A recent post discussed issues with specific new rods breaking.
This brings up the point of being sure to give your new blank and rod building canditate a very good flex before starting to build on the blank.

Of course, you don't want to flex the new blanks to such extremes that you either break or damage the ruds due to unusual or unwarranted flexing. But, it is certainly a good idea to give the new blank a good flex that will be at least as great as one would normally expect the rod to experience during it useful life.

It is much better to give the rod a good flex in the work shop and have it shatter in a thousand pieces before you spend any time working on the blank, rather than have the new client take out the newly finished rod and have it shatter on the first hook set.

Really a good way to get a very unhappy customer.

Flex new blanks first and test for soundness before spending ANY time builoding on the blank. If the rod blank breaks during intiial tests. so be it, and replace it. Better to break ti before any work is done and any reputation damage is done as a result of a client breaking a new rod on a routine fish or hook set.


Take care
REW

And while it's in the test jig - measure the weight to flex it and check the tip angle. ;)

I have never had a problem with blanks from the company in question. I wonder if it was more a negative advertizing slam.

This is a double post!!!!!I have never experienced that kind of breakage from Lamiglas rod. I always check my blanks before I start work on them. I look for scratches, bruising, I always stress test and flex. Any thing can cause a rod to break.Most breakage come from transporting them. Putting a rod in a gun rack behind the back seat of your truck, how you store your rods in a boat . Leaving them to whip in the wind as you rush to your favorite honey hole, dropping a rod or hook nicking. All these things I mention will cause a rod to break. Maybe not right away, but they will fail at some time

Good Wraps Bob

I believe the admonition was simply to give your blanks a good once over before building on them. Better to spot a flaw before you build than after.

There is a huge difference in a properly done "instaneous stress test" and a "good going over". A good going over will locate a visible or measurable variance that may or may not cause a structural failure. If custom rodbuilders ever witness a structural test done by a qualified person or device most would never try to duplicate.

There are old threads on this forum about the "Allstar Goddess" and her ability to touch a tip to a butt while adorned with her safety equipment.

If you attempt to perform a dynamic load test on any blank hopefully you will bother to get some background information.

Take a look at this:

Not the normal vendor warranty position.

[www.swamplandtackle.com]

Who backs warranty?

A dynamic load test is performed, by Castaway in Montgomery, Texas, on all XP3 blanks sold to custom builders, prior to transfer to Swampland.

Question! Was the breakage near any of the guide feet? Poor guide preparation can cause a rod to fail.

Good Wraps Bob

Bob this thread involves blank testing prior to build on new blanks.

Here is a link to the past!

[rodbuilding.org]

Bill I just threw that in. It may help a newbie

Good Wraps Bob