I'm over it, done and dusted, my last Calstar order through a supplier was 20 blanks on 31st Jan 2017, today is 20th May and my back order of 7 blanks is yet to arrive....not much more to say about this.... Really frustrating......
I keep asking and I always get the same reply, "maybe another 3-4weeks"..its a never ending saga..



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/19/2017 10:08PM by Owen Spalding.

Have you tried United Composites yet?

Hi Eric,
Thanks for the reply, yes I have tried most brands. I do specialists rods and found over the past 10-11yrs that Calstar build these specific blanks perfect for the job.. I never thought that I would end up abandoning them because they cant supply......
i know i shouldn't be airing my annoyance on here and for that I am sorry.... but sometimes things just need to be said...
I will have another look at united comp's.
cheers .

Rain.
Shadow.

Owen Spalding Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hi Eric,
> Thanks for the reply, yes I have tried most
> brands. I do specialists rods and found over the
> past 10-11yrs that Calstar build these specific
> blanks perfect for the job.. I never thought that
> I would end up abandoning them because they cant
> supply......
> i know i shouldn't be airing my annoyance on here
> and for that I am sorry.... but sometimes things
> just need to be said...
> I will have another look at united comp's.
> cheers .

I don't see this as bashing the product, perspective buyers should be informed of long wait times upfront. I've been waiting on an order myself, (not Calstar) and it gets old telling your customers to "try and be patient" over and over again.

X2 Randy. Rainshadow or American tackle. Good luck.

I understand your pain Owen. Tackle Specialties has lost a fair amount of business over the last few years,perhaps longer. It started with QC issues,then spilling over into the issues of available stock.

I would like to add another perspective for rodbuilders to consider. Over the last dozen or more years,the manufacturing industries have converted their production runs to something they refer to as Right on Time,or something similar. What this means is that most of a companies production runs are set to meet scheduled sales orders. I suppose that some over-run is allotted for expected sales/purchases not scheduled. By meeting their known demands with timing of sales orders,they minimize their need for warehouse space tied up in storage of items that may see low sales volume for some items. It can also translate to less raw materials,in effect,from potentially going to waste. At least in the financial sense. Operating capital is curtailed when product sits on pallets stored in a back warehouse rack. I personally saw this when I worked at Wright-McGill when I worked in the plating department there. They had a vast back stock of hooks,in the raw,Just idly wasting space while awaiting work orders,to be run through processing and plating prior to shipment.This amounted to tens of thousands of pounds of wire rolls of raw stock wasted. Outdated stuff that would never be plated and sold. I have no idea what became of it as I left that job before any decision was made as to what to do with it. Think of Fuji guides,or others,next time you have some items backordered from your favorite supplier. Think of what it can mean to a smaller independent dealer to have to a vast quantity of product in stock. More than one supporter of this site has in the past,or currently is, selling off overstocked items. Remember...suppliers too have bills to pay,families to feed, and even employees wages to pay,etc. I have even noticed that some suppliers have even gone to taking sales orders and having some things actually drop shipped from various manufacturers. Generally blanks,wrapping machines,and more. Many manufacturers are working behind the scenes on the next great guide,blank,or whatever. They are into heavy research and development of such products. They continue to produce current products,all the while keeping their eyes on their goals for their new line of guides or whatever. At some point, current product line production stops as the manufacturing equipment is changed over for tooling changes or whatever is necessary to produce quantities of the new product to meet initial sales demands. I suppose at times there are unexpected demands on some things that were not anticipated,thus leading to backorders. And often, there will be no backorder filled. Thus,there is often folks looking for specific blanks on this site. Often in a discontinued line.

Does any of this have any bearing on the issue at question, of Calstar blank availability? Maybe,maybe not. Granted,they don't have the depth of some guide manufacturers. They do still have demands that often run finicky with the west coast tackle ho' s. LOL. I imagine the real answer is something else entirely different. Production planning comes to mind.
While I seldom hear of backorder issues with other blank manufacturers, I am sure from time to time they do.
One last thought on rod manufacturers that also supply blanks for custom rod builders...The rodbuilding employs more people than just supplying blanks. When the current supply issues with their blanks was going on last year,I recall reading that Seeker was too.

Hi Chuck, thanks so much for all the info, must have taken some time which is very much appreciated.
I know all about this "just in time" scheduling and the huge benefits it can have for any business.. when it works well prices should drop significantly.
This "right on time" scheduling is just an ego trip for the business owners who eventually loose focus of pleasing the customer and the only that matters is tomorrow, not today..
I did ask if i could order 100 blanks thinking that this may be better accepted so they could run a schedule with them, (all the blanks are the same model) I didnt even get a reply.!!

Thanks again

One more thing about this "right on time scheduling"... If it works, every item should be completed a lot quicker because businesses outsource individual products rather than holding stock and doing it themselves..!!!

Owen, you are very welcome. One reason I went with my lengthy reply was not just to answer your question,but to inform other readers as to why they might have troubled obtaining certain guides and other components at times. Just as we,the end users don't have crystal balls to know what our favorite manufacturers are up to with their R&D for upcoming product lines. Conversely,they have no real idea of how these new products affect us and their sales. They may not even care. It is like that line from the Kevin Costner movie,Field of Dreams. "If you build it,they will come." Just substitute come for buy it.

I don't really know why Tackle Specialties is having issues. I did read of some rumblings and grumbling on BD about them,as well as Seeker having issues with high air temperatures as being the supposed culprit. The high air temps created an environment that was not conducive to cutting their prepeg cloths and rolling the cut flags onto the mandrels,etc. I don't recall it being an issue in the past. Additionally, Seeker was having new ownership and perhaps employee issues after Randy Penny's departure and subsequent acquisition of United Composites. I seem to recall rumblings along those lines with Tack. Specs. too. It's sad when they would turn down a blank order of your size without at least acknowledging your email. I doubt if Kenny Tulao were alive,he would have let that slide. I wish you the best of success and outcomes to your dilemma. Frankly, I dare to say it, but United Composites looks to be your best solution if you can't get answers with a phone call to Leon or Pat. That is if they are even affiliated with TS anymore.

If you’re looking for a specific blank design, give us a call at Batson Enterprises. Since you were willing to do an order of a 100 blanks from them, for that type of quantity (possibly even less depending on tooling) we could specifically design a RainShadow rod blank for you to meet the specs that you like. Don't feel limited to just our stocked inventory.

James Taylor
Batson Enterprises
BatsonEnterprises.com | RainShadowRodBlanks.com | ALPSForeCast.com | Build2Fish.com

Hi James,
your suggestion may be an option for me, Ill work out what I'm after and email you through Batson website..
many thanks
Owen

Hi James, can you confirm your received my email which was sent to Batson Enterprises.?
you should have my email address.
cheers

That is an awesome offer from Batson.

I have never used their blanks, but they are now on my radar.

Take them off your radar Jay.
It seems Batson don't reply to their emails, requests or confirmation either.

Owen, we just replied back. It was a holiday weekend here in the states.

Not sure which email address you sent to either as I didn't see your first email, only your second one. But the design department has your second email and will reach out to you (though they are busy working with other customers as well, as we do supply a large chunk of built fishing rod industry).

James Taylor
Batson Enterprises
BatsonEnterprises.com | RainShadowRodBlanks.com | ALPSForeCast.com | Build2Fish.com

all good James, 2nd email went to the same place as the 1st..
cheers