had some down time at work today took dale clemens book with me was reading that on a spinning rod he did a static test with the guides up checking for the line not rubbing the blank is this a practical approach ?

I swear I read that same method on this forum some time ago (or I could have been dreaming during an alien abduction). It was about using ceramics on a fly rod, staitic test with the rod inverted (guides pointed up), and the guide spacing was adjusted until the line was just off the blank. When I brought this up on this site recently, everybody thought I was crazy and said this method was ridiculous - I don't think the post was authored by Dale Clemen's but it could have been his second or third cousin. I don't see why it wouldn't work for a spinning rod - maybe I wasn't dreaming after all.

I just read page 188 in "ACRB" and could not believe my eyes! Also hard to believe I have
read that book cover to cover more than a few times and did not catch that Dale was refering
to a spinning rod on that page!
I have NEVER stressed tested a spinning rod with the guides up and don't see any reason
to do so. I'm sure someone will chime in and explain where Dale was comming from though.
I'm guessing from the old school!

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

I have always did my test on spinning rods with the guides down. Do to the fact that spinning guides have a higher frame, and it would be hard for the line to hit the blank. I look for line transmission, line passing from one guide to another. I look for sharp angles. I want my line to arch evenly with the blank.
Good Wraps Bob

The only reason I could possibly see testing a spin rod inverted, would be to avoid line strike on the blank during the foreward casting stroke. Seems to be overkill to me.

Tried it once after reading it in the book, it's a pain as the reel keeps trying to flip. Otherwise, I was using the smaller spinning guides on top casting rods back than and spaced them as stated where I almost let the line touch the blank, so I didn't see it as much of a difference. Tried my first Roberts wrap from that book also, still have the rod.

I too read the D. Clemens book when I first started and have been using his method to do static deflection on spinning rodsever since. I find that this method (guides UP) gives me the best results, especially for the first (3-4 guides) where the blank bends the most. Typically I find the placement measurements to be - guide #1 is 4-4.5" from Tip, #2 is 4.5-5.5" from #1, #3 is 5-6" from #2.
I vary the load on the blank, my goal is to ensure the line does not touch the blank and maintains and equal distance from the blank thru guides 1 - 4. (so can't apply a load too heavy). I find on a 6'6" blank I need 6-7 guides.
This method has worked well for me and my spacing ends up in the range Tom's library article mentions. BUT am I using an old method.
that no longer works for todays technology og blanks?
I build freshwater rods mainly, most spinning rods 5' - 7' long.

Guess I wasn't dreaming after all !