Bamboo section lengths..

[PezVela]

A question for you bamboo rod builders.. Should all the sections (with the tip top on) be the same length? I'm shortening a 7'6" rod blank (ferrules already mounted) to 7'3" ... sounds easy (just cut off 1 1/2" from either end) ..but when the rod is put together, it's about 3/4" short of 7'3" because of the tip section being inserted to the ferrule. My gut feeling is just make all sections the same length, if for no other reason than to protect the tip in the rod tube..

[BGreer]

Yes, you have it.

I assume that your 7'3" rod is a two piece rod.
Half of 7ft 3in is 43.5 inches.
You would want to make each section 43.5 inches *PLUS* HALF of the length of the male slide of the ferrule that fits into the female ferrule.

That will make sure that your rod sections are the same length and that your rod is 7ft 3in when it is put together.

Does it really matter a whole lot? No, not really.

Brian

[Canewrap]

Brian is spot on, but equal length sections are sign of quality and won't leave someone, in the future, wondering if the rod was made this way (one section slightly longer than the other) or was damaged or shortened.

[PezVela]

Thanks for the replies... I over thought this a little. If the blanks didn't have ferrules on them, they would be the same length. I just cut 1 1/2" inches off either end, (tip and butt sections) and it's a done deal. Looks like a sweet little 2wt...!

[MGrallert]

There's no rule saying all the sections have to be the same length. Unless You're going to do all the calculations for the specific taper you're working with you can go ahead make the length work for you. If the tips are a bit longer than the butt you can make a ferrule plug to protect them.

[Don Andersen]

Hi,

Tom Penrose did article
http://www.thomaspenrose.com/ferrule2.htm

Regards,

Don

[Mike McGuire]

And if anyone is interested, here is the general case for a rod of n sections



Mike

[trouttrapper]

Unless you are duplicating the odd-ball 60/40 type taper that calls for the rod sections to be of different lengths, it is of utmost importance for the sections to be the EXACT same length. This is one of many ways to determine fine craftmanship and the maker's attention to detail.
Lou B.

[carl otto]

Come on folks!

Per Brandin builds staggered ferrule rods, therefore he is not a quality builder?
E. C. Powell built staggered ferruled rods, therefore he is not a quality builder?
Pezon et Michel built staggered ferruled rods, therefore they are not quality builders?
Jim Hidy...
Mario Wojnicki.....
Constable....
Farlows.....

And my list could go on......

Staggering the ferrule placement on a rod can be very effective in improving the casting qualities of a rod. By fitting the ferrule placement into a bamboo taper where the ferrule size fits the taper, versus enlarging or shrinking the bamboo taper at a mid-point ferrule station only compromises a taper. Quality rod designers and builders know this, but this market myth about equal sections persists and drives production.

Equal length rod sections are mostly about what everyone above notes. If the sections are all equal then the rod has not been tampered with. Its an easy check. It's also a marketing ploy. And, a fabrication assist. Equal sections fit into a tube without the tips sticking up higher (Hmmm long ferrule plugs solve this.)

In 40 plus years I have seen a lot of crappy rods of equal length sections.

I have a 7'6" Heddon 0 3/4 ferrule rod shorten in the butt by an accident, so it is now 7'3". It is one of the finer casting rods I have held. I also own a 8'2" Jim Hidy with 52 inch tips and a 46 inch butt, again just a great fishing rod.......

I could go on. The point, lets put out good information, the complete picture.

Sincerely,

Carl

[jim royston]

The length needs to be adjusted for the tip top, which can add a 1/4" to the finished length