It seems strange to me but after marking the spine on a two pc 7'9" 3 wt fly rod for both sections and then checking it with the rod assembled and alligned, it twisted a bit while assembled. I took it apart and rechecked the spine on each section and then again together and got the same result. What I settled on was leaving the tip spine alligned and adjusting the butt about 30 degrees so that the whole rod would flex true.

This is my first build. Does this make sense?

Thanks,

Tony

Yes, the spine is not a physical thing - it is an effect. When you join the sections the effect changes, slightly.

Mark each section individually (with the rod sections apart). Assemble, recheck and then with the sections assembled, remark each section for the location of the effective spine in the assembled position.

...............

Tony,
Let me put a little different twist on an answer than Tom did, the pun is intended. The actual spine will rotate as it goes up each section of the blank. It does not go straight up the blank or section of blank. Or put another way, as you deflect the blank or section more and more the spine will actually move a little. What you care about is the over all effective spine for the whole rod or how all of the pieces react when put together into a complete rod.

I too experienced the same effect once my 2 piece 9wt was put together. The rod twisted a small amount so I made the proper adjustment and all is true. I thought it happened because of the more difficult task of finding the effective spine in the butt section of the rod and that I was a bit off. The effect of the spine is quite pronounced once the rod is assembled. Good idea to wrap the ferrule before putting it to the test.