# Good Blanks



## Plumbwader (Jan 17, 2009)

Can you guys lead me to a comparison chart of rod blanks? I will mostly be building rods for my friends for specks, reds, lm bass etc. I've been blindly searching the net and there are just so many. I bought an MHX elite for my personal build but would like to know the difference between an IM8 and IM10 for instance.


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## [email protected] (Mar 7, 2008)

Plumbwader said:


> Can you guys lead me to a comparison chart of rod blanks? I will mostly be building rods for my friends for specks, reds, lm bass etc. I've been blindly searching the net and there are just so many. I bought an MHX elite for my personal build but would like to know the difference between an IM8 and IM10 for instance.


Look at Batson rainshadow. Great blanks

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## MikeK (Dec 11, 2008)

There's a post down the page a little with an online database. Start by looking for the length, action and power (line and lure rating) you want. When you zero in on that look at blank weight and price. A very general rule is that higher modulus material will make a lighter blank and it will cost more. Another general rule is that higher modulus rods may be a little less durable especially to rough handling.

Get recommendations from experienced builders. Allan's mention of Batson is good, and it narrows the field considerably.

There's so much more to material than its modulus. The overall design, layout, resin system, and skill of the folks who actually roll the blanks are more responsible for a good blank than just the material rating.


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## impulse (Mar 17, 2010)

MikeK said:


> There's a post down the page a little with an online database. Start by looking for the length, action and power (line and lure rating) you want. When you zero in on that look at blank weight and price. A very general rule is that higher modulus material will make a lighter blank and it will cost more. Another general rule is that higher modulus rods may be a little less durable especially to rough handling.
> 
> Get recommendations from experienced builders. Allan's mention of Batson is good, and it narrows the field considerably.
> 
> There's so much more to material than its modulus. The overall design, layout, resin system, and skill of the folks who actually roll the blanks are more responsible for a good blank than just the material rating.


Good info.

Also, it's not unusual to have multiple graphite grades in one rod. Down at the bottom, they'll use a higher modulus graphite because that's where they save the weight, and there isn't much stress or flex. Near the tip, there's a lot of flex (indicating more stress), and they'll go to a lower modulus graphite to allow it to flex more without risking a break. (To see an example, look at an Ugly stick where they use graphite and glass in the same blank). Also happens a lot in travel rods where they'll use a different modulus in each section.

If you want to ruin a high modulus graphite rod, tap it against a sharp surface or even the guides of another rod. It may look fine, but it will often break the next time you load it up on a long cast or a big fish. The higher the modulus, the easier it is to blow them up.


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## Plumbwader (Jan 17, 2009)

[email protected] said:


> Look at Batson rainshadow. Great blanks
> 
> Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk[/QUOTE
> 
> What is their flagship model of blank?


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## teamfirstcast (Aug 23, 2006)

*Best Batson Rainshadow blanks*



Plumbwader said:


> [email protected] said:
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> > Look at Batson rainshadow. Great blanks
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## [email protected] (Mar 7, 2008)

teamfirstcast said:


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## teamfirstcast (Aug 23, 2006)

*Many great rod blanks available today!*



[email protected] said:


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## Big Bay (May 14, 2013)

Go to fishing tackle unlimited if you want to put your hands on a bunch of different blanks from several different companies. 


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## teamfirstcast (Aug 23, 2006)

*good idea too*



Big Bay said:


> Go to fishing tackle unlimited if you want to put your hands on a bunch of different blanks from several different companies.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Agreed! Lots of options.


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## Plumbwader (Jan 17, 2009)

Big Bay said:


> Go to fishing tackle unlimited if you want to put your hands on a bunch of different blanks from several different companies.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Wish it were closer to me. That's a 3 hour drive. I found a local rod builder that has a bunch and he has been a huge help for me on my first build.


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## [email protected] (Mar 7, 2008)

teamfirstcast said:


> [email protected] said:
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## spoonplugger1 (Aug 11, 2015)

The Hexcel Corp. the makers of the IM products has never made a graphite designated IM10, only went to IM9, which by the way is lower modulus than IM8, very close to IM7, you can't correlate higher modulus with higher numbers, IM9 was developed to be tougher than IM7 & 8, not higher modulus. Remember these are all graphites designed for aviation and industry, the amount used in fishing rods is a small amount of their business.


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## teamfirstcast (Aug 23, 2006)

*please re-read my reply...*



[email protected] said:


> teamfirstcast said:
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## Ruben2325 (Feb 28, 2017)

Does FTU carry the brands that were mentioned


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## Big Bay (May 14, 2013)

Ruben2325 said:


> Does FTU carry the brands that were mentioned


Yes theyâ€™ve got pretty much the full batson rain shadow line of blanks as well as a ton of their own brand and some others.

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## Bass12 (Jan 4, 2019)

What’s the best blank for soft plastic bass fishing


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## PBC (Dec 12, 2018)

Bass12 said:


> What's the best blank for soft plastic bass fishing


Guess that really depends on what you can afford. $30-$300 for a blank.


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