I've looked over the past few posts and I cannot find where someone had posted instructions on making a Home made Spine Finder. I even did a search and I obviously am not doing something right because it comes up nothing. Your help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Rick

Many rod builders no longer bother to spine their rods (many never did), those that do either do it by hand or with a simple device such as you mention. It's as easy task to simply set the butt of the blank on a marble and then press straight down on the tip. The blank will flex and the outside of the curve is the effective spine.

The magazine has had several article on making simple spine finders. In essence there are nothing more than a free turning tube or two free turning ball bearings held in scrap wood, a few inches apart. The blank is inserted and the tip deflected. The blank spins and stops and the outside of the curve is the effective spine.

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

Rick,
Any more, if I need to find the spine - I generally do it by hand. Just put a good flex in the rod, with the tip on the floor - and let the rod spin in my hand. If there is sufficient spine to be worthy of note, it will center itself on the spine.

I also have a couple of power wrappers. The power wrappers that I have were made by myself. The rod rests are made of three skate board bearings mounted on horizontal aluminum bars. Two bearings on the bottom bar, and one bearing on the top bar.

For a very very very sensitive spine finder, I use threee of the rod rests. The ones on each end are used as when wrapping a rod. i.e. I put the bearings at the top of the braces and rest the rod on the steady rests.
I then mount the third steady rest in the center of the area that I want to bend, and put the third steady rest on the cross braces upside down.

So, now I have a blank well supported on 4 ball bearings. Two bearings on each end. Then, I deflect the rod by the third set of ball bearings used upside down from the ordinary way of power wrapping.

If there is any spine in the blank at all, the blank will quickly roll to the path of least resistance and define the spine.

So, if you have a power wrapper, you likely already have all the elements to make a very sensitive spine finder.

Take care
Roger

I don't worry about that too much any more. I put tape on the section of blank, stick the tip on the floor, put a shot glass, ( after drinking the contents ) over the butt, push down and mark the place where I will put the guides. In the curve or outside of the curve. I do this several times to see if it is the same. If two different places, I use the center of both. Then i look to see if the blank has a curve in it. If it does I put the guides on the underside with the blank turning up. Spinning. Casting Conventional, on top.

I don't worry about that too much any more. I put tape on the section of blank, stick the tip on the floor, put a shot glass, ( after drinking the contents ) over the butt, push down and mark the place where I will put the guides. In the curve or outside of the curve. I do this several times to see if it is the same. If two different places, I use the center of both. Then i look to see if the blank has a curve in it. If it does I put the guides on the underside with the blank turning up. Spinning. Casting Conventional, on top. Takes longer to type then do.

Did you look in the "Library" at the top of the page?

[www.rodbuilding.org]

We use the Renzetti spine finder tool but you can make one of these from a lathe point on a frame. The other one is to use the PVC tube design.

Uncle Russ
Calico Creek Rods

I do have a power wrapper and was thinking of using it with the rollers.
thanks,
Rick

Rick
Your wrapper will work fine.
Just put the middle upside down roller about 1/3 of the way down from the tip.
Then, put the two other rollers about a foot on each side.
This is the spot where the spine is typically the most pronounced.

Obviously, do not put the blank in the chuck on the wrapper motor drive system.

Take care
Roger