the other day I had some questions about guide placement and finding the spine in my 9' 4 piece 8wt H&H IM6 blank. Well, that is all behind me now! Doing the static guide placement was not too difficult. However, many people responded on the group and in private email that I should go with ceramic guides on this rod (primarily intended for salt). So, after doing some research I think the Fuji Alconites are the right balance of cost and performance. I also want chrome frames since my seat is polished aluminum and the rod is a really nice dark green. The Fuji CLAG seems to be the right choice for running guides. What do folks recommend for:

- tiptop: (size)
- what size running guides (I will probably want to use one of the 8wt multitip lines at some point)
- how many and what stripers?

thanks!
Michael

I built two 7 weights last year using ceramics and am planning on building an 8wt shortly. I would go a sz16 stripper, a 12 line tamer, and then run it out with size 8's and an 8 tip top. Anything smaller and you might have trouble passing line to leader looped connections. Just my .02 Good luck.

thanks Jud. That is basically what I was thinking too. And it has the added advantage that I already have the 12 and 16 (both double foot). For the tiptop - should I just use an 8 running guide or are there chrome ceramic tiptops out there that I should consider?

cheers,
Michael

Michael. You need an unbraced tip top. American tackle makes some.

Fuji makes a chrome tiptip with alconite ring that will match the guides you're using. Model CFAT if I recall correctly. They are braced and are what I tend to use on heavier flyrods, including 8wts.

Is there a difference in strength between braced and unbraced ceramic tip tops on a 7 wt rod?

I like the smooth lines of the unbraced look. I'm assuming that there isn't much difference in strength.....

What do you think? Dont mean to jack this thread...but thought now would be the time to ask?

Keith

I think they add some strength to the tip. I'm the opposite, I tend to like the way the braced tips loo versus the unbraced.

Alconites are the best for the money in my book , 16 , 12 , 8s , or 7s the rest of the way depending on the knots you will be using .......now you got it. JD

I would agree that using size 7 guides/tip top as a minimum because I built a 7 weight last year with #6 fuji alconites and while it casts beautifully and very smooth, the line-to-butt section of leader joint can get hung up from time to time. It also forces me to make blood knots where joining my sections of leader together. That's OK most of the time except in cold weather when my numb fingers just want to tie a surgeons knot and be done with it!

ok, i am going to go with the size 8 guides. Now I just need to sort out the tip top. My blank has a 4.5mm tip. The Fuji ceramic tip (CFAT) comes in 7/4.5mm and the size 8 has 5.0mm as its smallest diameter. The AmerTack (SCUT) also comes in an 8/5.0mm. What to do? Or the other option of using a size 8 SF guide as the tip top.

thanks,
Michael

I always use a single foot guide as a tip top. That way you have the same ring, same heigh and same angle as the guides. The tops really don't match the guides if you look closely.

Michal , If it were me , I would get both of them , sizing differs on the tubes slightly and if the 8/5.0 is too big you can wrap size A thread , or silk thread under it to take up the space . wrapping a SF guide is another option , I've personaly have never wrapped a guide on as a top , but it's a common practice here . JD

Well, my new ceramic single foot guides came in today! Unfortunately, I am going away until after Thanksgiving so I won't have any time to work on the rod until I get back! Oh well, good things come to those who wait, they say.

cheers and thanks for the help,
Michael