Yes, I have done searches but would still like input.


I like the action of stand up rods, however prefer the aluminum butts on the rods.
Now here we go, the stand up blank normally goes through the reel seat, slick butt or hypalon to the gimbal. All of that bottom section epoxied together so that it is stiff and unmoving. Most of the action in these blanks are in the top 1/3 and it may only be able to flex as far as the top of the reel seat.

a) Isn't it then ok to shorten the original blank by the length of the aluminum butt then install the ferrule?

b) Secondly, what is the main difference between the "live bait and jigging" blanks vs the "stand up" blanks?

c) Anybody have experience with the "Pacific Bay", "Gatorglass" or "Seeker" blanks? ( I am leaning towards the Calstar blanks but may need other options)

d) Would any nylon or poly thread be suitable to do wrapping with we don't seem to have Madeira thread here? (referring to sewing threads)

If you cut the one piece blank and install a uni-butt, nothing really changes. And, there is little reason to do that. Uni-butts were intended to allow you to take trolling rods down into two parts, for easier storage. Most stand up rods aren't going to be any longer than 6 feet with most in the 5 to 5 and a half foot range, so there is little need to break them down. You can affix the same reel seat and butt on a thru-blank construction as you would have on a uni-butt, so the question begs, why use a uni-butt?

Every company has their own nomenclature for their rod types and the associate actions. Live bait rods generally have very light tips and feature a very fast action. I have seen jigging blanks with both fast and medium type actions. Stand Up blanks are generally a reference to the blank's intended use more than its action. I personally prefer a fast action for stand up rods, but others choose differently. The volume 5 #6 issue of RodMaker had a very comprehensive article on Stand Up rods that you may wish to read.

Calstar and Seeker both have excellent reputations for making quality Stand Up type blanks and rods. Gudebrod is always a safe bet for nylon wrapping thread. FishHawk, National and Rice also make specialty rod wrapping nylon.

....................

Barry
I'm working on my first standup rods so take this for what it is worth. If you choose anything but a foam butt you will most likely have to cut the blank. The problem is that the inside diameter of all of the Unibutts and Tuff Butts are too small to accomodate the outside diamater of the blank butt. Keep this in mind when buying your components as you will more than likely have to reorder a different butt when the first choice doesn't workout.
The rods that I am building are Calstar glass and the Stuart Tuff Butts that I intended on using (STB2) would have required me to cut more off of the blank than I wanted to. Cutting off enough of the blank so that the butt would go into the Tuff Butt 3" would have reduced the overall rod length to less than the desired 6'. I returned the Tuff Butts and ordered the Amtak version of the unibutt which have a larger i.d. Now I don't have to remove as much of the blank which means I can keep my 6' target length. For reference, the ferrule on the Amtak unibut is 3" long so that is the total length of the rod blank in contact with the rod butt.
Also keep in mind that the shorter the butt you choose to use the more blank you will most likely need to cut which could possibly shorten your overall rod length.
Hope this helps.
Brian