I'm interested in being able to repair damaged rods, so I was reading into the "Repairing Broken Rods" article by Ralph O'Quinn. I'm specifically looking into the rod tip break section. He mentions using a fiberglass rod tip section to repair graphite blanks due to the lower modulus of the material. If you don't have any lying around, where do you find suitable rod tip sections to do these repairs?

Yard sales. Pawn shops. Sometimes your local sporting goods store may have some broken rods lying around that they'll give you.

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

Public fishing piers have waste bins which are constantly being refilled with broken rods. These are a steady supply of guides, tip-tops, and rod sections, sometimes including whole tip sections

Yes, glass is ideal, but using an old low modulus graphite rod for the sleeve can work quite well. I know all the reasons for using glass and for not using graphite, but I have done it a number of times. On one rod the CCS numbers did not change from new to the repaired rod and the rod seemed to perform the same as before it was broken (9 foot 8 wt fly rod broken in the third section up).

It is certainly possible to repair a rod and hardly affect the power or the action. Nearly always, however, the speed of the rod will slow. Particular the closer the repair is to the tip.

Of course, if you like the rod and want to get it back into action, you may be willing to accept a slight change in speed.

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

Nearly, perhaps, but not always. The other rods I've put back into action seemed to feel the same, but I didn't check CCS. Some done with glass, some with graphite. Most broken near the tip. The fly rod was farther down, not near the tip.

Phil Ewanicki Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Public fishing piers have waste bins which are
> constantly being refilled with broken rods. These
> are a steady supply of guides, tip-tops, and rod
> sections, sometimes including whole tip sections

Phil,
I have never even thought of that but it is a great idea for a budget rod.
Thanks,
Lance