I recently ordered the components for my first attempt at a rod. After MUCH research I decided to order my blank , a G loomis SJR781 IMX, and all components from a very popular distributor. The day that I recieved everything I unpacked the compnents to make sure that they were there and tested the tip top to see if it fit. Not even close. It would only go about a 1/16 of the way on. No problem, I emailed customer service and they were great, they confirmed that I ordered the correct size and said that they might have sent the wrong tip and very quickly sent me a new tip.

Today I got he nwe tip. Not even close. So I started taking some measurements of the blank itself with the micrometer that I ordered. According to that, the tip is between 1.5 and 1.6 MM which converts to .059 - .063. Wouldn't that make the tip size about a 6 to 6.5? I couldn't measure the butt diameter becasue I already have the handle on. So I laid it out and measued the blanks length. It is just a hair under 6'6" in length, that includes about a 3/4 inch section of the cork grip. So the blank is really only about 6'5". I checked the package and tube that it came in and there is no indication that the tip broke. I also examined the tip itself and it looks clean. Except for the scuff where I tried to put on the original tip. Maybe I'm being a little paranoid, but I'm starting to question the blank itself. Is this normal?? Thanks in advance for your help.

Ryan

Yes, it is normal. I always order 3 tip tops for each blank I order. One for the spec size, one a half 64th under and one a half 64th over. It's easy for rod blank tips to vary this much.

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

This is from the G. Loomis web page.





PRODUCTS : GENERAL TACKLE : FRESHWATER : BASS : SPINNING


SJR724S
Length: 6'
Power: 4
Pieces: 1
Spinning
Our most powerful freshwater spinning rod. Designed to pull oversized fish out of heavy cover, built with IMX graphite, it's very light-you can fish it all day with minimal fatigue. The 6-foot length allows low trajectory, accurate casts, and more than enough muscle to move large fish away from trouble. You'll appreciate the sensitivity and power for deep-water jig and spoon fishing.



Model Color Length Line Weight Lure Weight Action Power Handle Item# MSRP


IMX 6' 10 - 17 1/4 - 1 Fast Heavy 21 10214-01 $225.00


21




Raymond Adams
Eventually, all things merge, and a river runs through it..

Maybe my math is wrong but a 4.5 tube should run about .070 and be sufficient to go over your .063 tip. The 6 - 6.5 tops should run between .094 - .102 or so. I'd measure the ID of the tip tops you got to see what they really are.

$ 225.00 ????? Does this blank cook breakfast ?

Hi Ryan,

If your blank came with a header card and sticker than I would say you have a valid blank. I have received blanks and had them be shorter than what was listed. As Tom say if your going to order a blank like the way you did you need to order tips both side of what is recommended.

When I need to order a blank and other components for that blank I order from one of the smaller dealers that can give you personal service. Ask them to size the tip, check to be sure that you have ordered the correct size reel seat, etc. for you before shipping. Neil's fishing has done this for me several time and I'm sure he would be happy to do it for others that asked. I'm sure that there are other dealers that will do the same if asked. Save a lot of problems down the road.

Hank
On The Rocks Fishing
Wells, ME.

Thanks for the info everyone. I wasn't sure if I was converting the tip size correctly. As far as the blank, the above post is a little off. That's the price of a finished rod (The wrong one too) I have the SJR 781 IMX. Here's the G Loomis blank page:

Description Length Pieces Line Rating Tip Dia. Butt Dia. Action Power Item # MSRP

SJ781 (IMX) Slate 6'6" 1 6 - 10 4.5 0.454 Fast Light 26875-01 $129.00

The Complete Rod:

SJR781S
Length: 6'6"
Power: 1
Pieces: 1
Spinning
A specialty rod for fishing lighter line on large streams and clear, deep-water lakes. The extra length creates a wider arc and increased tip speed, giving you greater casting distance. It also moves more line during the hook set, critical to success in deep water situations. Designed to fish smaller lures-especially in open water situations where light line makes a difference. A terrific deep-water crappie rod for big, brush-filled lakes where you might need slightly heavier tackle.



Model Color Length Line Weight Lure Weight Action Power Handle Item# MSRP


IMX 6'6" 6 - 10 1/16 - 5/16 Fast Light 22 1 0381-01 $230.00 0

i've ordered blanks and tips using sizes designated by the manufacturer's specs and have had a few tip tops too small to fit. never measured the overall length of the blank.

if this is your first attempt at rod building, and you fall to the addiction, do what tom has suggested. each time you order, order extra sizes. i now order a few tip tops with each order, sometimes mixing up the colors to build a small stock. i do winding checks the same way. and the occasional stripper guide.

also, although the process takes a bit longer with two orders to wait for completion, you can buy a small plastic tip top gauge and then measure the tip tops on your own. after figuring out the size, place the order for the tip top and the rest of the components.

eric
fresno, ca.

Becareful and remove a little of the finish where the tip top belongs it may just slide on. You may also put a small wrap where the tip top belongs and put the over sized tip top on.
Good Weaps Bob

Ryan,

Are you near Milwaukee? (Looks like you are on Warner Cable.) If you can get by with a simple black or chrome tip top, you might want to take your blank over to Reinke Brothers, 3144 W Greenfield Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53215 (414) 383-5591. They should have something you can use until you get the correct size from your original supplier. Put it on with tip top cement and it will come off easily with a heat gun when you want to replace it..

James,

Yes, I live in Kesonsha, and work in Chicago. I've called Reinke Bros, but it's hard for me to get up there since I commute from the other direction. I was actually going to be right around the corner from them on Sunday, but they are closed. Dam them and their only day off :). Do you know of anyplace in the chicago area that I may be able to go to?? I work out near O'Hare airport. Once again thanks for all of your help.

Oh yeah, the addiction already has me. I've been thinikng about doing this for months, and I finally just bit the bullet and jumped right in. I plan on taking my time and doing it right. My goal is to have it ready by opening day (May 6th). Thanks again everybody.

Ryan

I had this same problem on the first rod I built (not so long ago). Additionally, I could not discern whether I had received the wrong size tip top, or whether St Croix's chart was in error. I called St Croix, and the first person I spoke with informed me that I had, in fact, ordered the correct size. However, as a precaution, I was transferred to someone in the production facility which assembled their rods. After checking his data, he told me that the chart on their website (and, thus, everyone's catagues) was incorrect, and he gave me the tube size which they use. After ordering said tip top, everything was hunky-dory. You might want to call Loomis and do the same.
Tight lines,
Hunter

What you're experiencing is really common. As Tom said, the best thing to do is to buy three tip-tops every time. Then, you're practically guaranteed to have the right one. This sort of thing also happens with the exposed-blank reel seats (i.e. Fuji ECSM). I also order three of those for every blank. Luckily, if you get in a jam on the ECSM seats, you can just ream out a small one to fit perfectly.

Once you've done a little bit of rodbuilding, and you've decided what your most common guide style/type is, then it's always good to order extra guides/tops every time that you make an order. Before long, you'll have several rods' worth of extra guides/tops, so you'll never have to worry about being stuck while waiting on a single guide to ship. For my taste, the black framed Fuji Alconites are the best value in a high-quality guide. Consequently, I have quite a few of them in every size.

When I just first started out and did not have a supply of tip tops, I made sure my supplier matched the tip top to the blank I was building. My suppliers went as far as attaching the tip top to the blank to make sure it was the correct tip top for that blank.
Good Wraps Bob

Tip-Top Size or Units Conversion:

1.000 inches = 25.400,000 millimeters
This is an EXACT conversion, not rounded.

To convert millimeters into 64ths of an inch:
( _X.Y_ millimeters / 25.400 ) x 64 = _T.Z_ 64ths inch.

To convert 64ths of an inch into millimeters:
( _T.Z_ 64ths / 64 ) x 25.400 = _X.Y_ millimeters

Remember that all manufacturers make the TIP-TOP TUBE'S ACTUAL INTERNAL DIAMETER approximately (0.10 to 0.20) millimeters LARGER than the NOMINAL TUBE SIZE. This allows a TRUE tip OD of a given size (say 6.50 - 64ths inch) to actually fit all the way up inside the tube of a Nominal Size 6.5 Tip-Top. This makes some allowance for the rod tip's taper, and the gap needed to hold some glue in there. ...
-Cliff Hall+++, Gainesville, FL-USA

1.5 MM = 0.0590" = 3.78 - 64ths --> 4.0 - 64ths inch
1.6 MM = 0.0630" = 4.03 - 64ths --> 4.0 - 64ths inch

6.0 - 64ths inch = 0.09375" = 2.38 MM --> 2.4 MM
6.5 - 64ths inch = 0.10156" = 2.58 MM --> 2.6 MM

By sheer co-incidence, it can be conveniently said that:
0.100 MM is approximately (1 / 256th) inch = 0.25 - 64ths inch
0.50 - 64ths inch is approximately 0.20 MM = 1 / 5 th of a MM.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/24/2006 09:06PM by Cliff Hall.

Cliff you must be a math professor or something. I don't think too many other people would go into that kind of detail:-)

Only if you are a engineer or have built built a 1000,000 blanks for a manufacture would you use or need his measurment. Just my 2 cents
Good Wraps Bob

IMO, It's about self-education in a simple case, so that a more complicated case can be solved. Like # of layers of thread as shims for a reel seat. Or ID-OD for a reel seat on a tapered rod. Or # of threads to close a butt wrap. And yes, I think facility with units conversion is useful.

GIVE a man a fish, feed him for a day.
TEACH a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime.
Show a guy how to build a rod, and he's hooked for life.
-Cliff Hall+++