so i just built my flats rods 2 weeks ago on a rainshadow hs9000 blank and it was pretty nice! then my brother and his friend took it with them fishing and it came back with 4 cracks (long ways) right above the foregrip....looks like they either stepped on it or threw the trolling motor battery on it or something the excuse i got was i dont know what happened

so the blank im guessing is unable to be salvaged but i have got the guides off and now im wondering if there was a way i could remove the foregrip, reelseat and rear grip to be used on my new blank (same blank)? i used rod bond to attach them all and i used tape arbors for the reel seat...if anyone has any ideas how i can get these off without destroying them please let me know

any help is greatly appreciated as always..thanks

edit: sorry i forgot to say the rear and foregrips are cork



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/27/2013 12:20PM by jon edwards.

Grips are likely history if they are EVA......if the reel seat is metal you might be able to apply heat and get the epoxy to loosen....not sure if you can successfully remove a synthetic material seat without melting it.....I'd use a heat gun and not a torch......at this point if it's trashed, nothing ventured, nothing gained......

Only the reel seat may be salvageable.Heat should soften the epoxy enough to allow you to get it off. Either a heat gun or boiling it in water can work. The cork is history!

Jon,
If you have the guides off the rod, fix the rod.

Since you said that you have 4 long cracks that run length wise along the blank, the blank was simply crushed.

So clean up the blank and remove any butt wraps, or guides and the tip.

Then, find a piece of blank section that fits perfectly over the blank and snugs up tightly to the fore grip on the rod. Use as much blank as needed to fully cover the cracks plus about 2 inches.

When you get the perfect matching piece, smooth down the leading edge of the repair blank a bit, and then glue it over the top of the blank.

Tie the guides back on the rod and go fishing.

Sure the blank will be stiffer in the butt section, but there is little flex in that portion of the blank anyway so it really will do nothing to hurt the sensitivity or fish catching ability of the blank.

This way, you will still have an excellent rod, and will be able to save everything on your current rod, including the grips and reel seat.

To find a section of blank go to a rod shop and pick up some broken or cut off blank sections, or go to the good will or salvation army to find a rod that you can chop up to get the necessary blank.

Good luck
Roger

p.s.
I have done this for a couple of rods that were broken in that fashion by a customer. The fix was a good long term fix and was able to salvage an excellent group of rods.

time for A new blank see what type of warrinty there is

William Sidney
AK

There is no warranty if the blank was crushed.

guess ill try to fix it like roger said and see if that works out cant hurt lol...if that doesnt work out then guess ill try to salvage the seat and guides and maybe use the unbroken part to make a reamer or something....thanks very very much guys!

i couldnt warranty it because it was crushed by battery or foot or something and i cant live with trying to warranty it for my own mistake..will be a lesson learned thats all and guess this could give me a change to see how it is to repair instead of throwing away :D

You should contact Batson to see what they might work out with you for a new butt section.

i would take the foregrip off and put the new section up to the seat New foregrip over that
Prep inside the new section and the blank for bond

Bill - willierods.com

I believe Roger's suggestion will work fine, and since it's pretty easy, and there is nothing to lose except a little time (you can always do the "save the reel seat and guides-only thing later if this doesn't work) it's worth a try.

By the way, early in my building career I built a St Croix SCV for my son, and screwed up the alignment of the guides with the reel seat. I foolishly tried to bend the guides, they were Fuji titaniums, so very tough guides, and in the process I crushed the blank under the first spinning guide. It had longitudinal cracks like you describe. I carefully put on a layer of fiberglass cloth over the cracks, then retied the straightened guide, and it is very hard to detect there was ever anything wrong. The rod's action appears unchanged, and it has survived for about 3 years of heavy use. This is not disimilar to what Roger is suggesting, less robust if anything.

Then: never loan a rod, or reel, or chain saw, or firearm. Especially to a brother who evidently offerred nothing after breaking your rod.

I am just thinking IF the cracks go under the foregrip ??
This way the seat covers the blank and the new sleeve

Bill - willierods.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/28/2013 09:47AM by bill boettcher.

I built a Rainshadow RX 8 822.5 drop shot rod for my bass club secretary for all he'd done over the years for the club.

Not long after giving him the rod, he stepped on it while it was laying on the deck of his boat. He loved the rod so much, he called me and asked me what kind of warranty there was for boo boo's. I told him they don't warrantee "boo boo's" and "brain fades"!

I sent an e-mail to Batson Enterprises Warranty Department explaining how the rod was broken. They could not have been more accommodating. They thanked me for my honesty and sold me a new blank at their costs. Outstanding Customer Service!

In view of all my past experience with Batson Enterprises, you might contact them and explain the circumstances. Perhaps you will be as pleasantly surprised as I was!

Don Campbell
don@sensorfishingrods.com

If you suspect the cracks continue under the cork, why not insert a section of blank from the butt end up to the front end of where the cracks stop.?
That way the entire area is braced internally.
You may still want to add an external section to reinforce.
Or, you might try making a long wrap to cover the entire "cracked" area to reinforce the internal brace.

Best wishes,
Ron Schneider
Schneider's Rod Shop
Mountain Home, Arkansas
[www.schneidersrods.com]
mtnron40@yahoo.com
870-424-3381