Good evening everyone,

Hope that everyone is staying cool right now. I have yet another question for you all. I built a bumper wrapped spiral rod last night and used a double footed #8 for the "bumper guide". This is one of the Amtaks and I am wondering if needs to be a single foot fly? The line just doesn't seem to flow through it correctly. Not so sure since this is the first bumper rod that I have done.

Thanks,
Tom

The number of legs the guide has is of no concern. If you have placed the bumper guide per the instructions in the article, the line should pass through it without touching any portion of it other than the bottom of the ring (side nearest the rod blank). The bumper should not transition nor direct the line in any way other than to just keep it off the blank. As you flex the blank, the line should still touch only the bottom of the ring, the line path should still remain straight between the first two guides. Compare your set up to the photos in the article.

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Thanks Tom,

I just looked at it and the article again. It looks like everything is just as it should be. I guess I am just not used to seeing it flow through the bumper in the way that it does. Once again, thanks for all of the great articles and information.

Tom

Another reason why this isn't just a rehash of an older spiral system - with most spiral wrap methods, the guides transition the line around the blank and the line sort of "turns a corner" at each transition guide. With the simple spiral, you have no transition guides. The line just naturally goes from top to bottom, skirting the rod on one side - it doesn't "spiral" around the rod." The bumper plays no role other than to keep the line from rubbing against the blank as it passes by.

You've probably got it right, you're just not used to seeing a spiral wrap like this one. When you flex the rod, you should see that the spiral still plays no role in directing the line around the rod. It's just keeping the line off the blank.

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Wow,
what do ya know. I didn't hose it up!!! I guess since I am used to seeing it "spiral" just as you stated like on the rod that Mr. Forhan built for me. Not taking a thing away from his rod, it is an AWESOME piece to fish with. Just wish that I could let the other half let me place an order a few more!! It just seems that the simple spiral is almost out of place. Again, you are right. When I do flex the blank the bumper keeps the line from making contact. I have to say that I really like the titaniums that I got from Andy. It is a shame that there are not going to be any more!!

Any way thanks for the help. I have a new way in which I am going to be wrapping ALL of my casters!!!!

Spiral-ing out of control.

Tom

When I first saw it in Charlotte this past year I thought the bumper system spiral looked kind of funky. But after using it on a few rods and getting used to it, I think it look okay now. The others sort of look funky to me now!

I don\'t like to make predictions, but will predict that in two years the Bumper system will be the dominant spiral wrap system in existence. It just makes too much sense and works too good for it not to catch on and even replace a lot of the other spiral systems out there IMO.