What material is your rod made of?

[Dick Dastardly]

I posted a while ago on "Nano" carbon after chatting to well known rod builder Nick Buss.

 

Seems to me (like often is the case) that things are being developed to overcome problems that simply don't exist in actual practice! Great the rod bends almost tip to but........................................fantastic if you are fishing around corners or want to stand with your back to the on shore wind! but what practical purpose? Stronger I here some say ...really you want to talk to some one who has seen one explode! and this type of carbon bond dies do this with the simplest of knocks such as a boat rod (as they suggest it will be the dogs doo dahs for) is constantly subjected to!

 

EDIT: Sorry should have said that nano carbon is what sintrix is basicly!

Edited January 13, 2011 by BUDGIE

[Steve Walker]

So I wonder have we reached the limit or will there allways be potential for such changes?

 

I think nanotechnology is going to bring some big changes in materials technology, Budgie. Carbon nanotube based fabrics are being made, looking to replace kevlar, and there are a few rods and sporting goods using nanoparticles of silicon or carbon in conventional carbon fibre composites, but it's still in its infancy. I think we're going to see fairly rapid progress in the medium term.

[Dick Dastardly]

I have to admit, I did once have a fantastic pike rod that wasn't carbon - well, half of it wasn't! It was one of those carbon butt/glass tip rods. It was quite cheap so I assume it's because at the time carbon was relatively new and it was a way to keep it cheap while still being able to say it was a 'carbon' rod!

 

Anyway, because the tip section was glass, it was lovely and soft, while still having lots of power further down in the carbon section. Absolutely spot on for lobbing out big deadbaits without tearing the hooks out. Unfortunately one day some little scrote nicked it while I wasn't looking.

 

 

Just for interest (well I hope it is!!) When carbon rods first came out I treated my self to some beach rod blanks from Lamiglass (only people who did them at the time) they were monster expensive!................................and proved to be totally pants! Most expensive tackle mistake Ive ever made they ended up being the worlds most expensive cat fish landing net arms!!!

 

They were crap purely because carbon isn't the best materiel for the jobs that a high performance beach rod has to do (wont bother going into all the techno stuff for the non beach guys) The great British rod manufacturers clicked on this from the start and that's why still to this day the best beach rods are not all carbon. Not Composite as we know it but different sections of the blank wrapped (built) with either carbon or glass where each materiel's properties are needed. "Bonding" the two together apparently isn't easy and why incorrectly used/built/abused top end rods can literally be "twisted" apart with modern power casting techniques.

[Steve Walker]

Ah, posts crossed there, Budgie. The Sintrix rods appear to be using the same 3M resin with silicon nanoparticles in it as the other early adopters. It's not using a carbon nanotube based fabric, it's in the resin.

[Dick Dastardly]

I think nanotechnology is going to bring some big changes in materials technology, Budgie. Carbon nanotube based fabrics are being made, looking to replace kevlar, and there are a few rods and sporting goods using nanoparticles of silicon or carbon in conventional carbon fibre composites, but it's still in its infancy. I think we're going to see fairly rapid progress in the medium term.

 

 

Maybe the "shatter" problem is just a "teething" problem like we often see with new materials/technologies then Steve? Kind of follows on nicely from my "early carbon beach rod" anecdote don't you think?

 

Nick seemed to think it was the "pressure bonding" process used that lead to a lot of the problems hes experienced?

[Dick Dastardly]

Ah, posts crossed there, Budgie. The Sintrix rods appear to be using the same 3M resin with silicon nanoparticles in it as the other early adopters. It's not using a carbon nanotube based fabric, it's in the resin.

 

 

Yes we are out of sync! The pressure bonding does of course relate directly to the resin.

[Tony U]

What about Basalt Fibre? Look here for details: http://www.tacklebargains.co.uk/acatalog/F...c_Carp_Rod.html

It is reputedly similar to carbon fiber and fiberglass, having better physicomechanical properties than fiberglass, but being significantly cheaper than carbon fiber.

I guess it would make great Rock rods for sea angling :D

Edited January 13, 2011 by Tony U

[chesters1]

oooohhh want want

[Steve Walker]

Yes we are out of sync! The pressure bonding does of course relate directly to the resin.

 

There is an interesting composite being used for some applications (but not rods yet, I don't think) which uses carbon nanotubes in the resin, but chemically bonded to the epoxy;

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybtonite

 

Interesting, but still in the matrix and not in the fabric.

[chesters1]

all a bit techy to me can we go back to horsehair impregnated plastic