Anyone know the process and procedure (or where I can find out more about it) for making graphite rod blanks?

Gavin,
I found this in a google search [community-2.webtv.net]
I found it interesting but maybe not as detailed as you want. Hope it helps.
Lynn Leary

In a nutshell, a mandrel is designed and purchased from a well known maker. It is combined with a particular flag (graphite prepeg [fibers and resin] pattern cut by hand) and rolled on a pressurized platten on a huge rolling table. From there it is spiral wrapped with a cellophane type tape to keep things together and then hung in a giant oven and "cooked." After curing, the blank is removed from the oven, the mandrel is rammed from the blank, the blank is stripped of the cellophane by hand and then carefully sanded to remove the ridges left from the tape while in the oven. From there it's finished or painted and bagged and shipped.

It's a very labor intensive process requiring a sizeable investment in design and manufacturing equipment.

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

You may want to look at the Hasting (USA) explanation on how a blank is made from scratch. What I see is the hidden factors (cost of getting started) #1 materials #2 Ovens 3# expertise in graphite rod design #3 coating material #4 rollers #5 dryers #6 mandrels and mandrel design. Last but not least is the research on where to purch all these products. Also a lot if the interal design of a blank is keep secret. Unless you are going into the manufacturing and just want to build a blank That is a big coast or are you just interested on how a blank is designed and made from scratch. If you want to see how it is done come to woodland Washington April 10. The Lamiglas factory is allowing 25 people to build their own blanks. These people have already been picked. If you are interested in how its done call Lamiglas and ask for Jennie. This is being done inconjuntion with the custom rod get togather on the 11 and 12. Rod designers from the East coast, North and South well be there to explain their way of designing a rod. Also there are going to besuppliers there to show off their 98 serriers of products. Good Wraps Bob

In a nut shell Tom answered all the pertinent questions.
Good Wraps Bob