Hi guys,

I received Tom Kirkman's book yesterday and I've just finished first reading.

I also received Flex Coat's "Step by step rod building". I'm planning to build first rod during next week, but I wanted to "impregnate" myself from erudites' wisdom before.

Unfortunatelly, I've found several points that seem to say opposite things. This is not my intention to give reason to one or to another, just wanted to know your opinion.

I think my firts question has something to do with Mike Forres't question ("Fly rod spline"):

I read in Tom's book, page 16:"...This will be the relaxed curve. It is the OUTSIDE of this curve that you should mark and refer to as the SPINE".

I read in Flex Coat's book, page 7: "As you do this, the rod will jump into a pronunced curve. The INSIDE of the curve is the SPINE. Mark the inside of the curve".

So, depending of authors, the spine is at one side or at it's opposite. Following instructions about which is the best place to place the guides is to be followe knowing "which spine" are we talking about.

Is that right or I made a missunderstanding?.

Hello Daniel,

Rather you mark the inside or the outside is really irrelevent. Many on this site position their guides in relation to the spine for different reasons and some disregard the spine entirely, electing to set their guides in relation to the straightness of the blank.

A rule I use most times is... casting rod mark the outside... spinning mark the inside.

Yeah, I know that. The question is that we can sometimes heard or read things like "It's better to place the guide inthe spine" or "opposite the spine".

These are the kind of things that make us, beginners, to get lost.

Okay, Doug has told you what you need to know. The spine is not a physical thing - it's an effect. Where you mark it is simply a matter of reference. Most mark the outside of the curve and call it the effective spine.

There is more on rod spine on the FAQs page here.

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

Hey Daniel, Get Ken Preston's DVD, I always got confussed myself but actually seeing it while someone explains it, cleared a lot of things up for me.

Myles

Hello Daniel,

Understanding your position and having read Tom's book and watched Ken's DVD you should realize that one of the most important rules if not the most important rule to follow is to put a piece of line through the guides that are taped on the blank and test it. If you have to tape the reel you are going to use to the blank to test for casting distance do that. Ultimately you are in control. The best advice anyone can give you would be to do all you possibly can to ensure you are making the best rod possible. By reading, watching DVD's and asking questions you enhance your chances of building a fine quality rod. Nobody can tell you which positioning of the guides or what rod blank is best for you. With the suggestions of others you can only test the different methods or blanks to determine which is best for you.
And since you mentioned you have Tom’s book you should go to pg. 27 second column just the paragraph just above where it reads, Fly Rods in bold lettering. Apply this process to every rod building application and you will have the results you are looking for.

David Horrocks