Not long ago I finished building my first baitcast rod. It's been crazy windy, so I decided to be patient. Well I had it leaned against a railing when my son knocked over a folded canopy tent, which blasted the rod, sliding it along the railing with some weight behind it. Flattened all but the bottom guide and popped the ring from the tip. All before i could throw my first cast.
I stood the guides back up. All but one look perfectly fine, the one is still a bit wonky. Now I've bent guides on spinning rods before and it was a complete non-issue. But the force is acting in the opposite direction. And also i have experience using a spinning rod so I know what to expect. What am I looking at here? Can I still use it? I put a new tip on, and tied some line to a stationary object and did a test pull... Looks fine. But again I have no real basis for comparison.
Use it. Millions of bass fisherman are catching fish after tweaking a guide bouncing rods against one another on boat or in truck bed. You're overthinking it.
If you are reely concerned about testing it just send it to me and I will test it for a few years and give a detailed Report .
Happy to do it no thanks needed . Oh ! I have a Reel to put on it so don' t worry about that. ;D
If I don't over think at least one thing per day... Check for a pulse, I might be dead. Its both my superpower and greatest weakness.
I would just use it, Jason —
Kind of special to see a few slightly distorted guides — and know it that it was a father & son trip — good memories.
The only other trick to check for any places where a line might get cut or weakened — take a woman's stocking and run it through each guide. If there are any areas that catch the nylon stocking — those need to be addressed.
Best, Fred
it happens all the time Jason, whats you main worry about the rod? having a cracked ring and you dont noticing until cutting the line on a nice fish? having the rod breaking at half on a cast? all those 2 cases are the worst scenario.
checking if the blank got a nick that might cause it to break at the worst moment is difficult to know so, there is only one way to find it... use it.
Checking if the accident cause a ceramic to break into the ring and dont fall appart so you dont see it at simple sight, my Amigo Fred already told you a nice way to find those cracks on a ceramic ring.
Quote from: foakes on November 09, 2021, 04:52:24 PM
The only other trick to check for any places where a line might get cut or weakened — take a woman's stocking and run it through each guide. If there are any areas that catch the nylon stocking — those need to be addressed.Best, Fred
but I will tell you another way to find cracked ceramic when its difficult to find it at normal eye sight and most important it doesnt involve having problem with your better-half for stealing her a stocking, if the stocking find the crack on the ceramic that stocking will be toast ;D ;D.
you can do the same with a Q-tip a Brand new Q-tip, pass it along the ceramic and if there is a crack it will catch the cotton fibers, this is safer to use ;)
??? Well let`s see how bad it is .............
I agree with everyone else. The rod will work until it won't, which will probably be a long time from now. I'd enjoy it and laugh this off.
The Man
That must have been one heavy tent to bend eyes on a casting rod. :o In 60 years of fishing I've never bent or broken an eye on any rod so it's hard for me to visualize. ???
So, in the scheme of life and things, what's the worst that can possibly happen if to use the rod and it breaks or you loose a nice fish? Not much, that's for sure. ;) On another note, though, you might want to you might want to see someone about your OCD. :D
Quote from: steelfish on November 09, 2021, 05:29:06 PM
it happens all the time Jason, whats you main worry about the rod? having a cracked ring and you dont noticing until cutting the line on a nice fish? having the rod breaking at half on a cast? all those 2 cases are the worst scenario.
checking if the blank got a nick that might cause it to break at the worst moment is difficult to know so, there is only one way to find it... use it.
Checking if the accident cause a ceramic to break into the ring and dont fall appart so you dont see it at simple sight, my Amigo Fred already told you a nice way to find those cracks on a ceramic ring.
Quote from: foakes on November 09, 2021, 04:52:24 PM
The only other trick to check for any places where a line might get cut or weakened — take a woman's stocking and run it through each guide. If there are any areas that catch the nylon stocking — those need to be addressed.Best, Fred
but I will tell you another way to find cracked ceramic when its difficult to find it at normal eye sight and most important it doesnt involve having problem with your better-half for stealing her a stocking, if the stocking find the crack on the ceramic that stocking will be toast ;D ;D.
you can do the same with a Q-tip a Brand new Q-tip, pass it along the ceramic and if there is a crack it will catch the cotton fibers, this is safer to use ;)
True, Alex —
However, I use the same stocking for 10 years to check my rods. Just borrow one from the laundry — and she figures it got lost somewhere and will turn up someday (like my socks).
I'm on year nine — stocking due for replacement next year.
Best, Fred
Quote from: foakes on November 09, 2021, 07:44:52 PM
Quote from: steelfish on November 09, 2021, 05:29:06 PM
it happens all the time Jason, whats you main worry about the rod? having a cracked ring and you dont noticing until cutting the line on a nice fish? having the rod breaking at half on a cast? all those 2 cases are the worst scenario.
checking if the blank got a nick that might cause it to break at the worst moment is difficult to know so, there is only one way to find it... use it.
Checking if the accident cause a ceramic to break into the ring and dont fall appart so you dont see it at simple sight, my Amigo Fred already told you a nice way to find those cracks on a ceramic ring.
Quote from: foakes on November 09, 2021, 04:52:24 PM
The only other trick to check for any places where a line might get cut or weakened — take a woman's stocking and run it through each guide. If there are any areas that catch the nylon stocking — those need to be addressed.Best, Fred
but I will tell you another way to find cracked ceramic when its difficult to find it at normal eye sight and most important it doesnt involve having problem with your better-half for stealing her a stocking, if the stocking find the crack on the ceramic that stocking will be toast ;D ;D.
you can do the same with a Q-tip a Brand new Q-tip, pass it along the ceramic and if there is a crack it will catch the cotton fibers, this is safer to use ;)
True, Alex —
However, I use the same stocking for 10 years to check my rods. Just borrow one from the laundry — and she figures it got lost somewhere and will turn up someday (like my socks).
haha, thats a pretty good tip to keep peace on marriage.
Do they even still sell stockings? I do have qtips though.
I guess my entirely unfounded concern was that these being out of alignment would introduce some uneven twisting element when it's under load, and IF that was likely to be destructive, I'd be better off redoing the guides and not wasting the blank, cork, and reel seat. But my concern is born of complete unfamiliarity with these upside down rods, when something like that wouldnt concern me on a spinner because I know how those work. it sounds like that's not a thing i need to worry about here either.
Pics will be forthcoming.
Quote from: JasonGotaPenn on November 09, 2021, 10:48:47 PM
Do they even still sell stockings?
They sure do , just look for them in the same isle as the rest of the Christmas decorations . ::)
guessing you went fairly light on blank w/ small single-foot runners
if you're still practicing w/ mono, just observe the rod as you use it
if already on braid... zero stretch; silky/"wrappy"; way stronger than needed
i.e., all possible guide problems are exagerrated -- better micro-check & micro-tweak