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I'm looking for the rectangular type fibreglass ones that are sort of yellow.

I am forever done with the rinky dink accursed round kite rods.

I would prefer not to resort to stewmac. Anybody know of a place that would sell them, or what they are called when they're not called go bars?

Hi Ed,
I saved myself the trouble of searching or paying too much for fiberglass rods and made a bunch out of Oak, Cherry and Alder. Just use good straight grained stock with minimal run out. Mine were leftovers from cabinet jobs. The Alder is a bit too soft, so don't use that. Maple would be good.
Used the band saw to rip 4/4 stock to 3'8"x 1/2", my deck is 50" tall, so you might have to make the pieces smaller if your deck is shorter. I sand the corners off and smooth the business end, but leave the corners on the top too help grip the top of the deck.

Steve

How consistent are they from bar to bar? How long do they last before taking such a set as to make them unuseable?

I'm sure Ed want's the consistency that a fibreglass bar would add.

Ed, check out http://www.tapplastics.com/product/plas ... ar_bar/160 There's one down in Washington north of Seattle. Can't seem to find any Canadian suppliers though.

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I don't have the use requirement as you do Ed but I just took some 3/4" maple hardwood (my neighbour was tossing out his extra after putting in new flooring) and cut them to 1/4" on the table saw and cut them to length. That was 10 years ago and I've not broken one. If it's bending slight in one way I'll just place it so it bends the other way. Even with a rounded bottom then dent my brace stock after clamping.

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Or I'd phone one of the local plastics places (Industrial Plastics or Plastics works, google) to see if they might now of a local source.

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Thanks Rod,

The price on that makes stewmac look like that's not such a bad deal after all. I'd like to avoid the 'luthier' upcharge, but we'll see. I'm not too concerned with them taking a set, as long as they still give enough pressure.

Maybe I'll cut some plywood...

I think my batch is about 8 years old but like Rod I do a few guitars a year not a week like you. The Oak and Cherry are pretty consistent in strength (no empirical data) the Alder is quite a bit weaker. None have taken a set that lasts long after being unsprung. The good ones won't take set unless left under tension over night, they straighten back out in an hour. Also like Rod, I'll bend them opposite of how they want to go when loading in the deck.

I vote no to the plywood.

Yes, that as a swiftly failed experiment:)

+ 1 for wood!
Straight grain is all you need. Just run them through your thickness sander until you have the spring you want. round rods are a nightmare swinging all around. I have Pine, Oak, Redwood, etc. Cabinet shops produce miles of rips too thin for them to use.
A roundover bit on a router table makes them comfy. tapered ends gives room for cleaning squeezout.
I never understood the low head banger decks w/ supports in the way and finicky positioning. I run them to the ceiling. Long light bars to the ceiling can be positioned anywhere on the top w/ out moving the top anchor point and accommodate a wide range of thicknesses.
What's not to like?

What us that big black thing in the corner?

LOL. I forget how strange that thing looks. Insulated tank for solar hot water.

Dave, I too like a lot of head room when working around the braces



But yours are a bit of a storage issue no?

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"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

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They do have to be stored vertically. I just lean them in a corner, but your right, if you don't have the room to swing them around they could be annoying.

If you decide on the fiberglass ones instead of cutting your own, this supplier offers them for about 1/3 the cost of Stewmac.

http://ultimate-guitar-online.ultimate- ... c69efdd4a1

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Bobby Masten

driveway markers from Lowes 1/4in fiberglass in red/ yellow . I purchased rubber bottoms from a supplier in seattle

I bought driveway markers from Dollarama for $1 each. About 5/16" x 48" with a plastic tip on one end, sharpened on the other. I cut them down, keeping the sharp end to bite into the carpet that I put in the underside of the go deck top.

Alex

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I too use the ceiling for my gobar deck and love being able to just lean the bars against the wall when not in use. Unlike David though, mine is against the wall so I don't have easy access for glue cleanup from all directions. I'd love to figure out a way to have it in the middle of the room like that.

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Are they round, Alex?

I am dead set against round go bars...

Yes the are, Ed. I guess it would be easier to control the direction of the bend with square. Even with my very limited experience, I can understand your dislike for the round rods. I'd be interested in finding square fibreglass as well.

Alex

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"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

I've used the kite bars from https://goodwinds.com/.

You can cut the 4' x (3/8") in half. Don't forget to order the plastic ends.

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Michael Lloyd

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I was born to privilege that I did not see ... I didn’t know it, but my way was paved” – John Gorka

I am dead set against round go bars.

Use spring tension curtain rods. Easy to adjust the tension, no sideways force since they can be put in straight up and down with no bend and easy to adjust the length for different situations. Plus they come with nice rubber knobs on their ends.

Pat

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How much pressure do they give, Pat?

I currently use round fiberglass rods, but I definitely see the virtue of moving to rectangular bars. The round fiberglass rods tend to have a mind of their own for a moment or two after you place them, in terms of where the bent part will go. This, of course, can affect the business end of the rod. Placement takes more attention than I want to give it. I might have to move to wood slats.