I've done this on a few rods since the first effort, and these have come out even better, thanks to help from Ralph O'Quinn and the online article here. I've been lucky enough to get pieces that fit better, and with more careful measurement (thanks again Ralph: micrometer and vernier calipers make it a doddle) and surface prepping, I've been able to resurrect a broken rod (most recent) and make multi-piece blanks in a very short span of time.

My question concerns what to do when the fibreglass doesn't quite match the taper of your pieces, but is the closest you can get. Assuming the wall thickness is pretty even, can you carefully ream the sleeve to fit better? Would this compromise the structure of the fibreglass?

Along the same lines, when the sleeve is done, it often looks a little bulky. On Ken Preston's site he has pics of a repair where the glass sleeve is sanded down to pretty near the blank diameter. The join has an internal support as well though. Can I do this on a ferrule, where it is oversleeve only? Would this compromise the fibreglass even more? I was just thinking the ferrule would look smoother and less bulky, and weigh a little less.

Thanks guys,
Ted..

Yes you can. But like any thing how much is too much. You don't want to over do it and make it to thin and weak.

I guess you'll never know how much you can take one down until you try it. If it breaks, you took it down too much!!

I've been using stock from an S-glass rod so the glass sections are a little slimmer anyway compared to the heavier and bulkier E-glass type stock. You might try that. I see no reason why you can't ream the inside a bit to get a better fit. I do it but not with a reamer. I put some 400g sandpaper on a matching taper and work it that way. Seems to work fine for me.