When I find the splin I have a "soft" side. I build 7' to 8' popping rode and use level wind reels.
Does the "soft side go up or down and why? Would it make sense that it depends on the ability of the user to load the rod?
Then there is the fact that like most of my bay wader friend we remove all the centrifical brakes to get a really free spinning spool. We control or casts with an "educated thunb" by placing the thumb on the reel frame and spool similtanously. This places the reel at more of an angle near 45 degrees ( the level wind reel is not level at all (or paralel to the ground). So the question is, do I
place the spline at an angle that is in line with the flight of the lure and end up with left and right handed rods? thanks in advance for all your input and reasonong This forum is a wonderfull thing for people like myself.

There is no correct position for the spine to be oriented in. The difference in the amount of weight or effort to load the rod between the softest axis and the stiffest (and these two won't be directly opposite each other) is almost insignificant - only about .2 on the CCS scale.

What you want to do is mock up a rod and try casting it with the spine on top, on bottom and then at 90 degrees (in the casting plane). See how the different positions feel to you and decide how you want to do things. Again, there is no wrong or right way to orient the spine on a fishing rod.

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

Doug,
I strongly agree with Tom K. on this! The rules that I first learned about spine (spline) orientation and the importance
there of are from the "old school". I was very surprised when I test casted several different rods with several different
spine orientations and discovered just how little (if any) influence the spine had on performance! Granted, some blanks
have a stronger spine effect than others so as Tom said, test cast yours until you are satisfied with your results.

Raymond Adams
Eventually, all things merge, and a river runs through it..

So, building the rod on spline orientation is a big myth? Is it more important to take the curve of the rod into consideration? I've built rods on the soft side and on the spline, and on the curve, and don't notice advantage. But I'm a fisherman, what do I know! ;o)

The idea that there is a correct or incorrect orientation for the spine is indeed a myth, but where you locate the spine can make some subtle differences in how the blank acts and/or feels to the user. This is why I tell people to spend a few minutes and try things for themselves and then make up their minds how they want to build the rod.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

maybe this will help.