Reel Repair by Alan Tani

Fishing Rods => Fishing Rods => Topic started by: oc1 on December 23, 2018, 09:33:49 AM

Title: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: oc1 on December 23, 2018, 09:33:49 AM
http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBa.jpg (http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBa.jpg)

There are two basic methods of making tubular rod blanks.  The Havens process rolls pre-impregnated fiberglass or carbon fiber cloth around a tapered steel mandrel.  The Howald process lays loose fibers longitudinally along the mandrel, impregnates them with resin and binds them with a spiral wrap.  In both processes, the mandrel is removed after the resin has cured.

I have been trying the Havens technique without success.  An aluminum mandrel was shaped by hand but the cured blank would not break free from the mandrel.  After three attempts and having to chip the stuck blank off the mandrel the aluminum mandrel was gouged and ruined.  Haven't given up on the Havens process yet, but it will require a different approach.  Making a quality mandrel seems to be the stumbling block.

The Howald process was used to make Shakespeare Wonderods but all other tubular rods were rolled using the Havens process.  The earliest of the Wonderods used a balsa wood core to bind the fibers to.  After a few years Shakespeare switched to a polished steel mandrel that was removable but you can still find a few of the balsa core Wonderods from the early 1950's.  Shaping balsa wood cores sounded a lot easier than trying to shape another metal mandrel.  

I also tried making cores from modern Divinicell urethane foam.  Divinicell is the stuff they used to do foam sandwich construction.  The foam is encased with fiberglass or carbon fiber and impregnated with resin.  Divinicell and balsa wood weight about the same but balsa works better because the grain of the wood provides just enough longitudinal strength to allow it to be shaped to a very fine point.  The Divinicell and balsa wood are easily hand shaped with coarse sandpaper.

http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBl.jpg (http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBl.jpg)

The first layer of fibers are stretched out on a loom-like thing.  The loom thing is just a piece of wood with some pegs.  It can be adjusted back and forth an inch or so with a nut and bolt to add or remove tension from the fibers.  The loom things are clamped to a strong-back of more scrap lumber.  As you can see, I'm working in an old tent.

[iurl]http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBh.jpg[/url]

The fibers are then bound to the balsa core with a spiral wrap as they are wet-out with resin.

http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBf.jpg (http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBf.jpg)

http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBg.jpg (http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBg.jpg)

The fibers come in a roll of "tow".  Tow is a bundle of fibers (either fiberglass, carbon, Kevlar of whatever) that have a little bit (about 1% by weight) of sizing to keep the bundle together as it is wound on a paper arbor and then later used for fabrication or weaving cloth.  Once the tow is removed from the roll the sizing shatters so if it is handled too much it will turn into a mass of useless lint.

http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBq.jpg (http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBq.jpg)

The wall thickness of the blank is fairly uniform over its length with just a slight increase in wall thickness toward the butt end.  Since the wall thickness is nearly uniform, while the diameter of the rod changes dramatically from one end to the other, there has to be a much larger mass of fiber near the butt than there is near the tip.  To gradually add more fiber as the rod tapers toward the butt, a additional strand of tow is added every inch or so.  It is best to work all this out on paper before starting.

http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBe.jpg (http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBe.jpg)

http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBk.jpg (http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBk.jpg)

I have been adding about twelve strands and then binding them with a spiral wrap.  After several dozen new strands of tow are added the resin is allowed to cure and then the blank is sanded to get rid of the lumps and bumps and prep the surface for another coat of resin.

http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBj.jpg (http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBj.jpg)

http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBd.jpg (http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBd.jpg)

http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBc.jpg (http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBc.jpg)

http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBb.jpg (http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBb.jpg)

http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBa.jpg (http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBa.jpg)

After a few layers of fiber are laid and sanded it is best to check the rod's bend.  If it does not make a smooth curve then start making adjustments in subsequent layers.  Add more fiber in places where the bend it too sharp.  You can try sanding a little more in places where it is too stiff but if the wall becomes too thin on one side of the core you are sunk and it is difficult to correct.  

I need an ultra-light rod, 9'2" or more, with the sweet spot at 1/4 to 3/8 ounce lure weight.  When the bend finally looks correct I add more weight until it passes a three pound dead lift stress test.  Three pounds of drag is my maximum because that's when my thumb starts burning with a direct drive knuckle buster.  After that, I tape on guides and a reel and start test casting.

A heavier boat rod would be easier to build than a light casting rod.  Getting a nice snappy casting tip is the most difficult part.  This project has been a hard row to hoe.  I think I have started over about a dozen times and am just starting to get the hang of it.  If the rod is not straight it is because there is too much and unequal tension on the strands of tow.  In the first photo above you can see the crooked fiberglass tip.  However, that rod casts better than the graphite rod next to it because the graphite tip came out too stiff for the light jigs.  The fiberglass blank weighs about 220 grams, 7.7 ounces.  The graphite blank that is too stiff weighs right at 100 grams, 3.5 ounces.

I have only built out one rod, and that was just to have something to fish with until I get better at the process.  I'm still satisfied with the weird bent handle as described here:

http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=26433.0 (http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=26433.0)

This rod is so ugly it is really embarrassing.  The action is too slow and sloppy but it casts good enough if you put a lot of strength behind it.  The reel is a Ambassadeur 2650 from about 1964 or so.  It has a sketchy little free spool mechanism, centrifugal brakes, but no anti-reverse and no drag.

http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBm.jpg (http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBm.jpg)

http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBn.jpg (http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBn.jpg)

http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBp.jpg (http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBp.jpg)

There is a whole world of resin pigmenting and custom stuff that could be done when you start from scratch. This may, or may not, be as tedious as making split bamboo rods.  It is probably more suited to someone with better eye sight a lot more patience than I have though.  You certainly won't be saving any money compared to buying a factory blank.  Sort of fun though.  More to come

-steve
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: Tiddlerbasher on December 23, 2018, 10:50:46 AM
Steve - I am in awe :o - Thank you for this ride :)
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: mhc on December 23, 2018, 11:14:12 AM
Extraordinary work Steve, from the concept to the process, including the ingenious 'loom like thing'.
Mike
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: thorhammer on December 23, 2018, 12:06:26 PM
I'm sort of curious who the person is that "has more patience than I"......that's some good stuff you got going, Steve.
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: Cor on December 23, 2018, 12:40:12 PM
I have tried many things in my life, some very successful and some less so.   I even changed a rod blanks action by sanding the wall thinner and that was quite successful but I would never have thought of attempting to make my own rod blank.

Hats of to you Steve for the ingenuity!

Fairly recently I had the opportunity to go and look at the CTS Blank factory https://ctsfishing.com/ in NZ and was awed at the high tech machines and processes employed there.
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: Jeri on December 23, 2018, 02:34:46 PM
One key step in the Havens process, is the application of a de-bonding agent to the mandrel - stops the thermo-cured glass/carbon sticking to the mandrel. Plus most factories employ a reverse pressure press to remove the mandrel from the blank, which works on a  'twist and pull' action to break the temporary bond.

Hope that helps
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: Bryan Young on December 23, 2018, 03:14:02 PM
Quite amazing Steve. The patience and enginuity of all diy projects, this has to rank up near the top.
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: Swami805 on December 23, 2018, 03:22:16 PM
WOW!!
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: Darin Crofton on December 23, 2018, 03:28:41 PM
Great work Steve! I could never do that, but so glad someone else can. I marvel at your skills!
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: foakes on December 23, 2018, 03:35:29 PM
Lots of respect for your ingenuity, curiosity, and learning new techniques, Steve —

Methinks Steve is like the Professor on Gilligan's Island — he can make anything out of coconuts and bamboo — except a two-way radio.

Thanks for taking us along, Steve!

Best,

Fred
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: oldmanjoe on December 23, 2018, 05:16:34 PM
Quote from: foakes on December 23, 2018, 03:35:29 PM
Lots of respect for your ingenuity, curiosity, and learning new techniques, Steve —

Methinks Steve is like the Professor on Gilligan’s Island — he can make anything out of coconuts and bamboo — except a two-way radio.

Thanks for taking us along, Steve!

Best,

Fred
LOL   I don`t know about that ,we never seen his communication  device...

    I am surprised you didn`t use a bamboo shout for a core .    Good work, looking forward  on your progress
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: alantani on December 23, 2018, 05:47:46 PM
amazing......   :o
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: oc1 on December 23, 2018, 07:12:37 PM
Thanks all.

Jeri, I have the hi-tech release agents and thought that aluminum with its higher thermo expansion would make it pop right off.  Not so.  My son knows a lot more about making composites than I and he thinks it was just because the mandrel did not have a perfect enough taper and polished enough finish.  He says he's going to try it himself using an old fiberglass rod as a mandrel..... but has too many projects of his own.

Here is my curing oven.  Just some chain-link fence pipe wound with a heating strip, some insulation and a programmable controller.  It must look dangerous because people give it a wide berth when they walk by.  The only dangerous part is the ladder.

(http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBr.jpg)

Here is the Howald patent from the late 1940's and early 50's.  All the fiberglass rod building activity busted loose just after the war as they were finding peace time uses for technology developed for aircraft and other armament. 

http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMB.pdf (http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMB.pdf)

-steve
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: reel man on December 23, 2018, 07:29:39 PM
Talk to an auto body shop that has good experience with fiber glass and they will direct you to which mold release to use on the mandrel.
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: Brewcrafter on December 23, 2018, 10:10:51 PM
Steve that is amazing, the research, the engineering ingenuity, and the flat out skills!
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: Alto Mare on December 23, 2018, 10:28:34 PM
Your work is always impressive , Steve.
Thanks for sharing your skills with us.

Sal
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: David Hall on December 23, 2018, 11:05:20 PM
Impressive and ambitious.   CHallenging and looks like you are enjoying the process.
Keep it up I enjoy following your interests Steve.  Entertaining and educational.
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: broadway on December 24, 2018, 01:12:36 AM
Man, Steve, you're a wizard with things like this.  What college did you get your engineering skills cause you my friend are "scary smart!"
Thanks for the cool tutorial.  I'll have to read this one a few times just to attempt to grasp the process.
Neato,
Dom
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: gstours on December 24, 2018, 02:52:20 PM
Wow Steve...  You are even more crazy than myself! ;D    Your desire, skills, ingenuity, and inventive ideas are amazing.  Thanks for the great post and the good pictures too!   You turn on the "what if " button for some of us,  I especially like how you made your drying tube tent.  Great idea im, saying.   I sincerely hope you find the time and health to continue these pursuits with your son by your side as well.
   Merry Christmas to you and the whole world.    Best of Health and a Happy New Year To All.....
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: oc1 on December 24, 2018, 07:15:43 PM
Thank you Dom and Gary.  But, it is sort of the other way around.  I'm just a fish farmer.  My son is the educated engineer, composite wizard and my mentor when it comes to this kind of stuff.
-steve
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: xjchad on December 26, 2018, 10:57:14 PM
You gotta be kidding me Steve!  I'm blown away.  I can't fathom the level of patience and detail that you put into that.  Beautiful!

(So when are you taking orders???) ;)
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: steelfish on January 09, 2019, 02:08:20 AM
can I say this is a further step for the meaning of  "rod building"?

this is the REAL rod building, what others do (myself included) is just glue some factory-made pieces together   ;D ;D easy peasy

you're one of a kind amigo Steve
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: oc1 on January 12, 2019, 11:10:14 AM
Thanks gentlemen.

It has taken me a while to realize it's all about the modulus.  Young's Modulus, also called Modulus of Elasticity or just Modulus in fishing rod lingo, is a measure of the stiffness of the fiber.  The higher the modulus rating, the stiffer the fiber will be once embedded in resin.  The lower the modulus the more elastic the fiber will be.  I was using a high modulus carbon fiber (Toray M40J) in the graphite rod above.  Glass fiber is much more elastic and stretchy by comparison.  

Higher modulus material is used to reduce rod weight because you use less material (fiber and resin) to get the same stiffness.  But, you still need flexibility to transfer the load from the tip down toward the butt to keep the tip from breaking.  To get enough flexibility and avoid breakage of high modulus material, the tip diameter and wall thickness must be very small.  A modern ultralight rod will have a hollow #4 tip (about 1.2 to 1.5 mm diameter) of high modulus material.  

The level of precision required to get a 1.5 mm tip seems to be beyond my abilities.  I'm good down to about 2.5 mm; maybe 2 mm with more practice.  Therefore, I had to start using carbon fiber with a lower modulus.  The rod on the left in the photo below is intermediate modulus carbon fiber (Hexcel IM7) with some high modulus material spiral wound in the butt section.  Length 9'3", 2.5 mm tip, less than 4 ounces before adding guides and counterbalance.  The rod would cast better if the mid section was a little stiffer, but I was afraid to stiffen the mid section more for fear of breaking the tip.  The rod on the right is standard (low) modulus carbon fiber (Toray T700)  in the tip section, transitioning to intermediate modulus in the mid section, and finally transitioning to high modulus material in the butt section.  Length 9'6", 2.5 mm tip, almost 5 ounces before adding guides and counterbalance.  This rod has a much better action and casts really well.  If the casting performance is not as good as a modern factory rod then it is at least very close.  But, the lower modulus added an extra ounce of weight.  A factory rod with similar length and power would only weigh about half as much (about 2.7 ounces).  Both of the rods below have a divinicell core in the butt and a balsa core in the tip.  The handle on the left feels too thin and the one on the right feels too thick.

Mixing tow of different modulus has some advantages, but there is an inherent problem too.  If a cross-section of the rod has fiber bundles of different modulus, then the high modulus material will take all the strain because it is stretching less.  As the strain on high modulus fibers approach their tensile strength and start to break or separate, the strain is suddenly transferred to remaining low modulus material and the rod snaps.  Putting the high modulus fiber inside by the core and the low modulus fibers on the outside should help because the outside must flex slightly more than the inside.  The rod on the right in the photo below was opposite with the low modulus fiber on the inside, but the next one will be different.

The reel on the right you have seen before above, the ABU Ambassadeur 2650.  Not a bad reel at all, although the clutch seems too delicate and fiddly so it may not last.  The reel on the left is a Shimano Demi Gold 3.  They are cheaply made and do not seem to have been sold in the U.S.  They were probably designed for small trout and panfish.  I do not know when they were made but suspect early 1980's.

(http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBs.jpg)   (http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBt.jpg)

(http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBu.jpg)

(http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBv.jpg)

-steve
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: Tiddlerbasher on January 12, 2019, 11:32:54 AM
Steve - forget all this old fashioned stuff and get going with carbon nanofibres or graphene ;D
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: Alto Mare on January 12, 2019, 11:55:07 AM
Steve, I always try to get everything you post , but this mixing of modulus and its reaction has my head spinning and that's just from reading.
I'm glad you have the knowledge and patience, so we could just sit back and enjoy your creations.


Sal
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: Donnyboat on January 12, 2019, 02:56:44 PM
Well Steve, I cant add anymore, every one has already said it, the only thing that I can add is & I have said it before, that brain of yours never sleeps, great stuff mate keep it coming, cheers Don.
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: oc1 on January 12, 2019, 07:58:30 PM
Quote from: Alto Mare on January 12, 2019, 11:55:07 AM
Steve, I always try to get everything you post , but this mixing of modulus and its reaction has my head spinning and that's just from reading.
I'm glad you have the knowledge and patience, so we could just sit back and enjoy your creations.

It took me a while too Sal.  There's nothing like failure to make you study harder.

High modulus is stiff and brittle.  Low modulus is flexible and stretches.  When you bundle them together and then bend the bundle, the brittle pieces break first.

-steve
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: Darin Crofton on January 13, 2019, 04:32:48 PM
speechless, great work Steve!
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: Keta on January 13, 2019, 05:53:32 PM
REALY NICE!!!!   
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: Jeri on January 14, 2019, 06:55:13 AM
Working closely with a professional blank manufacturing company, I've got to say I'm impressed at your venture. However, personally having seen all the equipment that the factories have at their disposal to achieve the finer elements of blank construction, I think you might come to a point where the lack of equipment will limit your development of blanks.

Having seen high pressure rolling tables, centre-less sanding machines all in action, as well as all the variables of resin loadings and then as mentioned nano-resins and graphene, or even woven Kevlar or Kevlar/carbon woven materials. Rod blank manufacture is a very complex business, and even some of the smallest changes to the composition of a blank can have quite extensive positive or negative effects.

So, I stick to making constructive engineering based observations to the factory, and let them work out the technicalities of how they are going to achieve the changes. A good number of our 'development' blanks have gone on to be mainline production models. I contend myself with the developments on the guides side of blanks, and that is complex enough.


We had one development blank, where we replaced a lot of the carbon content with a spiral wrap of woven Kevlar, and it came out exceptionally well, super light and highly reactive as a surf casting blank. However, it also took a lot of work to get the guide system right, because the rod was so slim and light; but once sorted it was a 'little Ferrari'.

Cheers from sunny Africa
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: oc1 on January 14, 2019, 08:05:55 PM
Quote from: Jeri on January 14, 2019, 06:55:13 AM
I think you might come to a point where the lack of equipment will limit your development of blanks.
Development of blanks?  I'm just trying to make something to fish with and have a little fun along the way.
-steve
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: steelfish on January 16, 2019, 05:17:34 PM
Quote from: oc1 on January 12, 2019, 07:58:30 PM
High modulus is stiff and brittle.  Low modulus is flexible and stretches.  When you bundle them together and then bend the bundle, the brittle pieces break first.
-steve

I know nothing about any technical stuff on "rod blank constructions" but that makes a lot of sense, since I have read many times guys saying that new really high modulus blanks like im8 and higher are brittle, super light but you have to handle the rod with "care" while the same rod make with all graphite and lowe modulus blanks like im6 are more flexible much less brittle while still really light and made 100% graphite.

Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: sdlehr on January 16, 2019, 05:42:01 PM
Steve, Garrison and Carmichael's book on building fly rods goes through the calculations necessary to determine the amount of material needed at each section of rod based on the moments of inertia calculated at various intervals along the rod. As you have said, you have to have enough material so the tip doesn't break under load - but not so much that the weight affects the action - these calculations are intended for makers of split-bamboo rods - but the physics is the same - you just have a different material with a different density and modulus of elasticity. I can scan the pages for you if you wish, PM me. You will need to know some more information about your materials - density was one - I studied the calculations about a year ago and no longer remember all the details - but it was fun to learn. As I understand it, it is modification of a standard engineering problem, the math involved has applications to cantilevers and construction.
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: oc1 on January 16, 2019, 07:31:07 PM
Hi Sid,

That sounds like the deflection calculations engineers use.  At each point along the rod the amount of deflection is determined using the modulus and amount of material.  When the integration is plotted it creates the hyperbolic curve of the rod.  I've played around with it to come up with the interval at which an additional strand is added.  My problem is that after impregnating the fibers and binding them the surface is not smooth and must be sanded before another layer can be added.  Most of what is sanded off is the binding material but it is imprecise and does not remove all the binding material but removes some of the longitudinal fiber.  I've recently started weighing the rod before and after sanding to get an idea of how much material is removed and then making a guess at how much of that is binding and how much is longitudinal fiber.  Another wild guess is needed for the proportion of resin and fiber.  50% resin is considered good if it is well squeegeed, 37% resin for professional work, probably 60% for me. You can get some idea of the resin:fiber ratio by looking at the sanding dust.  Light color resin dust and gray color carbon dust.

I'm of two minds about whether I should continue to bind the fiber bundles with more of the same fiber or bind it with plastic tape that can is removed after curing.  Tape leaves a slightly smoother surface but it's really difficult to use and still has to be sanded.  Mostly, I worry about the lack of hoop strength when binding with tape and have seen splintering at a break.  Rods made by rolling with prepreg seem to have woven longitudinal and axial (probably predominately longitudinal) fibers with the axial fibers providing the hoop strength.

-steve
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: oc1 on January 23, 2019, 11:57:37 AM
OK.  This is the last one.  I couldn't stand that Shimano Gold Demi reel or the graphite rod it was on.  The latest rod has somewhat less low modulus (T700) fiber and more intermediate modulus (IM7) fiber.  It also got a skim coat of resin with thickener and green pigment.  The rod was then block sanded to remove all the skim coat except where it had filled in a depression or divot  The skim coat was followed up with a UV resistant clear coat (Aluzine).  9'7", 2.2 mm tip, 4.5 ounces before the wrapping, counterweight and final coats of resin.  It's a nice stick; the best of the lot.

The Langley Target reel with CT conversion and magnets was removed from another rod where it had been well-abused.  The more I use these reels the more I like them.  They cast really well and it's the right reel for the situation.  With no drag, no antireverse, no eccentric, ramp, yolk or springs, no ball bearings, no levelwind, there is not much left to go wrong.  It can be splashed and put up wet day after day or just left outside in the elements for weeks.  Squirt some low viscosity oil in the ports and it runs like new again.  Seemingly bullet proof.  I worry about the aluminum corroding but it hasn't been too bad.  There is some corrosion on the exposed part of the spool but the arbor is clean.  I have spares but should not need them for a few years.

(http://www.raingarden.us/snap/HMBw.jpg)

Time for another project.
-steve
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: mhc on January 23, 2019, 12:35:56 PM
Amazing work Steve, I can't see the latest photo but I don't need to - this whole project is beyond what I thought was possible.

Mike
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: oc1 on January 23, 2019, 07:44:04 PM
Thanks Mike.  The link should be fixed now.
-steve
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: xjchad on January 23, 2019, 08:24:29 PM
Wow!  :o

I love it Steve!  Amazing work, beautiful rod!

Can't wait to see it in action!
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: sdlehr on January 23, 2019, 09:44:06 PM
Dang, STeve, that's incredible! I don't know how it feels, or how well it functions, but it looks dang good!

Quote from: oc1 on January 23, 2019, 11:57:37 AM
Time for another project.
-steve
But you've barely been doing this for a month! :)
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: Tiddlerbasher on January 23, 2019, 09:49:06 PM
 :o oh my :o
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: oc1 on January 24, 2019, 07:28:39 AM
Quote from: sdlehr on January 23, 2019, 09:44:06 PM
But you've barely been doing this for a month! :)
Way more than a month.  The family is beginning to whisper behind my back.  It's fun, but I only needed two good rods.
-steve
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: oldmanjoe on January 24, 2019, 03:08:01 PM
Quote from: oc1 on January 24, 2019, 07:28:39 AM
Quote from: sdlehr on January 23, 2019, 09:44:06 PM
But you've barely been doing this for a month! :)
Way more than a month.  The family is beginning to whisper behind my back.  It's fun, but I only needed two good rods.
-steve

   LOL   Glade  I am not the only one ,   They just don`t under stand sometimes the importance of it.  ::) ::)
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: Fishy247 on January 24, 2019, 08:01:24 PM
Any way you look at it, it's a beautiful blank! it also looks like you have it perfectly balanced. Are you holding it with just a single finger under the reel?
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: Dominick on January 25, 2019, 03:44:29 AM
Quote from: oc1 on January 24, 2019, 07:28:39 AM
 The family is beginning to whisper behind my back.  -steve

Steve, have you considered whether those voices you hear are real or...?   ::)  Dominick
Title: Re: Home Made Fiberglass and Graphite Rod Blanks
Post by: oc1 on January 25, 2019, 06:33:08 AM
Quote from: Dominick on January 25, 2019, 03:44:29 AM
Quote from: oc1 on January 24, 2019, 07:28:39 AM
 The family is beginning to whisper behind my back.  -steve

Steve, have you considered whether those voices you hear are real or...?   ::)  Dominick
Real.... imagined.... divined through supernatural insight.... it's all the same to me.
-steve