I'm sorry I asked!!!!!!
Sanford

It's not your fault - several others of us got off topic.

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

Tom,
While you're still on the scene, I am wondering if my subscription has expired. I try to keep up with these things, but this one may have slipped through the cracks. Thanks,
Sanford

If you'll email me your zip code I'll be happy to look it up for you.

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

I was just getting ready to wrap 4 matching halibut rods when I got my copy of RodMaker. I was going to do a "regular" spiral wrap on them. After reading the article, I went with the one guide transition with the bumper guide. One of them caught a 60 lb butt off of Port Angeles and all reports were good. No problem at all with line travel or path. This is a much easier spiral system to wrap and you don't have to worry so much about matching the reel to the guide set-up. I'm very impressed so far. I'm trying it on a steelhead rod next.

Jeff Hunter

I began building bumper rods after I saw the rod in Charlotte at the big show. Four of them have already been sent out to customers and the reports I've gotten back tell me that they work flawlessly. The two I have here and have used myself are just as good as any of the other spiral wrapped rods I've built in the past and these were far easier to set up and build. My hat is off to the bumper spiral rod. When you come down to it I guess it really makes more sense than any other spiral type rod.

Perhaps I'm taking an overly simplistic view. I think of it just as the name implies, a "bumper" (fender) like I use to keep my boat from scraping the dock. Not a part of the functioning of the boat, just added protection for the finish.

What I have wondered is why refer to bumper in the name of the system since it plays such an insignificant (to 0) role. My first impression of seeing the name when it has been called the Bumper Spiral System or Bumper System or one of the variants is that the "bumper" contributes to effecting the spiral and is an integral part of the overall system, ie, change of direction of the line. It's not and in my mind it's not a "bumper system". I guess I'm now off into word smithing. But words are important.

You make a good point. The article was actually titled "The Simple Spiral." The use of a Bumper guide within was only mentioned in the text of the article.

...........

After reading the article in Rodmaker, and reading all the comments on the board, I think that those of us who have never built a spiral wrapped rod until now are accepting it more easily than those who have built many spiral wrapped rods.

I admit to being a convert to the bumper system. However, until I received the most recent Rodmaker, I was a un-convinced regarding the spiral wrap. While the basic physics of any spiral wrap made complete sense, my conventionally wrapped bass rods didn't "feel" like they had any sideways torque. And, my conventionally wrapped rods performed great. Further, all the spiral wrap techniques I had read about had a fairly sizable learning curve. I don't know that they were "complicated," but it did take a fair bit of research to figure out all the intricacies.

Then, wondering "why didn't I think of that,?" I read the article, set up a rod, and test casted it. It performed flawlessly, casting as far or farther than any conventionally wrapped rods I had. And, it didn't take any more time to set up than any other rod I've built.

To those who are really bothered by this new concept, I can only say this: Set up the guides and test cast before making any judgments. This system really is the model of practicality and simplicity.

I really don't know what all the fuss is about? It works no matter what you call it; bumper, simple spiral, or whatever Webster's and anybody else wants to call it.

Set it up like the artical instructs and see for yourself!

For those that don't take the magazine, order a copy of this one and try it out. It's so simple it's almost stupid.

Stupid is as Stupid does! LOL!



Regards......Doug@
TCRds

I for one can not understand you guys???
The line tells you where the guides go ! No pigtails to worry about, so smaller guides can be used.
I put the reel handle on and a tip top.
Run a line from the reel though the top.
Now look at the place where the line touches the blank. Posible guide, this area will move when pressure is placed on the blank, now you have another possible guide placement.
Butt guide is a distance from the reel, about at 0 degrees, you don't want any build up on one side of the reel. so this is adjustable
Spacing from there is I think no more then about 12 " I like to keep it 10-12?

The line tells you the rest The KISS method,

just my 1 1/2 cents
O yea, straightest line path possible.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/26/2005 07:08AM by bill boettcher.