I built an ATC IP 704 as spinning rod for my friend's son about 1 1/2 years ago. I got the blank at the ICRBE about 2 years ago. He has been very pleased with the rod, and was his "go to" rod.

He fished a tournament with us last Sunday, and we ran into him on the lake, Said his rod had broke, amongst other things. (I'm sure it being 103 degrees and no fish, did not help) He gave the rod to me and I brought it home.Took a look at it this afternoon.

The blank actually broke about 3/4 in inside the reel seat. It was a clean, shear break almost all the way around, with only about 1/4 of jagged edge on the bottom side.

The reel seat is an American Tackle Aero spinning reel seat with a urethane arbor.

I do not understand, and cannot figure out how a blank would break inside an arbor and reel seat?

Any ideas or thoughts?

Bert Nagy

Photos would be helpful, as would a bit more information if you have it or can get it.

What was he doing when it was broke? Did the seat show any signs of damage? I'm assuming he doesn't use a reel with a center clamp on this rod, does he?

The first thing that comes to mind is that it was an overload failure - just doing what it would do if it were loaded beyond it's maximum deadlift capacity. In such cases the rod will break back near the butt, just forward of the fisherman's point of effort. So if he was holding the seat or palming the reel, this is a fairly likely place for an overload failure to occur.

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

good thing is it can be repaired in that location with out effecting the rods action

I uploaded a photo of the breakage.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

It is such a clean break that I am amazed. The jagged part was on the bottom, and I think that was from separating the 2 pieces.

Matt said he was only throwing a weightless Super Fluke when he saw it was broken. He said he had high sticked a 10" bass earlier. Other that that nothing unusual

Steve you made a good point about repairing it. I'm thinking that I could make a plug from another blank of about the same taper, and glue it inside. Then slide the rest of the rod over the plug, and build an epoxy ramp. Would that work.

Bert Nagy

Applying the laws of physics, for the rod to breake the way it shows in the picture , a force had to be exerted either side of the reel seat and towards the same direction. i.e. the centre of liverage is the exact point of breakage. This could happen during transportation or if someone stepped onto the reel seat. It simply doesn't occur during normal use. It takes a lot of force to bend the arbor and actually crack the blank!!!

Bert,
I am not asking a funny question, but is it possible that the butt of the rod was used as a hammer.
As the comment from Chris stated, it just seems that the break was so clean that there was either a manufacturing defect or a very unusual incident happened to the blank.

One way to fix the blank would be to insert a solid piece of blank inside both sections of about 6 inches long and glue it back together. Use the ragged end of the blank as an alignment key.

If you don't have a solid piece of blank, go to the hardware store and pick up a fiberglass rod driveway marker. These are very inexpensive and very tough and should handle the strain of the rod. Cut the rod to about 10 inches, and then chuck the end of the rod in a drill. Bring the spinning blank against a spinning belt sander and sand down the blank until it is a perfect fit into both sides of the break. Cut the piece to size, glue together and finish the wrapping and finish coat.

Good luck
REW

Hi Roger,

Thanks for the reply. I know Matt pretty well, and he takes pretty good care of his equipment, I fish with his Dad all the time. Matt really liked the rod, so I doubt he used it to beat off a fish. :-) More than likely, it was stepped on.

I was thinking the same thing as you about repairing it. I cut the butt cap off this morning, and found a piece of fiberglass blank that fit through the butt, and fit tightly. Dry fit the rest of the rod onto it, and it seemed to fit OK.

I can go as far as 6" up into the rod with the piece I have. Probably don't need to go that far.

If I can fix this, Matt will be very, very happy, as he was ready to pitch the rod. It is his favorite rod.

Bert

Accidents happen everyday, once I could'nt figure out how a reel seat came loose , only to find out on my next trip out with the boat that my friend was leaning on the rod stuck while underway to the fishing grounds. Being too eager to go fishing, he prefferred to stand and find support on the rod holders behind the console seat, at the same time his thigh was pushing on the reel seat in such a way that it came loose. He didnt notice it , neither did I until It happened and saw it coming again on our next day out!!! Needless to say he is now sitting next to me whenever we go fishing, so that I can keep an eye on him.!!!!