I have been making flyrods for a few years and I know that the quides go on the oppsite side of the spine. Well I have been asked to make a casting rod and common sense tells me to put the guides on the same side as the spine sine the guides on a casting rod are outside the bend verses a flyrod wich are on the inside. Am I thinking correcty or am I way off base?

John, do a search here for spine or spline and choose all dates, you will have some reading to do! (couple days worth)
Why not build it spiral wrapped and not worry about the spine, spline?
Yes if your going to build conventional then place the guides on the outside of the spine.

There have been MANY disussions here (a long one recently) Personally, I would ignore the spine and build to the straightest axis of the blank. I feel the spine is pretty much a non factor in rod building and building to the straightest axis ends up with a better rod. This is MY opinion and I'll be the first to say that there is NO wrong way and do whatever you are more comfortable with!!

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

Why do the guides go opposite, or even on, the spine. What does that accomplish?

Guide placement determines if the rod will attempt to twist. All casting rods with the guides on top are inherently unstable while all spinning and fly rods with the guides on the bottom of the rod are inherently stable. And, this holds true regardless of where you orient the spine.


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As an "lefthanded" avid off-shore fisherman I've caught many fish on conventional gear becoming spinning-gear by flippin the rod and reeling backwards........Granted I would not like doing that with a 130 but on smaller gear it has NEVER bothered me and the fish seems to taste the same!! (just my $0.02)

Jan,

That's why folks that don't want to perform such gyrations use the spiral wrap.

John,

You write 'I know that the quides go on the oppsite side of the spine' in regard to fly rods. I certainly don't 'know' that. In fact, I do it the other way (I know 'why' I do it that way, but it's much too long an explanation to type out here-besides, it just really doesn't matter).

What has been pretty well proven is that the spine effect is a minor aspect to be considered in building a rod. So many other things are so much more important.

If you are looking for some kind of consensus, you won't find it. Too many folks have their own odd reasons why they do it a certain way, but none of them agree.

It just doesn't matter. Build it how you want. There is no 'right' or 'correct' way. It all works and all the rods fish just fine.

Buddy

I would do a spiral wrap this would elimanate the rod from twisting.
Good Wraps Bob

I've gone to building on the straightest axis and think the performance picks up when you disregard the spine and do this.