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Blank Info - Cutting

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I finished gluing the sections of an eight foot three piece rod based on a Payne 102 taper. Before I go further, I would appreciate some help. I looked in the archives and found the cutting the sections to length process explained by Harry. He said.

When cutting three piece rods, I find it simplest to cut the tip sections first. Cut off an excess from the tip end, then glue on the tiptop with hot melt or another temporary adhesive.  Then fit the ferrule, and make sure the length is exactly right, say 32.45" for an 8 foot rod.

1. With a three piece rod, do you take the sum of the two male ferrule slides and divide it equally among the three sections to get the section lengths? Not to mention the other thicknesses,  end cap, etc.

2. Should full length ferrules be used or truncated ferrules or one of each?

I think that is it for now. Any help will be appreciated. The two piece 102 that I made is a great casting rod. I hope this will be somewhat similar.   (Ron Revelle)

For an 8' 0", 3 piece rod my records show 32 17/32" length for each section.  With the rod fully assembled this works out to 8' 1/32".   I tape a gauge or reference block to my planing form at the 32 17/32" point and use this to support, cut and fit each section to length.  I always do the mid section first because there is no room for adjustment after the ferrules are installed.  The butt can be measured with the same gauge block by adjusting the reel seat to the desired length.  Do the same with the tips with the tip guide loosely installed.  Measure the tip guide overhang with the depth gage end of your calipers.  This is the amount to cut off to have the tip the same length as the other two sections.

Oh, and don't forget to slip the grip check onto the butt section before you glue the female ferrule.  The welt on the female ferrule is often larger in diameter than the check, preventing installation later.  (Ted Knott)

I've noticed this phenomenon too.  (Neil Savage)

I sent my section calculator Excel worksheet to Ron.  It makes easy work of 2 and 3-piece configurations.  If anyone wants it, email me.  Jerry Young was going to put the worksheet on Rodmakers, but I was slow in getting him an update, so I'm not sure it happened.  (Jerry Madigan)

The formula for cutting to length of the two sections of a two-piecer is "Half the length of the female slide deducted from the nominal butt length, and the same added to the nominal length of the tip."

OK!

Fine!

Now will someone whose brain has not yet gone into rot mode please tell me the equivalent rule for a 3-piece rod, please before I go crazy.

I would have sworn the details were in The Reed, but have gone over and over and cannot find the bit.  Perhaps they were in Cattanach's book.......

I have enough little pieces of paper here with logical geometric analyses of the problem to wallpaper the Great Wall of China, but no single answer to the problem.  (Peter McKean)

Let's use a concrete example.  Rod is an 8' 3 piece with size 16 and size 11 ferrules.  Each section will be 32" plus one-half the combined lengths of the two male slides on the ferrules.

The male slide on a size 16 ferrule is, say .9".    The male slide on a size 11 ferrule is, say .6"

       .9" + .6" = 1.5"

Divide in half.... .75"  Therefore, each section will be 32.75"

Now, how to proceed with the cutting.... First, install tip tops.  Measure tips for total length of 32.75".  Record the flat to flat dimensions before cutting excess material at the ferrule end, and install male ferrules.    Find the corresponding dimension on the tip end of the mid, and use that as the location for the female mid ferrule.  Before cutting the mid for the female, make sure you have at least 32" below that point.  Install female ferrule on the mid.    Measure the mid with the female ferrule installed to a point that makes the total length 32.75"  Cut and install male ferrule.  Record the flat to  flat dimensions.

Use the flat to flat dimensions from the mid-male as a guideline for where to install the butt section female ferrule.  Again, check to be sure you have 32" below that.  Install female butt ferrule.  Cut butt section to 32.75" after the reel seat cap is dry-fitted.  (Harry Boyd)

I think that my Excel worksheet is still at the Rodmakers site.  That will make quick work of it.  (Jerry Madigan)

I concur with Jerry.  Thanks to his spreadsheet, which I've used numerous times, I've never had a problem with calculations.  Plug the numbers and go.

Thanks again Jerry.  (Ron Elder)

When determining the section length of the butt and tip of a rod with a fighting butt, do you take into account the length of the butt section with the fighting butt attached, or do you figure length only to the end of the reel seat cap to make sections equal length?

I’m thinking that if the fighting butt is removable, the tip and butt sections should be the same length as usual. If it’s permanent, then it should be incorporated into the butt section total length?

Am I making sense? (Tom Vagell)

That is the way I do it but then again I don't use detachable fighting butts. I never detach them from the rods I have that have them so I just make them permanent. (Jerry Drake)

Just curious on how others are trimming the tips prior to installing the tip top. I use a set of toenail clippers but I'm sure there has to be a better way... (Mike Arnold)

I mostly use the knife rolling method with one of those Japanese carpenter's knives, which, by the way, is one of the best dang knives I've ever owned.  Takes an edge and holds it forever.  They have gone up in price quite a bit last few years, but still very much worth the price and I recommend highly.   Also, I have used a mini-chop saw from Harbor Fright for larger sections that works quite well.  They can be purchased for ~$20 on sale several times a year. (Darrol Groth)

I use the HF chop saw to cut the butt end of the tip sections and both ends of the butt section. I also use it for cutting the strips to length. It was the best 20.00 I spent.  Have had it for years, Paid 18.97 +tax on sale. (Tony Spezio)

A pet nail trimmer... cuts from both directions at once.  Does a good job. (Mike McClain)

My father and I cut the ferrule ends of the tips and then the tips, we clamp a sanding block on our bench, square both tip sections off ferrule end at the block to hold them the exact right length and then we cut both tips with a dog nail cutter which is similar to a cable cutter in that the blades are semi circular which prevents the bamboo from slipping when pressure is applied to the handles.  We cut both tips at once. Its fast and accurate. (Dave Norling Jr.)

A very sharp knife and I roll the tip section under the knife.  (Timothy Troester)

Actually, the sharp knife method is out of the Garrison book, isn't it?  (Timothy Troester)

I roll it under under a sharp razor blade. It cuts it off clean. (Tony Spezio)

Like Arkansas Tony, I roll it under a sharp blade, but I use a #11 Xacto blade rather than a razor.  Better handle. (Dan Zimmerlin)

I use a cable cutter such as used for trimming bike cables.  It cuts cleanly without crushing.  A clipper for trimming pet nails works well, too.   (Bill Lamberson)

I cut them using a fine cut-off disc on my Dremel; I hold the job close to the cut, and firmly, and use the disc at a pretty fast rev rate, going pretty slowly through. *I cut them using a fine cut-off disc on my Dremel; I hold the job close to the cut, and firmly, and use the disc at a pretty fast rev rate, going pretty slowly through. (Peter McKean)

I made a cutting block about 6 inches long with a shallow 60° groove on one side and a deeper one on the other side. I think the hobby saw I use is by Xacto, what ever has super fine teeth. I need to plane the block down so the grooves are not so deep, then I can use it to hold the rod sections for scraping also. (David Dziadosz)

I use a very fine toothed razor saw, but Glenn B. in the "Trout Grass" movie uses a pair of Tip Snips !! (David Van Burgel)

I use a razor (utility) knife. Lay the sections on the work bench and just push down. Cuts clean. (Tom Vagell)

I use an extra fine Xacto saw blade in a grooved block, the block is made like a miter box with a groove. (Lee Gomolchak)

I found a hand saw that does a great job cutting joints at the tip and ferrule stations.  It is a little slow for cutting the butt.

It has *very* fine teeth and the blade is only .008 thick.  The teeth are fine enough to make a cut on each side of the tip through the power fibers.  Once I have a cut all around the surface then a few more strokes finish the cut.  It works best to cut the joint on a hard smooth surface like a corian cutting board.  I round the square edge by lightly dragging the edge over my bench sander (fine belt) while rotating the joint.  (Gary Young)

I was using a Klingon Phaser, set to 'Incapacitate,' but exhausted my supply of Unobtainium crystals used to power it. Harbor Freight is back-ordered 10 months. Instead, I took a half-inch wood chisel, sharpened it to cataract-surgery readiness, and picked up ye old hickory mallet. A quick blow produces a clean, angled cut that can then be rounded off with a sanding block. Haven't splintered a tip so far, knock on Hickory(!) (Steve Yasgur)