Does anyone have info on Carbon Helix Core technology or is this just hype talk about hoop strength?
Good Wraps Bob

Good Wraps Bob

Bob,
Contact Stephen Pratt of CTS in New Zealand and/or Terry Johnson of TL Johnson Fly Rods in Colorado. Both build rods/blanks with that technology.

I have built rods from both companies with Helix core and, in my opinion, the blanks are much improved versus their former premium blanks.

Herb

Hoop strength is no hype
Its a critical design criteria in a rod blank.
a blank needs adequate hoop strength to resist excessive flattening & loss of strength as the rod flexes.
achieving adequate hoop strength in lightweight thin wall blanks is what its about.
CTS make some very nice blanks

Dennis I understand hoop strength. I was wondering about the Carbon Helix Core technology

Good Wraps Bob

It does away with the more common glass scrim and supposedly provides equal or better strength to angled carbon scrim. It is a little more labor intensive but proponents say it's worth the additional cost.

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I did some research , this is an old process used by USA rods, they sold the rites to a company in NZ. The idea is great, vary labor intense. I does give you better hoop strength, It is not laid out in a straight axises. So it eliminates scrim. But the down side is, you have to add more material to get lineal strength. If I am wrong please correct me. This information was given to me over the phone by a well known rod designer. So I may have misinterpreted some of the info

Good Wraps Bob

The helix core is not intended to offer linear strength. Linear fibers are still used for that purpose.

The blanks offered by Graphite USA over the years were indeed a little heavier than blanks of similar power from other makers, but not due to the helix core. The slight additional weight was due to the small-diameter/thick-wall design that Dick Kantner chose for nearly all his blank models. This is also why they had a reputation for greater durability than graphite blanks from other manufacturers.

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Bob,

Here is a very good post dealing with the Helix process [rodbuilding.org]

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!