Blower is is almost a requirment for alum. rods!!, Steel you most likly will have problems. And used alum rods, I wouldnt go there. If ya do that you might as well get the 500$ specials from jegs then at least those would be new. LOL.... GRP, R&R, there are a few others that are good. You get what you pay for. My boss Jeff has about 12 sets of used R&R alum rods laying there 1 season on them but thats a good spot for them in a box.