The thread below on this subject is about to roll over so I'll start anew. I am currently working on my first stand up rod and my first use of roller guides as well. I have a set of All American Roller Guides designed for acid wrap.

I have given the thought of using a ceramic bumper guide some consideration. By off setting the stripper guide and the 1st bottom guide as little as possible in order to have the line in transtion just clear the blank it would appear that the line path over the rollers may be better than by using a bumper with guides placed at 0 and 180 degrees. A bumper guide would hold the line farther from the blank than the off set does.

Any thoughts on this would be appreciated. I am working with a 6" spacing between my transition guides.



Stan Grace
Helena, MT
"Our best is none too good"

If you do this, don't offset the roller guides. Use the lowest bumper ring you can and position it at from 90 to 100 degrees (check the article for specifics on how to use the Simple Spiral System on stand-up and offshore rods).

I have built many rods over the years with the butt and first underside guide offset just enough to allow the line to clear the blank. It works pretty well, but I never liked that canted butt guide. With the Simple Spiral and the use of the bumper ring, it's not necessary.

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I'm planning the same thing. Keep in mind that the first two guides should be at their normal spacing with the bumper in between. You can adjust the bumper as I did on my first bumper all ringed rod to get the line a bit closer to the blank. I like to clear the blank by a 1/4" or less. I've never had a problem with line rubbing on the blank on my acid rods with the line that close.
John Mantele, inventor of the acid roller, is a strong advocate of using stainless steel tape verses the bumper guide to get the line closer to the blank and thereby decrease the angle of the line. I have sample of ths ss tape and am gonna play with it, might just try it also.
Keep us posted how your project progresses.

Stan,

Not to buck what Tom's telling you, but we have such a set-up (AA roller stripper/ring guide/AA roller top)on the wrapper right now. Using the new Fuji "CHBNG" Nitride II Concept guides with a #10 for a bumper, we ended up with the stripper at 33-34 degrees, 24" off the spool's center on the static test.

We started out with the idea of running the stripper straight up, but had problems with the line climbing up the side of the roller (with the line on the left side of the spool) when loaded until we got to 30+ degrees. The blank is a Seeker 6460XH.

As it stands right now, this one should be finished in the next day or two. I'd be happy to forward you a couple of pics once it's dry enough to mount the reel on and load up.

Mark Griffin
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C&M Custom Tackle
San Dimas, California

Mark, could you send me those pics also, thx

Tom - I appreciate your advice using the bumper with the guides at 0 and 180. I guess my question is more along the lines of is that advantageous over a set up that slightly offsets the guides but uses no bumper?

Jim - I intend to maintain the 6" spacing between the roller guides regardless of the method.

Mark - I would appreciate seeing your pictures. I too am concerned about the line climbing on a 0 axis stripper but isn't that somewhat determined by reel height as well?

If I hadn't won the door prize provided by the fine folks at All American Roller Guides at the NW Rodbuilders gathering I would be simply adjusting a set of ceramics to the improved spiral wrap bumper guide set up. I am however looking forward finishing this rod built on a Lamiglas CHJ 6680 blank as a 1st class 5' 6" halibut rod to test in Alaskan waters in June.

Stan Grace
Helena, MT
"Our best is none too good"

You'd like the heavy load placed on the stripper to be straight down rather than in a situation that cause the guide to twist or break loose under the wrap at some point. I'm not saying that it will definitely do that - but it's far more likely when you have the stripper offset.

I didn't say it wouldn't work - I've done many like that and have sold others on the idea over the years. We all have had good success with it. However, if the Simple Spiral with bumper would be suitable for the same application, I'd go that route just to keep my stripping guide on the 0 axis.

Ultimately the reel you use will have a lot to do with which set up you have to go with.

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Thanks! I get your logic. It is one reason I felt that the least amount of offset needed to pass the line by the rod was the best lay out if a bumper isn't used.

Stan Grace
Helena, MT
"Our best is none too good"