I've built several rods now (fly & casting) but casting guide style and size still are a mystery to me. My rod building skill level has progressed to the point where my buddies want me to build their rods. We have ordered three Cascade Composites IST1265F-G 10'6" MH casting rods from Mud Hole. Each rod will have the Vetre Matrix 14" casting handle. The rods will be used for salmon/steelhead in Oregon.

One of my previous built rods was spiral wrapped. My buddies like and understand the concept so they want these new rods to be spiraled. My RodMaker subscription inadvertently lapsed so I missed the bumper article and need to order the back issue. My current SW rod is 8'6" and has two transisition guides between the 0 and 180 guide.

The Mud Hole service rep recommended using Fuji BNLG and then working down to BLVLG. My question to you folks, the experts, is what size, how many and progression of guides to you recommend?

If I err I'd rather order too many guides than be a couple short.

Thanks for your help.

Mike

If you are going to build a rod for a friend, at least put Alconites on tehre instead of Hardaloy. Lighter, more corrosion resistant steel is used in the frame, better ring material as well,a lthogh that probably doesnt' matter as much as people would like us to believe.

I would think BLNAG or CLNAG's would be the way to go. I don't have any idea on sizes.

For the $$....the Alconites like Billy suggested ARE the way to go.

DR

If you're spiral wrapping these, I'd dump the BLVLG single foot style and move to the fly rod single foot style such as the BLG or Alconite similar. You don't need high frame guides once you move the line under the blank. Might as well keep it close and the lower profile guides will take a bit more abuse anyway.

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

Hi Mike,
The ring size and height of your butt and stripper guides would depend on the type of casting reel that will be used. A larger higher framed
reel like a Shimano Catala 300 will require a higher framed guide while a lower palming style like the Shimano Curado will allow you to
use a lower framed and smaller ringed guide to start with. Start with a #12 double foot then a #10 double foot and the rest #8's single foot
to the tip-top.
The easiest way to build a "simple spiral" rod is to just place the guides on top like a standard type casting rod and stress test as normal
then rotate all the guides except the butt guide to the bottom and place the "bumper guide" at 90* in the middle between the butt and the
stripper guides.

My 2 cents

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

IMO, these style and sizes of guides are inexpensive enough that it's worth it to just order a bunch of various styles and sizes. That way, you'll have enough on hand to freely choose the guides that work best during your layout & loading test. You'll use the leftovers on the next rods you build for you and your buddies. IMO, Cliff Hall+++



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/28/2005 09:38PM by Cliff Hall.

Mike,
Tom is absolutely right that after the guides are on the bottom of the rod the lower profile guides are a better choice as they will result is lower torque.
You might also want to look at other guides rather than the Fuji. Look at the Zerconium guides from Batson or Amtak. The Zerconium guides are more attractive, in my judgement, than Fuji Alconite, they are harder so they wear better, they are less expensive, and they have titanium frames or titanium plated frames so they will resist rust better.