Steven Weiss wrote:
> 
> Has anyone noticed that the tapers in the Rodmakers taper file and the
> one in Howell's book are quite different from each other? I'd like to
> feel a little more confident about which numbers to use. I have read
> that Paul Young's rods had a lot of variance among the same models.
> Does anyone have a PHY midge taper that is different , or that
> confirms either one of the ones I mentioned?
> Steve
I have a PY Midge built during Paul's tenure (serial #36xx). Here is the
taper over varnish and averaged across three flats. 

  00    .069
  05    .076
  10    .093
  15    .111
  20    .123
  25    .141
  30    .156
  35    .170
  40    .185
  45    .199
  50    .209
  55    .227
  60    .233
  65    .242
 I have miked many rods over the years and have never found two rods of
the same model with identical tapers. Buy the way the most accurate I
have found are by Orvis followed by Payne. Marty