Tip on new blank seems to be damaged, any solutions?

[kayaking_kev]

I got the rest of my components for my 4 builds the other day and just went to try on a tip top on one of the 3 X-Ray blanks I bought, the MB-7109, but I noticed it appears to have some damage that's making the tip top not fit.

 

The tip top is supposed to be 2.4mm and that's what I bought, but after seeing that it wasn't fitting I measured it with digital calibers and got 2.9mm, but less than an inch down from the top it measures 2.4mm. It almost looks like the tip was jammed and compacted a bit which increased the diameter at the tip.

 

I don't know what NFC's return policy is, but I really would like to avoid it if possible. Is there anyway I can make this work with the tip top that I already have. 

As I said, it's 2.4mm about 3/4 of an inch down from the tip, and I'm not against cutting that much off the tip because it's a very stout rod as it is and I think I can live with the change in action, as I'm already going to cut 4" from the butt. I'm worried though that the 2.4mm tip top still won't fit if I do cut that 3/4" off. That's one option I have been thinking about. The other is wanting to know if I could somehow sand the tip down a little to make it fit my tip top.

 

I'm open to ideas, any help would be appreciated.

[Lead Head]

The X-ray blank I built a few weeks ago required a tip 2 sizes larger than the website stated. 

[MickD]

If you're willing to cut it and you are sure of your dimensions, it should work.  If you come close but the tiptop won't fit I would work on the tiptop and not the blank.  You can sometimes expand a tiptop by forcing a bodkin, nail, something just a little bigger than the tube into them.  Or something just a little smaller and work it around to expand the tube.  You also can, if you can find a very fine file, file the ID a little.  It shouldn't take much.  

 

If I'm not mistaken those blanks have no finish on them, so if you sand it you will be taking off blank material and not a finish coat.  I would not recommend it.  

[kayaking_kev]

3 hours ago, Lead Head said:

The X-ray blank I built a few weeks ago required a tip 2 sizes larger than the website stated. 

 

I use Rodhouse to double check the tip sizes and the other two X-Ray blanks that I got fit the the tip tops I got for them. Plus, you can tell the tip is messed up because I get a caliber reading of 2.9mm at the very tip, but a measurement of 2.4mm just 3/4" down from the tip, so I'm confident I had the right size.

3 hours ago, MickD said:

If you're willing to cut it and you are sure of your dimensions, it should work.  If you come close but the tiptop won't fit I would work on the tiptop and not the blank.  You can sometimes expand a tiptop by forcing a bodkin, nail, something just a little bigger than the tube into them.  Or something just a little smaller and work it around to expand the tube.  You also can, if you can find a very fine file, file the ID a little.  It shouldn't take much.  

 

If I'm not mistaken those blanks have no finish on them, so if you sand it you will be taking off blank material and not a finish coat.  I would not recommend it.  

 

Thanks for the advice, that's what I will probably do. 

 

I have seen people use dremel saws, hack saws, and files to cut blanks, but all I really have it a jig saw with a fine tooth blade that seem to cut an old blank pretty good when I turned it into a DIY reamer, so do you think I would be ok using the jigsaw to make the cut?

[MickD]

Old fashioned ice pick is a good tool for trying to expand the tube.

 

Cutting the tip off a blank is not without its risk of ruining the blank through splintering of the tip.  You need very high speed, very fine teeth (or better yet a fine abrasive wheel in a Dremel tool) and very slow progression through the blank with the blank wrapped tightly with tape.  On the tip of a blank I think a hand saw of any type is a big mistake.  The tip is very fragile.

[Westcoast]

I bet if you send an email to nfc they will be more than willing to help. I had a broken blank and a damaged tip in one order and they sent out replacements the next day. 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Blank dimensions are nominal measurements. It’s not uncommon to need a tip top one size up or down from stated specs. The bulge on the tip is more of a concern. I’d contact the supplier before anything. Given their history may the force be with you. 

[Michigander]

23 minutes ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

Blank dimensions are nominal measurements. It’s not uncommon to need a tip top one size up or down from stated specs. The bulge on the tip is more of a concern. I’d contact the supplier before anything. Given their history may the force be with you. 

I think NFC customer service is better than it used to be, based on the negative comments I've seen. I called two weeks ago and talked with a nice lady, and last week I sent an email and they replied same day. Might have been a fluke though, lol.

[kayaking_kev]

14 hours ago, Michigander said:

I think NFC customer service is better than it used to be, based on the negative comments I've seen. I called two weeks ago and talked with a nice lady, and last week I sent an email and they replied same day. Might have been a fluke though, lol.

My shipping was quick, but I have been ignored on several emails and facebook messages whenever I have tried to contact them. I'm going to try to call tomorrow, as I assume they aren't open today.

[spoonplugger1]

When they wrap the graphite on the mandrel it is pressed on under pressure, than a celephane tape is spun over everything to ensure the graphite stays where they put it while it is baked in a vertical position, if the tape job is bad the graphite can move away from the mandrel when heated and leave a swelled area. Get with NFC, something is not right.

[Michigander]

How did this end up? I just sent in some warranty info for my SJ-736 that showed up today because it had black squiggly lines on it.

[spoonplugger1]

Xray blanks are raw, I wouldn't be surprised to see things you'd not  see on a sanded blank.

[Westcoast]

5 hours ago, Michigander said:

How did this end up? I just sent in some warranty info for my SJ-736 that showed up today because it had black squiggly lines on it.

Pretty much all the X-ray blanks have the “ squiggly” lines on them. It’s raw I sanded graphite so you get the marks and colour differences from the manufacturing process. 

[Michigander]

So this is normal?

I got two XRay blanks and the other one doesn't look like this at all.

[.ghoti.]

10 hours ago, Michigander said:

So this is normal?

I got two XRay blanks and the other one doesn't look like this at all.

That is NOT normal. Send it back.

[Michigander]

26 minutes ago, .ghoti. said:

That is NOT normal. Send it back.

I talked to NFC warranty yesterday and they said they were sending me a new one. ?

[kayaking_kev]

On 12/15/2020 at 4:08 PM, Michigander said:

How did this end up? I just sent in some warranty info for my SJ-736 that showed up today because it had black squiggly lines on it.

They sent me a new one and I received it in a little less than two weeks. They never asked for the other one back, so I cut less than an inch off the tip and enlarged my tip top a little to fit and now I have a extra brand new X-Ray Blank. I just wish it wasn't a Mag Heavy Blank and something that I wouldn't mind having two of.

On 12/16/2020 at 8:46 AM, Michigander said:

I talked to NFC warranty yesterday and they said they were sending me a new one. ?

If your interested I would consider trading you my extra new MB-7109 for your extra defect SJ-736. I'm not too worried about those blemishes that SJ-736 has, because the material it's made out of is "supposed" to be able to withstand stuff like that. The only thing I'm worried about is the price of shipping a 7'10" rod. 

[Michigander]

1 hour ago, kayaking_kev said:

They sent me a new one and I received it in a little less than two weeks. They never asked for the other one back, so I cut less than an inch off the tip and enlarged my tip top a little to fit and now I have a extra brand new X-Ray Blank. I just wish it wasn't a Mag Heavy Blank and something that I wouldn't mind having two of.

If your interested I would consider trading you my extra new MB-7109 for your extra defect SJ-736. I'm not too worried about those blemishes that SJ-736 has, because the material it's made out of is "supposed" to be able to withstand stuff like that. The only thing I'm worried about is the price of shipping a 7'10" rod. 

Yeah, if they don't want me to ship it back, I'm down to trade. I don't need two of this blank but I would use the one you have. Where in Ohio are you?

[kayaking_kev]

3 hours ago, Michigander said:

Yeah, if they don't want me to ship it back, I'm down to trade. I don't need two of this blank but I would use the one you have. Where in Ohio are you?

I'm about 100 miles south of Detroit str8 down I-75.

[Michigander]

Just now, kayaking_kev said:

I'm about 100 miles south of Detroit str8 down I-75.

Well, if shipping is a pain, we can meet up to do the transfer. I'm in Lansing.

[kayaking_kev]

4 minutes ago, Michigander said:

Well, if shipping is a pain, we can meet up to do the transfer. I'm in Lansing.

I looked it up, I'm 138 Miles from Detroit, 190 from Lansing. That is an option though. Once you get your replacement and know that you'll be able to keep it, then we can make arrangements. I will put the 7'10 rod in a tube and take measurements and see what the price would be. It's normally about $13 to ship a rod for me through USPS, but I usually add full insurance and signature on delivery, but we can discuss that stuff. I think the $50 insurance they give you for free may be ok for me, if it's for you and signature on delivery is not really needed because I trust you.

[Michigander]

19 minutes ago, kayaking_kev said:

I looked it up, I'm 138 Miles from Detroit, 190 from Lansing. That is an option though. Once you get your replacement and know that you'll be able to keep it, then we can make arrangements. I will put the 7'10 rod in a tube and take measurements and see what the price would be. It's normally about $13 to ship a rod for me through USPS, but I usually add full insurance and signature on delivery, but we can discuss that stuff. I think the $50 insurance they give you for free may be ok for me, if it's for you and signature on delivery is not really needed because I trust you.

Oh $13 isn't the worst. Never shipped a rod so I have no idea what it costs, lol. I'll let you know as soon as I hear from NFC.

 

Yeah, no signature required is fine. I'm willing to gamble on you. ?

[Lyman X]

I don't think you're gonna ship that rod for 13 bucks. I'd be interested in knowing what price they do quote you. I think you're in for a road trip. lol

[NOC 1]

On 11/24/2020 at 10:57 AM, spoonplugger1 said:

When they wrap the graphite on the mandrel it is pressed on under pressure, than a celephane tape is spun over everything to ensure the graphite stays where they put it while it is baked in a vertical position, if the tape job is bad the graphite can move away from the mandrel when heated and leave a swelled area. Get with NFC, something is not right.

X-ray blanks are scrimless unsanded blanks.

[kayaking_kev]

On 12/18/2020 at 6:20 PM, Lyman X said:

I don't think you're gonna ship that rod for 13 bucks. I'd be interested in knowing what price they do quote you. I think you're in for a road trip. lol

I shipped it for $13.10 USPS, Priority Mail. I had to go through dozens of rod tubes that I had to find one that was long enough though at 96". The cut off is 98" for oversize shipping, which is expensive.