FlexRod Updates

A brief description of all updates will be added to this post.

Transferring Tapers: The input columns of all versions except Flex4.7.7.4 and Flex4.7.7.5 are the same. Select the input cells from column A to AM, copy and then paste to the new version and run the FlexRod calculations.

If you're upgrading from Flex4.7.7.4 or Flex4.7.7.5, you will need to copy and paste your taper list from two ranges (column A to D and then E to AL) working around the new "Action Length" value in column E of the new taper sheet. Input the action length and run the calculations.


UPDATES:

April 15, 2009 (Flex4.7.8.1):
Larry Lohkamp and Lowell Davis have reported problems running the calc macros in Flexrod. They are using Excel 2000 and Excel 97. I built the macros in Excel 2003. Larry figured out how to fix it in Excel 97. Here's his note:

The failure occurred when pressing the calc button on tapers sheet, and
I assume the list calc would fail also. The other buttons work correctly.

An error dialog pops up when trying to run the 'calc'. The dialog says error 1004. When I went to the debug page, the sort command was highlighted. I buggered around with the command until i got it to work. The part that has to be removed is:

Remove:

DataOption1:= x1SortNormal

Lowell used a modified version of Larry's instructions to fix the macros in Excel 2000:

Remove:
, _
DataOption1:= x1SortNormal

These changes would need to be made in the Flex_Calc and Flex_Calc_All macros.

David

July 21, 2008 (Flex4.7.8.1):
I've added the full taper diameters to the form setup sheet. Both full and half diameters are need on that sheet since they're extrapolated from tip and ferrule locations. The full diameters on the form setup won't match the original five inch station diameters. It's much easier to validate target diameters from the form setup sheet.

I've also added ferrule sizes and locations to the detail sheet. They should have been there already.

I made no changes to the Tapers sheet. Just copy your taper rows from Flex4.7.8.0 and paste them into the new version. Run the Calc or List Calc macros to update the stats for your tapers.

April 10, 2008 (Flex4.7.8.0) - Cleaned up the charts on the summary sheet. Reworked all the charts on the detail sheet. The Sectional Taper chart has been changed to graph rod sections starting at the tip top and ferrule locations. See chapters eight and nine of "Split & Glued by Vincent C. Marinaro" for a thorough discussion of sectional taper design. The sectional chart is based on Bill Harms and Tom Whittle's biography of Vincent Marinaro's approach to taper design. The book is available at www.wmharmsrods.com. Also, the form setup sheet has been reworked to extrapolate station settings starting at the tip or ferrule location of each section. The form settings can be calculated for any whole adjustment station increments in inches (e.g. 1, 3, 5, 6...).

March 27, 2008 (Flex4.7.7.8) - Added action length to taper sheet inputs and incremental deflection to charts.

March 24, 2008 (Flex4.7.7.5) - Slowed calculations down to improve accuracy when applying tension.