At this stage the rods are really starting to take shape and can go on to be branded.

At the logo station the rods receive the recognizable G.Loomis logos and model numbers. Silkscreen is used versus labels for a cleaner look and feel. Notice these IMX rods have not yet been finished with epoxy

To brand rods G.Loomis moves each blank to the logo station where logos and all the basic rod information are applied. Many other rod manufacturers use labels because they are faster to apply and can be swapped out in the manufacturing cycle quickly, but G.Loomis doesn’t like the extra mass that the labels add underneath the epoxy and prefer the cleaner look of having no label edges on rods. G.Loomis makes use of silkscreens which add no extra weight and look clean underneath the epoxy.

The tips of the blanks have now been cut by a diamond tipped blade and the tip-top guide is the first to be placed on the blank

With the cork grip already applied at the handle station it is finally time to add components, starting with the top guide at the “tip top station.” A technician makes sure that the tip top guide is properly aligned with the reel seat and permanently attaches it to the blank.

After the guides have been wrapped the rod is ready for the epoxy

Next the rods are ready to receive the rest of the components. At the wrapping station the remaining guide feet and guides are wrapped onto the rod. There are many different threading options and the technicians make sure that each rod is threaded tightly and evenly to secure the guides in proper alignment. The rods now resemble the same rods that anglers see in tackle shops but a few more steps are still necessary to complete the process.

Large rotating drying modules ensure the epoxy dries evenly once they are finished by technicians

To complete the application of the guides the rods are taken to the finishing station where epoxy is layered on the rods in all the critical areas near the butt of the rods and on each guide foot. This is all done by highly skilled technicians to ensure that the epoxy work is clean. The rods then go through a dry cycle where they are spun in a rotating drying module that revolves them to ensure proper epoxy drying with no bleed onto the guides or blank.

Each and every rod is checked at the quality control station when they are finished