I have been fishing with my recent build of a Lamiglas Appalachian AT803 rod. Thanks to those who helped me with needed input on the grip and wraps.

Today I broke it trying to get my fly out of a bush. Wasn't a herculean effort to get the 6x tippet to snap but the rod snapped with the tippet. See below:



At first I thought I'd scored the blank with a sharp edge on the underside of my guide. Looking closer, it seems like it broke behind where the leading edge of the guide foot touched the blank. I'm now concluding that my wrap was too tight. Based on the photo, is this your conclusion as well?

This guide had turned slightly on the rod after my second or third time using it and I worked it back to be lined up with the other guides. I'm thinking that the blank had already cracked along the grain of the graphite and today the blank failed in the middle of the crack with a firm tug.

If, by some strange stroke of luck I can get someone at Lamiglas to find a replacement for this section, how do I judge if my wraps are put down with the proper tension on this (and future) rods?

If Lamiglas cannot help, is there anyone you would recommend sending the broken rod to to find a new middle section of blank to replace the broken one?

Thanks in advance for your input.

Craig

My guess - since you say guide moved during use - your wraps not tight enough. So that not reason for break.
Suspicious that blank broke at what I assume is stripper guide which is a pretty robust part of blank. Looks like you did not fill tunnels well enough judging from picture and therefore guide was not stabilized by finish wicking under guide. Looks as though you used PG as finish. Also - looks like thicker thread than size "A" which should be maximum diameter of thread.
Bottom line - guide moved back and forth until sharp foot scored blank.
Herb



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/23/2015 11:21PM by Herb Ladenheim.

The only finish was CP.

It is likely that I scored the blank.

O.K.
Heard that some people used rods for years with only CP. Not a good idea IMO.
If blank is current model manufacturer will probably be able to supply a new section at modest cost.
Herb

Craig,
BTW - best to always point rod at fly to pull fly from bush, tree, etc.
Herb

Thanks, Herb.

I knew better than to try to break it off with the rod.

Now I know better than to fish with a rod finished with CP only.

The thread is size A nylon, btw.

Craig

O.K.
Guess the picture is so magnified that the thread looks larger in diameter.

You are not alone in doing that sort of thing.
I was stringing-up one of my fly rods in our Cape Cod rental a month ago and tilted the rod up too much so that the rotating ceiling fan caught the tip of the 4pc fly rod and separated the rod at the mid point. The top two sections were caught up in the fan and all I heard was clunk, clunk clunk until the fan ejected the tip sections across the room and slammed it into the wall. I just kept shouting S..., S..., No, No. My wife kept shouting shut off the fan.
Unbelievably the rod was not broken and I used it the next few days. Sometimes you just live right - sometimes not.
Herb

Nice luck there.

The rod was new old stock a couple years ago at Angler's Workshop in Woodland, WA. I was VERY disappointed that they closed their shop. I assume that Lure Parts Online bought them since they share an online store. We lost a huge resource for rodbuilders in the NW when they closed.

I've only found one review of this ultra-fast rod online. I doubt they sold many. Hopefully that means they have a pile of excess inventory at the factory. Lamiglas has bent over backwards to help me with several issues I've needed their help with over the last four years. Hoping for more of the same with this broken blank.

Craig
As Herb said your wraps aren't tight enough and the guide probably scored the blank. As far as using CP for a finish you can if you want. Finish primarily protects the thread from abrasion and there is some UV protection also. If the guide is not wrapped tight enough. It will eventually start to move regardless of the type or amount of finish. hopefully Lamiglas will be able to help you. I hated to see Anglers Workshop leave Woodland also. My sister lives just north of Vancouver used to run up to Woodland whenever visting her.

Craig,
was Lamiglas able to locate a new section for you? If not there is a pretty good chance that I have one. Let me know and I'll check at home.

Regards,

Todd

Regards,
Todd Vivian
Mud Hole Custom Tackle

todd@mudhole.com

Dillan at Lamiglas sounded dubious but said he'd look for the section I need if I bring the rod in.

Todd, if you could take a look and see if you have that blank or at least the middle section, I'd love to know I had another option to keep this rod alive. Won't be able to get up to Woodland for a couple weeks minimum.

Regarding wrapping tight enough, what is the best practice to ensure my wraps are the correct tension?

Generally you want the wraps very snug - enough so that the guides don't easily move but not so tight that they won't shift under firm pressure prior to CP and/or epoxy finish. If it takes a great deal of effort to move them, or they won't move at all, they're almost certainly wrapped too tight.

..........

Thank you, Tom.

I will look for this pin the future.

I would suggest you make sure your guide feet sit flat on the blank, to prevent high pressure at the point of the guide foot. If they don't fit flat, gently bend the guide foot until each sits flat on the blank before you wrap them. If you don't you can litterly force the tip of the guide into a thin wall blank.

To add to what Jim said
Then after having them fit the blank correctly -- run a rat tail ( round ) file along the underneath the feet to make sure there are no burrs
Then make sure they are SMOOTH and have no burs

Bill - willierods.com

I suspect that if you take 6 inches of the rod blank on each side of the blank and send it to the manufacturer; they will check it and find that it is a manufacturing defect.

If a blank break due to routine over stressing circumstance, they normally exhibit a very ragged and jagged appearance. Essentially, on a normal well built blank, there should be continuous graphite fibers running from one end of the blank to the other. That does NOT appear to be the case with your particular break.

You might try an experiment, just score the top of a rod blank, by making a significant side to side scratch in one side of a blank. Then, by putting the blank over something round, and bending down on the ends, see the effort required to break the blank, and then, photograph and report the results of your test.

I, personally have never found a case - where a very tight wrap has ever been the source of a rod break.

Be safe

Just looking at the picture, it looks to me that the upper section shown has evidence of being crushed.. I don't recall ever seeing a fly rod broken at that point on the blank without having been damaged before it broke.

Randolph,
I concur on the possibility of a "crush" on the blank.

But, I wonder if maybe something else happened? This is a fly rod, and the guide is on the bottom of the rod. So, I am only speculating, but as the fly was being freed from where it was hung up, a possible defective blank caused the blank to separate cleanly on the top side of the blank, which is the opposite side of the guide.

Then, as the rod continued to break and bend over, the effect of the non bending guide foot base, crushed the part of the blank that was directly under the guide foot - since guide foot did not bend.

But, after the fact, just looking at the two pieces, you would be left with a blank of this appearance with a crushing appearance on the blank that was directly under the guide foot.

To be sure, a foot of the guide pieces - 6 inches on each side of the break should be sent to the manufacturer for evaluation of the blank.

Take care

I believe Roger is correct. The blank appears to be crushed, both under the guide foot and at the other side of the blank. The rod did not fracture under the sharp guide end, and had the guide moved that far after scoring the blank both thread wraps would have separated and shown clear gaps. I suspect door damage.

What's door damage?