If I want to reduce a length of carbon fibre solid rod in the middle, with a gentle taper from each end, will it affect it's strength or properties at all ? Or will it fracture in any way ?

I think experimentation is going to be your only option.

That is a unique profile rod design and I suspect you will struggle to find anyone supplying such a rod.

You are also going to find it hard to get someone to manufacture such a rod too. They are made by pultrusion which means the fibres are pulled through a die which is the profile of the rod, so a rod with a taper simply cannot be manufactured in one piece by that process.

Warren Penalver
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Support Assistant

Hi

Thanks for the response. Is there anything I could coat the reduced section with, like an epoxy or something, that would give a bit of protection to the abraided fibres and reduce the risk of fracture?

Regards.