CTS uses carbon helix core instead of scrim (wether that is glass or graphite). Is there others? I remember that Shakespeare's Ugly stick had some spiral too but was it different in some aspect?
How about Scott rods, why is HeliPly named like it is?

A friend of mine said that carbon helix core isn't anything special and that the technique is widely spread. I don't think so but I'd like to know.

Cheers,
Sakari

It may be common across the entire industry of tubular graphite structure manufacturing, but it's not entirely common among rod blank manufacturers. Special? I don't know that I'd call it that. I'd just say that it is another approach and one that is somewhat different from what most other blank manufacturers are using.

Once you take your fibers out of a perfect linear arrangement, they no longer provide the maximum amount of stiffness (along that particular plane) for their weight. By eliminating scrim, you reduce weight from material that really doesn't contribute to longitudal stiffness to begin with. So the trick is, taking the fibers out of linear alignment enough so that they perform the same job that scrim normally performs, but not having them so far out of linear alignment that you give up too much of the stiffness to weight ratio that they would otherwise be able to provide. It's a balancing act but one that the folks at CTS believe in and have carefully developed in order to provide them with what they feel is a superior product. Is it a superior product? That's something only you can determine for yourself by trying a few.

If you go back and do a search under Stephen Pratt's name, I think he made a post here in the past couple of months better explaining their design and manufacturing process. And, CTS will be at the National Rod Builders Show in Charlotte this February with a complete array of their rod blanks. Here's your chance to pick their brains and shake some rod blanks.

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Hi Tom.

Thanks for your answer. I know the idea and theory behind the carbon helix core and did read the Multi Modulus Blanks - thread. Don't know how other tubular graphite makers than rod makers do the hoop strengthening but I was only interested if CTS was the only rod maker using this technology. That's why brought up Ugly stick, which had some spiral too and HeliPly, whose name suggest some sort of helical plying or something.

I'll be able to test some CTS blanks since I'm going to order a few double handed ones from Stephen. A bit too long way to Charlotte for anyway.

Cheers,

Sakari,

Andy Dear is U.S. distributer for CTS. May save you some in shipping costs

Update and a follow-up question:

# I found out that CD rods (NZ based like CTS) use carbon helical too. Other fishing rod makers I haven't yet stumbled upon.

# Which is better in theory - carbon helix core or unidirectional carbon fibre scrim? I mean hoop strength vs. weight.


Mike:
No he won't - I'm in Finland.

Cheers,
Sakari



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/03/2006 07:48AM by Sakari Siipilehto.

Most of the Shakespeare models use the old Howald Process. Hoop strength is create by a helical winding of glass fibers - a spun winding if you prefer. It creates a very heavy rod blank, but one that is very durable. The old WonderRods were made this way and I suspect the Ugly Sticks are too.

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