I just read Toms article from Rodmaker V2 #5 "Guide spacing grid" and have a question. I understood most of the article except I don't know what 90% butt to tip angle means. Do you mark the blank at 90% from tip to butt and when that section starts to flex you are there? And if this is the case how much flex is enough. Or is it something else. I enjoyed the article a great deal and think it will be an easy way to determine guide spacing in the future for me.

Apply a weight to the tip and at some point as you weight the tip more and more, the relationship of the butt to the tip will be 90 degrees. The butt will be horizontal and the tip will be pointing down, vertically.

This particular relationship is the basis for many other guide spacing systems as well.

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please excuse my ignorance. 90 degrees even on a more stout rod? I purchased an AXGC66MH from American Tackle for the blank I will be using. Being new I don't know much yet but 90 degrees seems like it would be hard to flex that far without breaking or damaging the blank.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/09/2009 01:12PM by Jeff McGee.

At some point while out fishing, any rod is going to be bent to 90 degrees and this won't hurt a thing. You just never want to take the tip beyond 90 degrees.

Very stout rods present a bit of a different problem for guide spacing in that they're sometimes hard to flex very far and you certainly don't want anything coming loose while they're in that position. But nearly any guide placement system you choose, including a standard static distribution, is going to require that a very good bend is put in the rod. The trick on the real heavyweight rods is doing it safely.

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In addition to Tom's comments, do a search on the library.
There are some excellent pictures of folks who have built up jigs, just for flexing extra stout rods. Essentially a way to safely restrain the butt section of the rod, and then a series of cords and or ropes and or possibly pulleys to flex the rod to the desired 90 degrees.

Tough rods require a tough jig and or a stout back.

Good luck
Roger

I made a jig from srap wood and a Plastic rod holder (going to replace with Alum.) and using a length of 3/16 th nylon to bend the rod to where I want it then use yellow braid to go through guides to check clearance. It hooks under the cabinet with a block of wood. 3/16 th line goes to a bracket mounted to the bottom of my bench

[www.rodbuilding.org]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/09/2009 08:03PM by Barry Thomas Sr.

I do it the same way with heavy blanks. I built a bracket and use a 45 degree angle to set the rod in then I use a small block and tackle and 1/4" nylon rope and some 200 lb spectra loop. I have a eye bolt on the floor as well as the ceiling that is adjustable for various rod lengths and use a tie off cleat. I glue up the tip and tie off the spectra loop around the tube of the top as well as a few wraps on the blank for added insurance of slippage. And yes you do not want anything to come loose. I had a super seeker 4x pulled to the floor and my knot let loose. I was setting up the american tackle titians and had 7 taped on and only found 4 of them.

Thad
Dutchman's Creek Tackle