An Idea For You Guys Who Ship Rods In The Mail

[The Rooster]

This idea might be crazy and there might be a reason it won't work that I haven't thought of. If so, revise it, or dump it completely.

Anyway, I've read where some use a PVC pipe with glued on end caps and a screw off lid to ship rods in. Sometimes these can be bent or crushed and cause damage to the rods inside. Also, by time you buy the parts, how expensive is it to make one of these tubes?

My idea is to use two 2x4's instead. They're cheap, under $6 for both. Get the lightest ones you can find since the obvious drawback will be weight. You can feel their weight and tell some are lighter than others sometimes. Saw them to the shortest length needed to reduce as much weight as possible.

Now put the rod on top of one laying flat and draw its outline on the surface. Draw it fairly close fitting but still loose around the rod. Now use a plunge router with a round nosed bit to hollow out the inside of the outline. You might get it deep enough on one board only, but if not then you'll need to make a mirror image of it on the other board.

Now put the rod inside it, wrapped up in some padding maybe, and tape the boards together, spiral wrapped around it all. Maybe even put a few screws along each edge to hold the two halves together, maybe to keep anyone from easily tampering with the rod before it gets to its destination.

This migh cost more to ship due to weight, but the making of it should cost less than the PVC version so that might offset the cost some. This also isn't what you'd do for an average rod to ship it but if you had a really expensive one that absolutely can't get broken, this could make a case strong enough to protect it against breakage from just about anything. A 2 piece rod could make for 1/2 the weight with just 2 short boards needed so cost is reduced to only one board and cut it in half to make both sides. The rod halves should still fit side by side on the board.

Maybe this will give somebody an idea to take a little further, or save an expensive rod from breakage, or an heirloom old rod. Don't know why I thought of it. I was half asleep at the time and it just came to me. Had to write it down before forgetting it so this was as good a place as any.

[Long Mike]

Great idea, but very few of us have a router.

[Fishing Rhino]

It depends on which PVC you use. The thin walled can get crushed or bent. The thick walled, not so much.

[Al Wolbach]

I work at BPS part time and have given away many of the shipping tubes(card board) they use for the rods coming to the stores. If you live near a sporting goods store that sells rods you may want to ask if they have any they would give away. You might be surprised. BPS throws them away because shipping cost more than replacing. I have personally given away dozens................Al

[tholmes]

It depends on which PVC you use. The thin walled can get crushed or bent. The thick walled, not so much.

^ This. If you use PVC, be sure to get Schedule 80, not Schedule 40.

Tom

[Redlinerobert]

Sounds complicated. I'll stick to pvc.

[retiredbosn]

I've kept every card board tube that bps has shipped rods to me in. I've only shipped one rod that I taped inside. The cardboard tubes came in handy during our recent move, I have not broken any nor received any that were damaged

[preach4bass]

In the time it would take me to build that shipping container I could personally deliver the rod!

[The Rooster]

In the time it would take me to build that shipping container I could personally deliver the rod!

Really, cause I could make one of these in about an hour? I guess it's because woodworking has become my other favorite pastime besides fishing.

Great idea, but very few of us have a router.

I figured this would be the major drawback here. I'm up to 4 now, myself.

[The Rooster]

Sounds complicated. I'll stick to pvc.

It is a little complicated but doing stuff like this does get easier after you've done it a time or two. My wife says I think too complex anyway. Funny thing is I was asleep when the idea came to me. I wasn't thinking at all, more like dreaming.

[BASSclary]

I feel like 2 2x4's would bend more than a nice length on PVC from home depot, you dont even need screw ends, just stuff the bottom ends with bubble wrap then cover the **** out of it with packing tape. I've done this a plenty of times and all the rods got there undamaged and fine. Plus I would think PVC would weigh less than two "light" 2x4's so shipping would be cheaper.

[Brian Needham]

^ This. If you use PVC, be sure to get Schedule 80, not Schedule 40.

Tom

sch 80 it total overkill and not needed.

you can stand on sch40 and never damage it.I tip the scales at 250+

If I am not mistaken Dobyns ships rods in sdr 21 pipe, which is thinner that sch40.

I have laid miles of Pvc with irrigation and work with Pvc for years on the golf course.... if you ship a rod in sch40 it is not going to get broke.