I got such a deal on a Purglas closeout blank I couldn't resist. Now I've got a 11'6" three piece monster with a #9 tip and a 1.14" butt. I've built many fly rods and a few spin rods but I have no idea about a guideset or spacing, or a reel seat on this beast . I'd like to build a spinrod. Any component or spacing suggestions?

You didn't provide much info. Can you be more specific? Surf? Fresh or salt?
Species targeted??

You said you've built spinning rods. You probably answered your own question.

The blank will tell you where the guides need to be but ya need to learn the language.

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

It's either a decent surf rod, or something you could use for poling a flats boat off St Somewhere.

Could maybe be used for catfish, or carp. Or really big bluegill.

Lay out a grip/reelseat/foregrip design that's comfortable for you. Then start with a 50mm stripper and progress from there through your monster tip-top. There are lots of articles in the magazine about guide spacing, but there are no rules - just whatever looks like a progression from reel to tip without hinges or sags or flat spots. If Tom's basic rule of 1guide per foot plus one plus the tip holds, then you'll end up with something like 12 or 13 guides plus the tip.

Wrap it in whatever colors you like. Keep it simple because something this length with a butt like that just begs for some serious thread art but that'll take you till next season to do and fall surf fishing is coming up in a couple weeks. So are catfish and carp fall seasons. Bluegill is about over, though.

Have fun. As we say in our little shop -just build it!

Uncle Russ
Calico Creek Rods

Phil,

Russ did a much better job than I in answering your question.
Just keep is simple & look at some catalogs.

Your email address is hidden so I can't send you a little utility
I have that might give you a good start placing guides and learning
to speak "rodblank".

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

The guide spacing is very simple -
Press the tip against the wall and bend the rod. Insure that one guide is placed exactly where the first bend occurs.
Normally, you will have one or possibly two guides in front of that guide toward the tip.
Then, the other guides will simply be placed, toward the butt in an increasing distance to insure that the rod is loaded properly.

Don't make the mistake of putting on too many guides. Put on just enough to insure that the line follows the contour of the rod.
I expect that this rod has a fairly moderate action, so the number of spinning guides should be fairly low.
The advice about starting the the size 50 for the first guide is right on.

Place the reel seat where it makes sense for the type use you are going to be giving the rod.
If you are going to be doing two hand casting, then possibly a 15 inch or so back grip might be in order. You could always go shorter, but then you might find that the tip gets awfully heavy. You could always back weight the butt of the rod, if you wanted to increase your fishing distance, by going to a shorter back grip on the rod.

Take care
Roger

These measurements are from my Allstar 1418 11'6" Surf rod (inches From the Tip 7 -14.5- 25 -37.5 -50.5 -67 -84) just rough measurement Good Luck