Hey guys a couple questions on rod repair. I have a fly rod I'm trying to repair, it is broken about 8 inches from the top just a little bit below the bottom of the wrap for the lower guide foot. I'm trying to follow the rod repair article in the library.

1) I stopped by a thrift store and found the only old rod they had to bought it to use in the repair. Once I cut open the top part, it appears to be solid fiberglass all the way through. I believe the rod is some sort of bait casting rod (I only have the top portion), but it's old enough to have a metal ferrule, and plastic inserts to hold the ceramic inserts on the guides. My question is, how common are these solid fiberglass rods and do you have any tips for finding one that is hollow?

2) I think the break is too close to the second guide to fit the full sized sleeve (1.5-1.75in) recommended in the article, but it will be close. Should I shorten the outer sleeve a little to fit or should I remove the guide, extend the sleeve and rewrap the guide? I don't have the piece in front of me, but I think the available space on the guide side is maybe .5in.

Thanks for the help!
Josh

Get rid of it mate

Get a new rod sorted

Once you try and splint a section, it will never be the same and the lack of bend will pressurise other parts of the blank

It will lack sensitivity and feel as well

Give it up and seek out a new one

Look after them better, get a good protective holdall - $70 investment that can save you a fortune.

Rods are tough but susceptible to hard knocks and misuse, much like anything. Treat them well and they will you also!

How did you break it? Keep that in mind and bin it and move on.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/2017 05:34PM by Tommy Bee.

I would remove the guide and rewrap. The solid glass rods are quite common around here. I have seen some rods that were repaired like in the Library and they were quite functional. I disagree with Tommy about trashing the rod if it is of value to you or a customer. There are many rods that have been repaired like the article in the Library all across the world still catching fish just fine. If you can't find what you're after in a hollow glass let me know maybe I can send you a couple. Depending on the diameter the solid glass may be fine.

Hollow glass rods are the norm, build from the 1950's to the late 1980's and beyond. Try again - you can easily find one.

Properly done, the repair will restore the rod to nearly original condition. If you've read the article then you know why you must use glass, over-sleeved, for the repair.

If you must, locate the guide on top of the sleeve. This won't hurt anything. You might have to try and bend it so it sits lower than previously, to better match the level of the other guides.

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

I recently repaired an 8 weight Pac Bay Quickline fly rod that had a "blow up" due to my carelessness. I doubted it could be salvaged. I repaired it with both an internal piece (hollow) and an external sleeve. The CCS numbers did not change through the repair. It seems to me to cast exactly like it did before it was broken.

Those who contend that rods cannot be successfully repaired are wrong.

10-4 on Michael's comments.

Over the years I have repaired many many rods. I always use both an internal plug as well as an external sleeve in all of my repairs. Never had a failure on a repair.

I try to use fiberglass for the internal plugs and the external sleeves to minimize the stiffening of the blank. Also, since I am using both an internal as well as an external sleeve, I generally chuck the repair sleeve into my variable speed drill and hold the spinning sleeve against the rotating belt of my belt sander to thin the blank. No need to have a very thick sleeve for a repair on most rods.

If the break is at all close to an existing guide, I will generally remove the guide before the repair, do the repair as needed and then incorporate the rewrap of the guide along with end wrap of the repair sleeve.

Who built your rod originally? If this is a newer rod, you might be able to get a replacement top section for the rod. Might be quicker to get a replacement top section, and wrap it, than trying to fix what you have.

Mike Bradfrod
R.M.B. Fishing Rods
Nampa, Idaho

have tried to repair broken rods. but I never did like my repairs, so when I break a rod it is a new blank an if some one comes in an ask
for a repair I show them the new blanks, I like it that way, I do loose some repairs, but I feel better in the out come . I just don't like
any repairs on broken rod blanks, it is a personal thing I assure you , I know some of the people out there will disagree with me an it is KO with . me ,
as I said it is personal, I don't do much building but I am proud of what I do

William Sidney
AK

Bill,
Although I have repaired many rods over the years for customers who were well pleased with them, I personally prefer not to fish with a repaired rod.

As you said, it is just a personal thing. The repaired rods work just fine - but I would just rather use a rod that has not been repaired.

Good luck