Spigot or overslide rod joints.

[Keith M]

I'm not that fussed about whether a rod has spigots or overfit joints. I have both and neither of them produce any noticeable flat spots on the rods that I use.

The very first rod that I bought which had overfit joints back in the very early 70s was a glass fibre 14ft 6in Milbro Enterprise float rod (a rod used and promoted by the late Billy Lane). The blank flared slightly just around the overfit joints before thinning again.

Keith

 

[Gloucesteroldspot]

Are you sure the Enterprise had overfits? I've handled a few over the years and all had push-in joints - where the upper section goes into the lower. Overfits are the reverse - the lower section goes inside the upper. Same principle, but push-in joints don't need the thinner section to be made stiffer to compensate, though you do get an unnecessarily fat butt section. The Enterprise's swelled female helped to maintain a continuous taper and reduce the overall diameter - though the 14 &1/2 foot version was still pretty wide.

 

[nottskev]

One of my favourite float rods has been the Shimano Diaflash. I have 3 at different lengths. On this rod, the butt to middle joint is spigot; the middle to top joint is overfit. There's not much wrong with the casting and playing action, whatever the reasons behind the different joint types.

I can dimly remember the Milbro Enterprise. I'm picturing a 14' yellow rod, so wide in the butt section it had to have a slimmer section under the corks to make the handle a manageable diameter. I could be wrong.

 

[Gloucesteroldspot]

That's the one - a sort of sickly yellow with red whippings and a length of 3/4" duralumin tube under the corks. Most long hollow glass rods had this dural piece for the handle, as the glass blank itself was too fat to build a cork handle over without it becoming impossibly wide - and even then some had handles upwards of 1&1/4" diameter. The tackle shop I worked in thirty years ago had a bin full of odd sections and broken bits from defunct rods, many of which I stripped down for parts.

 

[tigger]

One of my favourite float rods has been the Shimano Diaflash. I have 3 at different lengths. On this rod, the butt to middle joint is spigot; the middle to top joint is overfit. There's not much wrong with the casting and playing action, whatever the reasons behind the different joint types.

I can dimly remember the Milbro Enterprise. I'm picturing a 14' yellow rod, so wide in the butt section it had to have a slimmer section under the corks to make the handle a manageable diameter. I could be wrong.

I've had the range of diaflash rods in the specimen rods but only have a pair of the 3lb test left for piking. I've always fancied the float rods but the metal reel holders held me back as I imagine they'll scratch the paint off reels feet.

 

[nottskev]

Yes - the horrible metal fittings were the achilles heel of the earlier models. Later ones had black ones made of some composite; one of mine is like that and is fine. On my 12' I chopped the back end of the handle off, slid on some proper fittings and spigotted the end back on. With a 14', I took off the butt rings, removed a bit of handle, fitted a Fuji reel seat and replaced the rings. I hadn't really thought about possible scratching to the reel foot - but I couldn't live with the way the reel fell of the rod!

They sold a lot around your way - NWAC did good Shimano deals in those times - so you might come across a good second-hand one someday. I bought a good-as-new Diaflash pole from a bloke near you earlier this year, and that came from the same shop.

 

[tigger]

Yes - the horrible metal fittings were the achilles heel of the earlier models. Later ones had black ones made of some composite; one of mine is like that and is fine. On my 12' I chopped the back end of the handle off, slid on some proper fittings and spigotted the end back on. With a 14', I took off the butt rings, removed a bit of handle, fitted a Fuji reel seat and replaced the rings. I hadn't really thought about possible scratching to the reel foot - but I couldn't live with the way the reel fell of the rod!

They sold a lot around your way - NWAC did good Shimano deals in those times - so you might come across a good second-hand one someday. I bought a good-as-new Diaflash pole from a bloke near you earlier this year, and that came from the same shop.

The original diaflash blanks where top totty there's no doubt about that I think they're the best blank shimano have ever made, JMO of course. Regarding buying one second hand....have you seen what they fetch these days, especially the float rods . Don't get me wrong they're worth spending money on if you can get hold of a minter and they do crop up from time to time.

 

[Philip]

Like most I dont really have a preference but if pushed I would agree with Barbel boi on this one that overfits are less likly to impact the action than a spigot. Spigots will add a flat spot but its so minimal that it probably makes no real difference.

I suppose the type of rod also comes into play here for example if its very tippy with a stiffer middle and butt its less likly to show any impact than if the rod was of a right through action.

 

[108831]

Very interesting points here,I may be wrong,but I'm sure I read that the overslides you see on today's rods are all to do with reduction in diameter of blank,which also give rods like the acolyte their lightness,technology marches on and not just in materials.
On the Milbro Enterprise,I had one and even though the diameter above the handle was huge, it was one of the best match rods of its time,that and the Tipster,looking back I wonder how we held them...

 

[sam vimes]

There's another, seemingly much rarer, type of fitting that I have just one example of in my rod horde. The rod in question is one of the older Daiwa Porky Pig feeder rods, the one with the fixed quiver tip. It's one of the brutes that's half way to being a barbel rod that was very popular for chucking big feeders across the river in the early nineties Trent match scene. It's a three piece rod and both joints are put in.

 

[108831]

Good rod they were,especially in that era.

 

[sam vimes]

Good rod they were,especially in that era.

They still are, but I've come to the conclusion recently that I can't stand sliding rod bands any more.

 

[108831]

Get a decent Fuji fitting put on it mate,makes the world of difference.

 

[tigger]

They still are, but I've come to the conclusion recently that I can't stand sliding rod bands any more.

As Witty says the rod would be ssorted if you get a fuji screw down reel holder and a nice cork/abreviated handle.....same as your normarks fitted.

A good m8 of mine had one fitted to his im8 feeder rod and it looks great. Only downside is it's no longer original but I don't think it matters really.

 

[sam vimes]

I've never found a local rod builder that would do it to the standard I'd demand. Even if I did, I doubt it would be worth the expense. It's certainly not worth sending to a remote rod builder by courier. The Drennan IM8 Super Crystalight might be a better candidate for that with its short detached butt section. Might even be a relatively easy DIY option.

 

[108831]

My mate had two of the original microliter done,I had a tri-cast feeder rod done too and re-rung with low bells,bigger rings on the carbon quivers too,not over fit either,proper push in quivers,job was done by Johnny Hutchinson of Biggleswade,great bloke,but haven't seen him for a couple of years,last time I saw him he had a heart problem,hope he's OK...

 

[tigger]

I've never found a local rod builder that would do it to the standard I'd demand. Even if I did, I doubt it would be worth the expense. It's certainly not worth sending to a remote rod builder by courier. The Drennan IM8 Super Crystalight might be a better candidate for that with its short detached butt section. Might even be a relatively easy DIY option.

It was about eight or nine years ago since my m8 had the handle fitted Chris and it cost 25 quid so it shouldn't bw more than 40 notes today. As you say it's just finding a rod builder to do it. There's a couple round here, one of them is quite well known, his name is Dave Lumb and his website should be easy to find on googly. You could bell him and ask a price?

 

[108831]

Or ring Fosters,I take it they still employ their resident rod builder who's name eludes me at present.

 

[sam vimes]

It was about eight or nine years ago since my m8 had the handle fitted Chris and it cost 25 quid so it shouldn't bw more than 40 notes today. As you say it's just finding a rod builder to do it. There's a couple round here, one of them is quite well known, his name is Dave Lumb and his website should be easy to find on googly. You could bell him and ask a price?

Even if it's £30 for parts (reel seat, cork, duplon etc) and labour, you're going to have to add at least £20 for a courier. At least £50 to do a rod, that's not worth much more, is pushing it a bit. Then there's the issue of long range communications and what happens if my expectations are not met. It's always struck me as more hassle and expense than it's worth, unless the good rod builder is close.

Or ring Fosters,I take it they still employ their resident rod builder who's name eludes me at present.

Bob The Rod, I believe. However, it's the same issue as above as I can't take a rod personally.

Good job I've got plenty of rod options. What I really need to do is get selling rather than hoarding!

 

[108831]

You shouldn't be all!owed to write that on FM,my wife might see it....