Make the trip to Angler's Workshop. You will be glad you did.

"A" thread with color preserver looks great. Use two coats and let it dry between coats, then I like overnight before applying finish.

Flexcoat finish is the stuff to use. I like the high build. Warm it before you use it and use the hypodermic syringes designed for measuring finish (no silicone anywhere near rod finish).

The epoxy used for rod building is formualted for rod building. I would not use hardware store epoxy. The Rod Bond U-40 two part resin is great for reel seats and corks because it starts the consitency of vaseline so filling the voids under the reel seat is a snap.

Cork needs to be reamed to fit each rod. I have a friend here in Portland that has the corks and guides that you need at a great price and can ream the cork for you for a very reasonable fee. E-mail me for particulars and much more info if you like.

The book I recommend is "Rod-Building Guide" by Tom Kirkman, the same guy who runs the rodbuilding.org site.

Rods can last a lifetime. No need to rush through your first one.