I build all my rods with guides on the hard spline. This weekend, I glued up at butt section and neglected to align the reel seat with the spline (so that reel hangs in line with the guides. If I build the other three sections with guides on the hard spline, will I have any performance issues? I have had people tell me the spline on butt section does not matter that much, or at all. I don't agree with that if only because I spline the butt sections, but should I lose any sleep over this?

I don't know what a hard spline is. Sorry.

The fact is, the spine itself doesn't matter much at all. Are you talking about a spinning or fly rod? In that case you have absolutely nothing to worry over. The rod can't twist due to the fact the the guides are already on the bottom of the rod. If it's a casting rod, then it's going to try and twist no matter what you do with the spine.

I'd go back to bed and not worry about it.

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

Tony; Don't loose any sleep. You can spine your rods or not that 's up to you. Some builders feel it helps casting accuracy to locate it on their casting plane while others feel it helps reduce rod twist. Your rod, do as you wish. Personally I build on the straightest axis because I don't think spine has anything to do with rod twist and I fish the ocean and as long as I don't forget to put the reel in free spool I haven't missed it yet.

Thanks for the replies guys. It is a 4 piece, 7 weight Lamiglas fly rod blank that was built for throwing sinking line, therefore a little "stiffer" in general. Should this make me feel any better or worse?

I like the fact that some people don't spline at all and I have seen estimates that that building on the hard spline , on all four sections increases efficiency by 10%. So, therefore the formula that can let me sleep at night is as follows:

.25 * .10 = .025

I am still getting about 8% more efficiency. IF....you think splining makes a difference.

Don't lose sleep over it. Just make sure the rest of the sestions are lined-up on spine and you align the reel straight-on with them when you put it together.

We spine all the sections of our rods all the time. However, if I have to make an error, i'd rather it be on the butt section than the tip. I think your "formula" is as good as any other ideas.

Uncle Russ
Calico Creek Rods

Thanks, Uncle Russ.

Tony,

What is the "hard spline"?

Paul

The way it was taught to me....the spine / spline that is so pronounced that that when your are turning the blank, it wants to roll off that spine. Traditional method has you turning the blank until it rests solidly and squarely.

I have recently been told by more than one person that this is "old school". I like the people that taught me and I understand the logic that it provides more power, so I do it.

Tony,
Although I spine all of my rods, I think that one of the biggest helps of spining a rod is to have the guides on the curved side of the blank.
Although manufacturers tend to weed out blanks for shipment that have any significant bend - one receives a blank every now and then that has a bend.
Sure, one can send it back, but I have found over the years, that as long as the bend is slight, and that as long as the handle and guides are located such that the tip of the rod always droops down - rather than side to side or up - the rod will perform perfectly.

I have also found that if you spine a rod that has a slight bend in the blank, that the spine - invariably follows the bend of the rod. i.e. the hard spine will be on the side of the rod - such that the rod will naturally droop down at the tip.

However, now and then - I have seen a couple of cases, where a very hard spine is at right angles to a bend in a blank.
In this case - I still opt for the build of the rod to have the guides on the side of the rod; such that the tip will droop down, rather than side to side.
The fishability of the rod is little affected by the spine - but the user of the rod will notice a side to side bend in the rod every time that he or she casts with the rod if the rod is built such that the guides are on the side of the blank such that the tip curves side to side rather than up and down.

Take care
Roger