My 10 NFC rod blanks finally showed up!

I was told to inspect and load test them all just in case there is a problem with any as it might take me 2 or more years to use them all.

Just wondering how best to do that.

“The gods do not deduct from man’s allotted span the hours spent in fishing.” - Herbert Hoover

There may be a better way, but all I do is to put the tips on the floor and bend the blank to close to 90 degrees in a smooth arc, rotating it to feel the spine and check it under all orientations. I have to say I've never failed one and I've never had a "surprise" failure in the field. But acquaintance builders have told me of failures.

I saw a video of Trey Kistler testing his blanks before build. He was literally bending them over double (actual u-bend of the blank near the tip where the flex allows), and checks that load 360 degrees all the way around. I could never get myself to stress them that much, but I’ll flex mine as much as it ever will as it would during a fishing situation. Only one broke for me so far (out of a few hundred). Wear safety goggles.

If you are load testing a multi-piece blank, don't forget to add a thread reinforcement wrap at the ferrule. No need to finish it out, but it is a safe bet to at least add a snug thread wrap there before putting the blank under any serious load.

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

Tom Kirkman Wrote:
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> If you are load testing a multi-piece blank, don't
> forget to add a thread reinforcement wrap at the
> ferrule. No need to finish it out, but it is a
> safe bet to at least add a snug thread wrap there
> before putting the blank under any serious load.
>
> ............
YES!!!
I once cracked a female ferrule just spining a#10 Gatti (Itally) fly blank.

BTW - CTS' internal ferrule system does not neeed to be wrapped - neven to fish it.
Herb
CTS

Many companies no longer require a ferrule wrap but they don't tell you this in the packaging. So unless you know for sure, make the wrap just to be safe.

...........

Batson uses a strip of their reinforced packing tape wrapped around the tip leaving a folded loop in the end to hang on to their load measuring device. They mention it many times on their Blank Talk vids and show how to do it on one of them. It takes a bunch of load without failure.

Thanks all.

Sounds easy enough. I did see a video a while back with a guy pressing them against the ceiling but ours all have that popcorn stuff on them or are 10' high.

I'll lay a towel on the floor to press against so I don't scratch the blanks and could call NFC about the ferrule wrap issue.

Fingers crossed that they all pass as it would be a real PITA to have to ship any back south across the border.

Along with the blanks I ordered an XO-Skeleton casting grip for the 13' 2pc bait casting blank in my order. I wish they had of had measurements like the OD of the grip where my hand will be when casting as it's so small my nails bite into my palm with a firm grip and I have very average length fingers. Trying to come up with some way to thicken it and have it not look like a half-assed DIY project. I'll be making the trip out to see a pro rod builder to pick up the cork cutting jig set he ordered in from Mudhole for me and a good selection of cork rings. I'll take the blank and grip with me to see what kind of ideas he might have. I'm thinking some of that cork on tape stuff to build it up with some of that shrink wrap for a cover. Don't much like the spongy butt plug that came with it either so need to figure out something for that too. For $95 US I kind of expected better. It's also very light so may need to add some weight to balance the long blank. Feels very top heavy with the blank inserted but I didn't try it with the reel on it.

This is the grip in case anyone wants to have a look.

[northforkcomposites.com]

“The gods do not deduct from man’s allotted span the hours spent in fishing.” - Herbert Hoover

Yeah, not much information on the website as far as the XO Skeleton grip / reel seats are concerned. Both the casting a spinning versions are a size 16 reel seat. If you don't care for the lock nut / hood combination that comes with it, and I personally don't, you can use the lock nut / hood assembly from other manufacturers as long as the lock nut / hood assembly uses a single locating tab that is centered on the top, or bottom of the thread barrel. Also, if weight is an issue for you, using a standard lock ring / hood assembly will save you 5 grams.

If you're curious as to what the ID of the narrow portion of the seat that emulates the rod blank on a split rear grip, that ID is between 12 and 12.5 mm.

I'm currently wrapping a spinning rod on which I'm using an XO skeleton spinning version, and will be building a rod using the casting version of the grip. Thankfully the blank I'm using with the XO casting grip will pass completely through the grip, otherwise IMO I think you need to add a way to connect the blank to the grip with an extension piece.

If you're curious as to what I mean by adding an extension piece, here is a link to a thread with links to pictures of what I ended up doing with the spinning version of the grip, in order to feel comfortable with using it. There is a link to a previous thread to where I talk about what I feel are flaws with the amount of glue area the seats actually have. And there is discussion in the linked thread, about the spinning version as well. Just some reading if you're curious

Not sure that pressing a rod blank tip against the floor or ceiling puts the same sort of lifting load on the blank that actually lifting with it does. I could be wrong but they do not seem similar in terms of what is being done to the blank.

Bruce,

Instead of the EVA I used the American Tackle G2 carbon handle butt cap assembly (G2HBC). It fit in my XO skeleton casting grip.

David Baylor Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yeah, not much information on the website as far
> as the XO Skeleton grip / reel seats are
> concerned. Both the casting a spinning versions
> are a size 16 reel seat. If you don't care for the
> lock nut / hood combination that comes with it,
> and I personally don't, you can use the lock nut /
> hood assembly from other manufacturers as long as
> the lock nut / hood assembly uses a single
> locating tab that is centered on the top, or
> bottom of the thread barrel. Also, if weight is an
> issue for you, using a standard lock ring / hood
> assembly will save you 5 grams.
>
> If you're curious as to what the ID of the narrow
> portion of the seat that emulates the rod blank
> on a split rear grip, that ID is between 12 and
> 12.5 mm.
>
> I'm currently wrapping a spinning rod on which I'm
> using an XO skeleton spinning version, and will be
> building a rod using the casting version of the
> grip. Thankfully the blank I'm using with the XO
> casting grip will pass completely through the
> grip, otherwise IMO I think you need to add a way
> to connect the blank to the grip with an extension
> piece.
>
> If you're curious as to what I mean by adding an
> extension piece, here is a link to a thread with
> links to pictures of what I ended up doing with
> the spinning version of the grip, in order to feel
> comfortable with using it. There is a link to a
> previous thread to where I talk about what I feel
> are flaws with the amount of glue area the seats
> actually have. And there is discussion in the
> linked thread, about the spinning version as well.
> Just some reading if you're curious


From info on their website I really only need about 4" of the blank inside the reel seat. If I push it in until it hits the narrow part it goes in 8". Just barely fits so won't need much of an arbour. Couple wraps of fiberglass drywall tape with some epoxy should do it.

I'm fine with the lock nut and as it only needs to move 1/2" up or down to lock the reel in. I'll make the foregrip with the inset in the base to cover that gap. With the reel mounted and blank inserted the grip feels a lot better but it's still quite front heavy so some weight in the base of the handle might balance it a bit better. I think I might do a bit of decorative thread wrap on the lock nut to match whatever I do on the rod. Flat smooth area between the knurled top and ridges at the bottom.

No link showing and I think I'd like to see that. I've been downloading all sorts of u-tube videos for watching offline as I learn new wrapping and building techniques. Can run them in very slow motion if needed.

Thanks for the tips!

“The gods do not deduct from man’s allotted span the hours spent in fishing.” - Herbert Hoover

Ray Morrison Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bruce,
>
> Instead of the EVA I used the American Tackle G2
> carbon handle butt cap assembly (G2HBC). It fit
> in my XO skeleton casting grip.


Looks like Hogmans here in Canada has the same ones from my quick search so thanks for the idea.

I thought I'd bookmarked a nice set of casting guides but can't find it now. Might need 3 sets as I have 2 - 13ft float/drift blanks to build eventually as well.

It's all early days and I still haven't even finished the 5wt rod I bought a blank for over 6 months ago as I want to make some changes so should get on
that one but want this casting rod ready for pike as soon as the ice is off the lake in a couple months.

“The gods do not deduct from man’s allotted span the hours spent in fishing.” - Herbert Hoover

Bruce, all I can say is that I suggest you take a flash light and look down inside the seat. While the casting seat doesn't open up past the thread barrel to the extent the spinning version does, it still opens up. I think once you look down inside the grip with a flash light, you'll see that you really only have about 1 3/4" of solid glueable surface.

Not saying you should or shouldn't use it as you are describing. Just trying to make sure you're aware that in reference to the line on the blank in the picture on the web site ....... things are not what they appear to be.

David Baylor Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bruce, all I can say is that I suggest you take a
> flash light and look down inside the seat. While
> the casting seat doesn't open up past the thread
> barrel to the extent the spinning version does, it
> still opens up. I think once you look down inside
> the grip with a flash light, you'll see that you
> really only have about 1 3/4" of solid glueable
> surface.
>
> Not saying you should or shouldn't use it as you
> are describing. Just trying to make sure you're
> aware that in reference to the line on the blank
> in the picture on the web site ....... things are
> not what they appear to be.

I was thinking about that short gluing surface then thinking about how much flex there might be at the base of the blank where it will contact the narrow section when under load. I read an article NFC did about how much of a blank needed to be inside the seat and they did tests to find it was only 1 1/4" inches which I thought much too little but they're the experts right?

I've had a few thoughts about how to deal with that factor plus the idea that I might want to have extra weight near the end of the grip for better balance. One idea is to glue a section of threaded ready rod into the bottom of the blank long enough to reach near the bottom of the grip. Then I could could just thread nuts on near the bottom and adjust the weight with nothing glued together until it feels right to me. At the base of the ready rod I could have one of those long, threaded nuts giving me something to screw a butt plug into that I would make myself to match the foregrip I plan to make for it.

If nothing else I could shape a wooden dowel to fit the taper of the blank and fit tightly thru the narrow part plus put a ferrule wrap of kevlar thread at the base of the blank to add strength and prevent cracking if it flexes there.

With the 5wt rod still under construction I used a reel seat I bought almost 40 years ago that has a hole in the base for a fighting but that threads in and I had the short metal part that fit in there and has a thicker knurled section that protrudes from the bottom. Inside the base of the reel seat is a 3/8" tall domed 'tower' that houses the female thread. I used my digital vernier caliper to get the height then had to figure out a way to measure the diameter as the ID of the blank was a bit too small to fit over it and I wanted to seat the blank right to the base. I had some modelling clay sticks so pushed one down firmly over the protrusion to get that measurement and deduced I only needed to enlarge the ID of the blank about 8 - 10 thou to make it fit. Got the dremel out with a barrel shaped grinding stone on it and carefully ground out the inside of the blank just enough to slip over and hit the bottom of the seat. I then did that ferrule wrap with kevlar thread and just put some head cement on it to make sure it stayed put.

I just love that getting back into rod building is forcing me to flex my DIY mental muscles and learn so much new stuff. Helps keep this old guys mind sharpish and with my birth mother dying from dementia it is a bit of a concern. I'm already almost 5 years older than when she was first diagnosed at 65 and I had a small stroke about 6 years ago that really gave me a foggy head for a couple years that is a lot better now.

I do tend to overthink things but I'm not in a big rush to get these rods built. Resources like this forum and helpful people like yourself will make sure they are all really nice rods once they are done so thanks for your input.

“The gods do not deduct from man’s allotted span the hours spent in fishing.” - Herbert Hoover