graphite rod terms?

[icehousebob]

I have several graphites and I'm familiar with IM6,IM7,IM8 rods. Well, I was in a beer store in South Dakota and they had a rack of rods.One was a Bass Pro rod that I could not put down and it followed me home. It says it is 45 million modulus. What the heck does that mean? How do the two systems compare?

I also think its unfair to sell two addictive things in one store, right???

[YUM]

Im pretty sure the '45 million modulus' is comparable to IM8, im not positive however

[tigerbalm2424]

Found this, quick search, but I cant post a link:

Below is a general example of modulus ratings using G Loomis classes:

GLX - 65 million modulus

IMX - 55 million modulus

GL3 - 47 million modulus (IM8)

GL2 - 42 million modulus (IM7)

IM6 - 38 million modulus

Standard Graphite - 33 million modulus

[katoguy]

I have a 85 million BPS MH trigger rod (7'3") that is light as a feather. I also own a 75 million modulus spinning rod. The difference between the two is quite noticeable. I'd prefer to buy locally, but these were both closeouts and great deals.

[slipperybob]

While it's something that a consumer would compare each other side by side, it's not always something that can be compared with equal emphasis. As one has to look into the way how the scrim is manufactured or rolled as well as the bonding resin used and whatever coating used to reinforce that rod strength. If a manufacture has to apply multiple layers of graphite together to achieve a required stiffness, it adds to the overall weight.

The higher the modulas the more stiff (or less flexible) the material is and the more brittle it is. The high stiffness of material generally means less material is required in the rod blank.

Anyway, I still get confused as to how each manufacture can get their numbers.

[Newcastle]

Thanks slipperybob-

this is the first time I have had it explained what the actual difference is. Usually just given the answer of "im-8 is better than 7." The way is sounds, its has to do with the quality of graphite?

[slipperybob]

No prob sharing what I've dive into and found out for myself.

That's the one thing about G.Loomis blanks are that they don't add excessive/additional coatings to reinforce their rods. That keeps the weight down and keeps the sensitivity very high. It's only due to the their proprietary manufacturing process that they can acheive that. Plus it seems they sand their blanks to a very smooth finish. The only setback I see to this is they are more brittle. Higher chance of them breaking.

St Croix rods, offers very high quality rods with their own proprietary manufacturing process that coats their rods and reinforces the strength while keeping weight of rod minimal. IMO - Makes them more durable than G.Loomis.

Both companies offers fewer numbers in the high end production rods; GLX's and LE's.

Anyway the quality of the graphite can vary as one manufacture's IM6 can be of higher quality than another manufacture's quality of IM7 graphite. Keep in mind that graphite is carbon and is as well as diamonds and coal. But the carbon fibers itself is a stronger and heavier molecular atom compared against the lighter molecular atom of graphite. That's why when a manufacture gets a graphite rod with a carbon veil, it makes for a stronger more durable rod.

If you ever see boron rods or boron/graphite composite rods, they tend to be even lighter and stronger and more stiff. There's a trick to the process as since the boron fibers are actually larger and heavier than the graphite fibers. When combined together, you can achieve a rod that requires much less graphite, thuse accomplishing the job.

One of the ways to judge the scrim is to see a cross cut section of the rod blanks and compare them side by side with each other. Problem is that you have to look at it from tip down to the handle section. It's a simple comparison of the diameter of the blank as well as the wall thickness of the material. There may not be much difference in overall rod weight comparing a 4 oz rod against a 5 oz rod, but when you cast it all day, it will become apparent.