# Home made rod extender?



## Matt Bizarro (Jan 26, 2016)

I have a 12’6” rod and want to try a ~14’ rod without buying one (yet). I found a nice sturdy 18” length of scrap pipe (metal, but don’t know what kind) that fits over the shrink-tubed butt snugly. If I insert the butt in the pipe about 4 inches, does that sound safe for a few casts, or even as a permanent fixture if I like it?


----------



## Ivan Bilic (Jul 5, 2020)

You basically want to extend rod handle by adding a piece of tube at the lower end?


----------



## Ivan Bilic (Jul 5, 2020)

I don't know. I came up with same idea some time ago but I quit. Because from my understanding rod must be designed from scratch and every additional build up may (and probably will) cause rod not working... However you could try, it will at least give you some insights on rod construction problematics. Don't blame me if you fail tho, lol


----------



## ole-crabby (Aug 18, 2009)

I have done several fresh and salt water, no expert but i have found the longer you extend the handle, the further from the reel seat you get making it harder to cast and balance.jmo bigfoot


----------



## Matt Bizarro (Jan 26, 2016)

ole-crabby said:


> I have done several fresh and salt water, no expert but i have found the longer you extend the handle, the further from the reel seat you get making it harder to cast and balance.jmo bigfoot


Understood. What I’m wondering most about is the structural integrity of the graphite blank. I think a cast can put 50-70 lbs. of pressure on the joint I’m describing.


----------



## ole-crabby (Aug 18, 2009)

measure the distance from middle of reel seat to butt of rod add 18 inches and you will see it is impossible to throw.imho


----------



## poppop1 (Feb 16, 2004)

I bought a butt section that was extended 12'' for a 13' 3-6 oz Cast Pro Series rod making it 14' from Joe Moore in Avon, has a sliding reel seat, real nice job. I can use my factory tip section with it, plus Joe also matched a AFAW tip section for it, at the time (5-7 yrs. ago) he only charged me $100 for the butt section only, it was later I bought the AFAW tip. In your hands the extra foot may help, it did help me, good luck,...pop.


----------



## poppop1 (Feb 16, 2004)

poppop1 said:


> I bought a butt section that was extended 12'' for a 13' 3-6 oz Cast Pro Series rod making it 14' from Joe Moore in Avon, has a sliding reel seat, real nice job. I can use my factory tip section with it, plus Joe also matched a AFAW tip section for it, at the time (5-7 yrs. ago) he only charged me $100 for the butt section only, it was later I bought the AFAW tip. In your hands the extra foot may help, it did help me, good luck,...pop.


The last sentence should read, it did NOT help me,...pop.


----------



## Matt Bizarro (Jan 26, 2016)

ole-crabby said:


> measure the distance from middle of reel seat to butt of rod add 18 inches and you will see it is impossible to throw.imho


Of course. I use coasters, so I can move the reel 18” down the blank.


----------



## Scooter (Mar 6, 2005)

Matt, a very common way to do this (extend rod length by extending the butt section) is simply to find an old/scrap section of fishing rod, to the length you desire, that will fit securely into the inside of your butt section, with "enough" overlap (amount depends on the blank diameters, materials, taper(s), etc.) and then epoxy them together. Rod bond is best IMO. Preferably use the same/similar blank materials. Be sure to rough up/degrease both before gluing. Once secured, you can then build up/sand the extended butt section to match the original butt diameter using fiberglass mesh tape and epoxy. Once done, you can cover the work with paint, grips, or shrink tube, etc. and you will never know its there. Ive done it many times on various surf rods...work great. Some folks also do the same with aluminum tubing.


----------



## Matt Bizarro (Jan 26, 2016)

Scooter said:


> Matt, a very common way to do this (extend rod length by extending the butt section) is simply to find an old/scrap section of fishing rod, to the length you desire, that will fit securely into the inside of your butt section, with "enough" overlap (amount depends on the blank diameters, materials, taper(s), etc.) and then epoxy them together. Rod bond is best IMO. Preferably use the same/similar blank materials. Be sure to rough up/degrease both before gluing. Once secured, you can then build up/sand the extended butt section to match the original butt diameter using fiberglass mesh tape and epoxy. Once done, you can cover the work with paint, grips, or shrink tube, etc. and you will never know its there. Ive done it many times on various surf rods...work great. Some folks also do the same with aluminum tubing.


Thanks! Can the aluminum tubing just be slipped over the end of the existing butt? I realize it won’t be a flush surface, but I’m not even sure I’d want an extension to be permanent yet.


----------



## Ivan Bilic (Jul 5, 2020)

My thinking is aluminium might be too heavy, causing problem with balance as someone mentioned. Maybe would be better if using some kind of plastic tube..


----------



## RWFishead (Jun 11, 2021)

I bought a cheap used trolling rod for 10$. Got one that when cut would fit inside the cheap graphite 12ft rod i found. Reel seat is where it was and didn't like it. Glue in a 14" extension from trolling rod. After building the rod, i practice cast with it until until I found where to cut butt off. Turns out Tommy's formula for length of butt measured from center of reel seat was what exactly what I had. It is now 13"8". Finish butt length is about 32" . I wrapped new section with nylon cord to build dia to existing dia of old handle. Finished with shrink tubing. Works and looks great.


----------

