My problem with the "set it up like a baitcaster and flip all the guides after the butt guide" formula is, when using micro guides, that it is very hard to do that first step with guides on top. Because they give no height to raise the line off the blank, it is difficult to determine guide spacing.

So I would look at doing it this way:
1 - set the rod up like a "new concept" spinning rod with all the running guides on the bottom.
2 - place the butt guide on top where you think it should go. With a reel like a Chronarch I think you could use a BLAG8 that is fairly close to the reel.
3 - add more running guides, spaced appropriately, back toward the butt guide.
4 - add a bumper guide to aid the transition around the blank from the butt guide on top to the first running guide on the bottom.

In other words, what do you think of BLAG8 at 0 deg, BLAG6 as bumper and BLAG4s at 180 deg out to the tip? Also, FYI, I build baitcasters no foregrip so the line rubbing a forgrip or finger is not an issue.

What do ya'll think?

If you're having a problem determining spacing with guides on top because the line contacts the blank, I would just flip the whole rod over. In other words, have the reel on the underside of the rod, until you get the spacing you want. Then, you can rotate all of the running guides into their new positions.

Marty;
Give me a length of rod you are working on and I will give you some starting points to work with. Then you can test it some and tweak as you see fit.

The Bumper guide does not aid line transition - the line transitions normally by itself. Remember the Bumper guide is not necessary - it is not part of the normal spacing and should be added only after all the other guides have been spaced and placed. The distance between the butt guide and first 180 guide should only be about 8 to 11 inches at the most. The Bumper goes in-between them and only serves to keep the line from rubbing the blank.

In order to facilitate getting the line to the bottom without rubbing the blank, you may wish to use a larger guide for the butt and perhaps the first 180 guide. This allows the line to move further to the outside of the blank right off the bat.

Remember that there is nothing magic about "micro guides," they have their place and use but when other criteria come into play, you must use what is required to fulfill that criteria.

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The way I do my simple spiral micro guide setups is to use a 6 double foot for the stripper guide, then use a micro guide for the bumper, a 5 or 6 for the first 180º, then micros to the tip. So for your application I would use a BLNAG6 stripper, BLAG4 bumper, BLAG5 first 180º, and BLAG4 to the tip. Like Tom says the only purpose for the bumper is to keep the line for rubbing the blank, so I like to use the lowest possible guide. My theory for using the slightly larger stripper and first 180º guide is to make the angles from the transitions slightly less acute. All of this is for typical fast action bass rods, that don’t have a lot of flex in the butts, and while I have gotten very good results from the rods I have built this way, I am the first to admit that others have had very good results with different systems.

I do space my bottom guides like a spinning rod, with slightly more space between guides, and maybe one less guide than I would use if I put the guides on top.

There can be a slight problem with using what are termed "micro" guides for the Bumper guide, in that there isn't any real room for the line to move in the bottom of the ring. During periods of heavy flex, the line path can shift just a bit between the butt and 180 guide. You want the line to remain straight between them and you don't want the Bumper guide interfering with that path nor experiencing any side loads. For that reason it's not always advisable to use a very, very small guide such as a micro type for the Bumper.

To keep the guide low, which is important, you can take nearly any guide and reshape the legs/feet so that it sits right down on the blank. The article has more information on this and the size of the Bumper guide.

This is just something to keep in mind when setting up such a system for best results.

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In addition to all of the excellent comments listed above, I might add that you consider the position and angle of the stripper guide.
It isn't true in all cases and is dependent on the reel being used, as well as the blank on which it is mounted, but you will often have beeter results in a spiral wrap to offset the stripper guide some degrees of rotation.

i.e. set up your guides with the stripper guide at 0 degrees to the reel. Then, go ahead and set up all of the rest of the guides as listed above. Do some casting or equivalent, so that you retreive 50 or 60 feet of line under some stress. As you do, make note of how the line comes through the stripper and into the reel. Make note if the lins is consistently rubbing against one side of the reel line guide or if it alternates between one side of the reel line guide and the other.
If you find that the line - during retreival is consistenly rubbing against one side of the line guide with the inevitible piling of line on one side of the reel; as opposed to retreiving line equally on the line spool, rotate the stripper guide in a direction to center the line during line retreival. i.e on a long line under stress retreival, you should find that the line coming off the tripper guide first contacts one side of the reel line guide, and then the other side of the reel guide. If you have the stripper guide aligned to do this, you will find that you get very uniform line lay on the reel after retreiving much line under tension.

In recent times, I have found that most of my spiral wrapped rods have ended up with the stripper guide being rotated about 5 degrees in the direction of guide spiral. i.e. if the guides spiral clockwise, the stripper guide will be offset about 5 degrees clockwise.
Conversely, if the guides spiral counterclockwise, the stripper guide works better if it is offset about 5 degrees counterclockwise.

As I said at the beginning, the amount of offset, if any is dependent on line, reel, rod and overall guide placement.
Only move the stripper guide from a 0 degree placement after all of the other guides are in place and then only with the appropriate line on the reel and line retrival tests under tension are conducted to determine need of stripper guide rotation - if any - are needed.

Take care
Roger

Blank is St. Croix SC5S66MLF, so 6'6" with fast action.

Marty;

Try this and adjust if you find it necessary
Spacing: Tip- 8cm- 9cm- 10cm- 11cm- 13cm- 15cm- 17cm- 19cm- 23cm
Guides 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3mm 3.5mm 4mm 5mm 6mm

I use the setup below for my spiral wraps. Not the “bumper system” if you want to use the “bumper system” this setup may not work for you.

I mount my reel on rod, rotate handle until line guide is centered. Then sight straight down rod and (rotating to the right) align the center of line guide on reel with the left edge of my stripper guide. Then using the sight path created by aligning up the first two, align the left side of my next guide with the right side of my stripper guide and so on till I’m transitioned to the bottom. My fourth guide is usually just a little off the 180 mark.
What I have when finished is a smooth transition from top to bottom that allows my line to have the straightest path possible from top to bottom, creating very little side pressure on the guide rings. Which in turn I believe allows for longer cast.


post editted to reflect Mike's correct statement below



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/06/2009 05:10PM by Steve Gardner.

Good advice Steve, but I believe you mean 8cm-9cm-10cm ect… that is very close to the spacing that I use.