I just recently returned a blank to a company because you could see a bend in the blank about half way up the rod and to the tip and as you rotated it on a flat surface it would rotate to this curve every time so I return it to this company because I want a straight blank. They had no problem replacing the blank but I had to pay for the return shipping feeling to that should not have paid the return shipping I contacted their customer service and they replied that they normally don’t refund the shipping fee but we work it out and all is well until I look at the replacement blank when it comes in. In their reply it was stated that the manufacture approved the blank to their standards and spec. and that all blanks are not straight.

I have a couple of questions regarding this experience.

The first question is out of all the sponsors and dealers on this board who have this same return policy. Customer pay’s for return shipping if items purchased are defective.

When I buy a pre manufactured rod I look down the blank to make sure there are no bends in the rod not cause by the weight of guides. Now I am still new at rod building I built a crankbait rod last year and catch majority of BASS on this rod last year but I am still learning so here is my second question.

The second question who here building rods would accept and build a rod that has a bend in it, are slit bends ok and do you feel you should pay for the defective rod return shipping.

I am not trying to upset this company or anyone else new to building rod and this was my first time dealing with what I think is a bad blank.

Any help is appreciated.

Most all blanks are curved (warped if you prefer) to some extent. A perfectly straight rod blank is rare. A slight, gentle curve is not an issue. In fact, if you build on the straightest axis, the weight of the guides tends to straighten the blank which otherwise would have a slight downward droop in the fishing position.

Different companies have different standards when it comes to what is acceptable and what is not in terms of how straight a blank needs to be. Generally, unless the curve is actually a sharp crook or sudden angle somewhere along the blank (often right at the ferrule), the blanks are fine.

Shipping policies will vary. Most companies will have their policy listed in their catalogs or websites. If they don't, they should, but usually they put the cost of return shipping of a defective product on the consumer. You may not like it (I wouldn't) but this pretty common with many companies both in and outside of the rod building world.

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

Lots of people search for the elusive straight blank, truth be told when I get an order in I will go through it and pull out the straightest ones for myself if it's a model that I use for fishing. Teh straighted blanks used to be GUSA's a few years ago, but almost every other blank I've seen from every company is bent in some way. As Tom said, some bends are acceptable, some are not. I QC'd all the blanks I shipped to prevent sending something that was REALLY bad, and if someone wanted to return one of the ones I shipped I would definitely do it, provided they pay teh shipping back to me, adn the shipping from me back to them. If the rod was truly that bent out of shape, I'd pick up the cost, but I made sure that was never the case.

Why should a supplier pay shipping 3 times becasue you are very picky? THey don't make the blanks, they only sell them. WE're in teh business to make money, and while the customer is always right....that often comes with a price.

As a salesman for a boiler manufacturing company, the end user paying the freight back is pretty well the norm. As was said before, it @#$%& but such is life.The companies I work with that will prepay the freight back are a nightmare to deal with and 20-30 dollars isn't that bad.

Tom,
Thanks for explaining but a follow up question about finding the spline on this slight curve. Do you find the spline or go with the straightest axis.

Billy,
I agree with your statement about QCing the rod before shipping this is main point. I would not return a rod or any other item in and out side the rod building world unless I believed there was a problem with that item and paying or refunding the shipping if there was a problem with the item. The companies QCing the product before shipping is the key a customer should not receive anything you would not use your self.

I due agree that companies are trying to make money and should not bare the cost of very picky customer but with extra cost for shipping a rod the customer should not be required to pay shipping twice if there is a problem.

I do work in customer service I am not a salesman but if I were before I sell an item and put my name on the product to a customer I would make sure they are getting what I sold them in working and operational condition this falls on you and your company not the customer.

I am getting into building rods so I can save some money by not having to buy per manufactured rods at the same time enjoying the fact that I built the rod the way I like it and when I catch the fish. Receiving a defective item and having to pay for the return shipping is not saving money.

Thanks for your comments I believe I will travel to the local dealers near me to pick out the blank I want so I can avoid this problem in the future.

I build on the straightest axis.

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

I am also very new to this and I have ordered 4 blanks so far 1 from one company and 3 from another. The first blank said it would have a tip size of 7 and it has a tip size of about an 11. It is also bent about 8" down from the tip and it is a very noticeable amount. I don't know if I got the wrong blank or what but I don't plan on using it because it has two bends in it and one is one way and one the other way so no mater how I would build the rod it would not look right. My second order of blanks where 2 this was from another company and one looks great it was not what I was really looking for but it is straight and looks good. The other one has some like indents into the blank about 12" up from the but all the way around it and it looks like perforations. To me it looks like it would be a very weak spot also it looks like it has been rolling around in the warehouse that it came from all nicked up and scuff marks on it all over just not a good looking blank I have fishing rods that are 5 years old that look better than this thing. So I guess what I am saying is what is acceptable and what is not. I am doing this to get the best rod I can for the fishing that I do that is why I have bought different brands and types of rods so I can see what I like. I don't want to have to spend $100 dollars on a blank I don't think that I should have to but I know you get what you pay for.

THere are different levels of QC. The blank Manu's might have a different version of what is acceptable than you do. That's not their problem it's their policy. If you dont' like it, find another manufacturer to use. Another thing you can do, is order several blanks and hand pick them yourself, shipping back teh ones you do not like. The additional cost will be worth it since you at least got what you wanted, adn paid for it. THere's a price which comes with being extremely picky when you have a product manufacturered by hand, adn there are a LOT of things which affect how straight the blank is.

A supplier is NOT a Manufacturer. They are not in teh business of QCing blanks. THey assume the blank has been acceptably QC'd from the MAnu, so when something is returned that is acceptable, tehy cannot eat teh frieght cost, nor should they be expected to.

THere are different levels of QC. The blank Manu's might have a different version of what is acceptable than you do. That's not their problem it's their policy. If you dont' like it, find another manufacturer to use. Another thing you can do, is order several blanks and hand pick them yourself, shipping back teh ones you do not like. The additional cost will be worth it since you at least got what you wanted, adn paid for it. THere's a price which comes with being extremely picky when you have a product manufacturered by hand, adn there are a LOT of things which affect how straight the blank is.

A supplier is NOT a Manufacturer. They are not in teh business of QCing blanks. THey assume the blank has been acceptably QC'd from the MAnu, so when something is returned that is acceptable, tehy cannot eat teh frieght cost, nor should they be expected to.

Bill, I completely disagree with your statement:

A supplier is NOT a Manufacturer. They are not in teh business of QCing blanks. THey assume the blank has been acceptably QC'd from the MAnu, so when something is returned that is acceptable, tehy cannot eat teh frieght cost, nor should they be expected to.

The supplier’s that I have dealt with are right here on this board and very pleased to work them but their websites and catalogs state in them (call us talk to a expert) to me that makes them accountable to making sure everyone gets good quality products. I am not buying from Wal-Mart, Kmart, and Dick’s etc. people that don’t know anything about rod building. Were talking about supplies that also build rods I not try to stop suppliers from making money but QCing is their job as well.

Joe is just another example of my point he received items that he did not order or order under the wrong information supplied to him and the items are not even at a beginners standards. Receives a blank that looks as if it has been rounded around and mishandled this is not the manufacture fault. Now he has to pay for the shipping or eat the cost of the blanks. This type of policy is not fair to the customer and discourages me as possible returning customer and makes me want to rethink about building rods.

Your idea about purchasing several blanks at one time is a good idea to bad policies that are being practiced. I am only building for myself your way say purchase 4 blanks pay the 15.00 dollar shipping fee, pick out the one I like return unwanted blanks at another 15.00 dollars cost.

YOu are buying from Walmart, Kmart, or Dick's, on a much smaller scale. The majority of suppliers in this industry operate on very small profit margins. Most have very few workers, inmany cases teh person you call for info or answers your e-mails, is the person who will walk around and pick your order, pack it, fill out teh shipping info, and ship it. That is their job. They stock items, grab them and put them into a box for you. While you might want them to do more than that, the fact is it is not part of their job.

If these policies make you rethink about building rods, then I guess you're going to have to deal with DIcks, Walmart and Kmart all over again. I've dealt with peole who are overly picky about getting teh straightest blanks, the best thing you can do is go somewhere where you can handle and sight down blanks and pick one that suits your liking, or do teh same at a tackle shop where they have finished rods.

YOu probably could call teh company you order from and ask them to pick teh striaghtest blank for you - but in most cases teh blanks are sealed in plastic, so they'd have to tear teh bags open, pick through 10 of them to find one just for you, then reseal teh hole in teh pastic in the other 9 blanks in case someoen wants to return a blank becasue teh pacakging has been damaged. Wanna guess why teh blanks are sealed in plastic? Becasue they've already been QC'd and approved by teh Blank Manufacturer.

Generally, the manufacturers ask you not to return blanks or other parts to the dealers you purchased from. You would send the questionable part to the manufacturer. This takes the dealer out of the picture (and prevents him from having to eat shipping costs) and allows the manufacturer to work directly with the customer. It also ensures that they get any bad parts back so they can see exactly where their QC failed (if it did).

I don't think any of us like having to pay return shipping on an item that was supposed to be good to go when we received it. But this seems to be pretty standard in most industries. I've had to return, on my dime, all sorts of things from gunstocks, to kayak accessories to rod blanks. I didn't like it either, but the warranty policies and return shipping information is pretty well spelled out at the outset.

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

I myself don't have a problem returning on my dime. The only thing I would not be happy about is getting many bad blanks from the same place. I am doing this to get a better rod for what I do but when I get a blank that is out of bend by 1 to 2 inches in less than a foot that seems kind of bad to me. I am new to this so if some of you that have been doing this for a while say that this is standard than fine I would deal with it but when you go to the big chain stores and look at rods I don't pick out the ones that are bent.

1 to 2 inches over a single foot of length is not okay. Something like that should never have made it past the QC department. 1 to 2 inches over 6 to 10 feet is not necessarily bad.

.......