I would like some recomendations on possibly shortening a 61/2' spinning rod blank to 6'. It is a light power, fast action blank with a size 4 tip, 0.32 butt and rated for 1/16-3/8 lure weight. My preference in rods leans toward moderate actions. I would like to know the effect on the blank if I shorten it from the butt, the tip, or both. I appreciate any input.

Ha Joe: If you go to www.rodbuildingtutorals.com Cliff Hall has posred a chart. You will find it under the left list ( Papers charts and tables.Hopes this helps! Darrell

Thanks Darrell, this exactly the information i was looking for.
Joe

Shortening from either end results in a rod with a slower action.

Shortening from the butt results in less overall power.

Shortening from the tip results in a higher casting weight range.

..........

Joe,
If it were mine, I would chop 6 inches off of the rod butt and I would be good to go.
Take care
Roger

I'm looking to do the same thing. I'd like to trim one of the new MHX 6'6" high mod models down to 6', but not sure which one I need to do. It needs to be able to throw a 3/16, and medium action. Would the HM-MB783-MHX work? It will be set up as a spinning rod. By the time I trim 6" off, I would guess the power should be around a medium to medium light.
Thanks,

Jeremy W. Reed

Jeremy,
A very easy way to figure this out, is to simply tape a reel to the blank, and then tape a guide up on the tip or near the tip.

You only need a reel and a guide to do some test casting.

Start at the tip and do some casting. If you don't have enough power in the blank, but still have the sensitivity that you need, move the guide slightly down the blank and retest. Continue moving the guide, until you have the guide at the location where you feel comfortable with the action of the blank.


Since the bulk of the fishing that I do, needs to have a very sensitive tip on the rod; I almost never trim anything from the tip of the rod.

As I have said before, trimming material from the tip of a rod is a great way to turn a wonderful fishing rod into a pool cue that has the sensitivity of a log. But do as you wish.

When you look at many different models of various lengths of a manufacturers brand, you will often - but not always find that the bulk of the rod - i.e. from the tip down toward the butt of the rod - is identical for various lengths.

You then find that the only difference between a 6 foot rod of a medium light rod, compared to a 6'6" blank of the same medium light rod is 6 inches of butt length.
i.e. a measurement of the rod blank by calipers of the rod as you go from station to station from the tip toward the blank reveals an identical blank.


So, this is further reason that I think it is very important to get the right power in the tip of the blank. Then, if you want a shorter rod, chop the butt of the rod.

However, if you need to stiffen a blank, then trimming the tip of the rod blank is the way to go. But, depending on the blank, the difference it tip trimming is often measured in 1/16th of an inch. i.e. Trim 1/16th of an inch on a given blank is fine, but if you trim 1/8th of an inch off of the tip it may be too much. So, if you do any tip trimming at all, do it very carefully, and in very small steps. It is so easy to trim too much off the tip of a wonderful blank and absolutely ruin it for finesse fishing, if it happened to be that type blank.

Other, very heavy action blanks, can have a foot chopped off of the tip and not have such a significant difference on the blank. Just always consider, test, measure, several times before you chop any blank, either from the tip or from the butt of the blank.

Be safe
Roger