Author Topic: carbon fiber rods with decent shipping costs? (Read 1396 times)

Will Hinton · « **on:** May 31, 2020, 02:01:43 PM »

Hey Y'all, I just spent a couple of frustrating hours shopping for .125 X .325 X 48" carbon rods, found them all over the place, but at every supplier when I started to check out, the shipping was in the $30 and higher range! I need the rods to be 48 inches, and that inhibits the number of suppliers I can use, hence the further frustration. My usual suppliers don't carry the rods in that length.
Any ideas? Thanks.

Avaiojet · « **Reply #1 on:** May 31, 2020, 03:18:53 PM »

Quote from: Will Hinton on May 31, 2020, 02:01:43 PM

Hey Y'all, I just spent a couple of frustrating hours shopping for .125 X .325 X 48" carbon rods, found them all over the place, but at every supplier when I started to check out, the shipping was in the $30 and higher range! I need the rods to be 48 inches, and that inhibits the number of suppliers I can use, hence the further frustration. My usual suppliers don't carry the rods in that length.
Any ideas? Thanks.

Will,

If you can get away with sections and SS threaded ends, there is a hex coupler available. I purchased one from Tom Morris just to have it.

Okie Air now has all Tom Morris' stuff. He may have this also. A suggestion.

Charles

Tim Wescott · « **Reply #2 on:** May 31, 2020, 03:24:27 PM »

Try GreatWinds, if they're not already on your list.

Will Hinton · « **Reply #3 on:** May 31, 2020, 04:30:42 PM »

Charles, Thanks, but I need at least 24" long rectangular for guitar neck reinforcement rods, so can't have any breaks in the middle at all.
Tim, thanks, thought I had it, but theirs are all round and I need the rectangular.
I found just what I need, but great scott, the shipping was any where from 30 to 48 bucks for a 30 dollar order! Wow, I can mold them right into the neck for less than that, but it's a royal pain in the , well, y'all know where.
Thanks again, guys.

pmackenzie · « **Reply #4 on:** May 31, 2020, 05:14:47 PM »

Quote from: Tim Wescott on May 31, 2020, 03:24:27 PM

Try GreatWinds, if they're not already on your list.

Any chance you meant Goodwinds?

https://goodwinds.com/
They do list .325x.125x48"
https://goodwinds.com/20143.html

I think the 48" part is what is driving the shipping costs up.

Tim Wescott · « **Reply #5 on:** May 31, 2020, 06:29:50 PM »

Quote from: pmackenzie on May 31, 2020, 05:14:47 PM

Any chance you meant Goodwinds?

https://goodwinds.com/
They do list .325x.125x48"
https://goodwinds.com/20143.html

I think the 48" part is what is driving the shipping costs up.

Yes

. I got some 6' long CF tubes from them and was pleased -- but I don't remember what shipping was.

Tim Wescott · « **Reply #6 on:** May 31, 2020, 06:32:16 PM »

I've noticed that shipping seems to have gone up everywhere, and I saw a headline go by that UPS or FedEx or one of those guys was raising their rates.

On the bright side, it's probably $30 for a $200 order. I suspect that shipping 48" sticks in just about any material, without having them break, is a pain in the behind.

Brad LaPointe · « **Reply #7 on:** May 31, 2020, 07:33:42 PM »

Try a kite shop . They have been known to have long carbon rods .

Brad

Will Hinton · « **Reply #8 on:** May 31, 2020, 08:15:40 PM »

You guys are the best -0 and I appreciate the help from each of you. I tried a couple of kite shops, but their rods are all round, and I need rectangular. I imbed these on each side of the truss rods in guitar nacks for strenghtening.
I stumbled, literally, on a luthier site in Philly that sells just what I need and the shipping is free for orders over fifty bucks. Ordered six for $50.84.
You are correct about the 48 inch length pushing the price of shipping up, and it's really always been that way for me, but never the rates I see now. They have tripled compared to a couple of years ago when I last stocked up. I ordered from CTS then. (Or was it CST?)
Anyway, thanks again fellas, I truly appreciate it.

Jim Womack · « **Reply #9 on:** June 01, 2020, 07:55:16 AM »

Will, I build guitars too. I get carbon strips from DragonPlate, I use .125x.325, comes in 24" and 48". They have a D-tube guitar neck beam that looks interesting along with some other guitar related products. Lots of stuff for modelers too.

https://dragonplate.com/Carbon-Fiber-Strip#/orderby=5&pagenumber=2

john e. holliday · « **Reply #10 on:** June 01, 2020, 10:07:27 AM »

Too bad these companies like UPS, FEDEX and USPS don't up the rates on the junk mail or items. I sent some small booklets to my local Church which normally would be $1.50 and was told it now cost almost $5.00. I could/should have just driven there and put them in the door. Was told not to use mail box because of some regulation. Hope all the politicians that are causing this get their reward of unemployment.

Will Hinton · « **Reply #11 on:** June 01, 2020, 07:52:51 PM »

Quote from: Jim Womack on June 01, 2020, 07:55:16 AM

Will, I build guitars too. I get carbon strips from DragonPlate, I use .125x.325, comes in 24" and 48". They have a D-tube guitar neck beam that looks interesting along with some other guitar related products. Lots of stuff for modelers too.

https://dragonplate.com/Carbon-Fiber-Strip#/orderby=5&pagenumber=2

Thanks Jim, I'll look them up. The ones I ordered are .118 X .318, but I can make them work. I would surely prefer the sizes you mentioned. I can't believe the time I've spent on the net for these. Oh well, need three necks anyway, should be set for a couple of months. what you building right now, acoustic or electric? I just finished two acoustic parlor size and now have orders for two solid body electrics, so I gotta switch my thinking over.

Dwayne Donnelly · « **Reply #12 on:** June 02, 2020, 06:09:51 AM »

Quote from: Will Hinton on May 31, 2020, 04:30:42 PM

Charles, Thanks, but I need at least 24" long rectangular for guitar neck reinforcement rods, so can't have any breaks in the middle at all.
Tim, thanks, thought I had it, but theirs are all round and I need the rectangular.
I found just what I need, but great scott, the shipping was any where from 30 to 48 bucks for a 30 dollar order! Wow, I can mold them right into the neck for less than that, but it's a royal pain in the , well, y'all know where.
Thanks again, guys.

How about some pics?!!

Will Hinton · « **Reply #13 on:** June 02, 2020, 07:21:27 AM »

Okay, here's the two parlor acoustics. The mahogany one was "built" by a student for his daughter under my tutelege. I feel so privileged to have now had eight students do that! What a joy.
The other was built for the same guy who got my number fifty and is all walnut. They both came through with excellent sound and projection, the new bracing scheme I have run onto is now my standard! It's even easier to do!
Thanks, Dwayne, for the interest.

Will Hinton · « **Reply #14 on:** June 02, 2020, 07:23:07 AM »

The second one, one of my all-time favorite builds.

Dane Martin · « **Reply #15 on:** June 02, 2020, 09:49:47 AM »

Wow. I don't even know what else to say. Wow.

Tim Wescott · « **Reply #16 on:** June 02, 2020, 09:54:56 AM »

I love watching luthiers working. I just stand there, pretending like I understand what's going on while in reality I have no clue...

Will Hinton · « **Reply #17 on:** June 02, 2020, 11:17:44 AM »

Quote from: Tim Wescott on June 02, 2020, 09:54:56 AM

I love watching luthiers working. I just stand there, pretending like I understand what's going on while in reality I have no clue...

Don't feel bad, sometimes we don't either! There's a lot of experimenting goes on. At least in my shop, and there are failures and successes in equal amounts.

Tim Wescott · « **Reply #18 on:** June 02, 2020, 12:13:46 PM »

Quote from: Will Hinton on June 02, 2020, 11:17:44 AM

Don't feel bad, sometimes we don't either! There's a lot of experimenting goes on. At least in my shop, and there are failures and successes in equal amounts.

My cousin has picked it up, after finding out that if you want a good left-handed guitar you need to go to a good left-handed luthier -- and then getting enthusiastic support from the local luthiers as soon as he expressed some interest. I'm kinda learning the Discovery Channel version of the trade from him.

(And his guitars sound really good, but then, I'm crappy at both left- and right-handed guitar playing).

Will Hinton · « **Reply #19 on:** June 02, 2020, 03:27:16 PM »

It's neat that you bring this up. Many years ago I built a left handed bass for the full time bass player for Harvest, a contemporary Christian band backing Jerry Williams. I was as nervous as a new bride! Literally every morning as I hit the shop I would recite "Left handed, left handed" for several minutes until I had some work accomplished on it. I was so afraid I would drill a hole or route a channel on the wrong side of the beast!
The most frustrating part was after I finished it, I couldn't play it to check out the quality control!!!

I fortunately remembered an old musician I had met who was a lefty and was able to get it to him for check out.

Tim Wescott · « **Reply #20 on:** June 02, 2020, 03:31:35 PM »

Quote from: Will Hinton on June 02, 2020, 03:27:16 PM

The most frustrating part was after I finished it, I couldn't play it to check out the quality control!!!
I fortunately remembered an old musician I had met who was a lefty and was able to get it to him for check out.

Kurt told me that's one of the things that even manufacturing enterprises with multiple employees have issues with -- he's got one or two lefty Martins, but they end up getting that final setup from a righty, because Martin doesn't have enough call for left-handed guitars keep someone busy.

TDM · « **Reply #21 on:** June 04, 2020, 10:26:47 PM »

https://alofthobbies.com/accessories/carbon-fiber.html

Will Hinton · « **Reply #22 on:** June 05, 2020, 07:22:51 AM »

Thanks TDM, got the page bookmarked, mainly for the access to carbon fiber tow. I use it a lot.