Im building a 8ft 6in 3wt fast action fly rod , have casted and did the static distribution test . Rod casts great but Im concerned about the distance between the tip top and the first guide which is 4 inches . I believe I read some where that is the outer limits of distance which is acceptable? With a fast action tip and a 3 weight line it seems to me its taking a lot of stress at the tip section especially whan fighting a fish. Is my thinking correct ? If I move the guide forward say a 1/4 inch I will probably have to add another guide. thanks

There is no undue stress until you have a section of rod that is bent past 90 degrees. If you were to put the first guide behind the tip back so far that upon lifting or high-sticking you found that area suffering from what is often called a "bow-string" effect, you'd have cause for worry. However, anything from about 3 to perhaps 5 inches behind the tip should be fine. I think what you have now is perfectly acceptable and won't endanger your rod in any way.

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Maryann,
When you did your static test did the blank deflect or bend in the first 4 inches? I suspect that it did not as very few blanks deflect in the first few inches. If it did not that means that there was no strain. Strain is simply how much deflection there is. If there is no strain then by definition there can be no stress. Strain is the result of stress. And moving the first guide 1/4 inch in either direction is not going to have enough affect on the stress to worry about. There is another consideration though and that is that near the tip of the rod is the worst possible place to add weight which is the affect that moving the guide closer to the tip will have. The added weight, even though small, will reduce the rods performance, increase the resonant frequency, reduce the sensitivity, increase the damping time, etc.

Science is only one end of the answer to this question.

Many rodbuilders are influenced by what they are seeing in the stores on production rods. Many lines of production rods now have guides within 2 inches of the tip top. Thirteen guides on a seven foot rod.

One of the best selling bass lines on the market today uses marketing language that the more guides a rod has the better the rod. They actually tell potential customers to "count the number of guides on our rods they have two more guides than brand x so our rod is better!

This is being caused by the necessity of rods in stores to "look" conventional, i.e, progressive guide spacing. As you get further from the tip purchasers "must" see increasing distance between the guides for the rods to "look right".

It the rod blank lay up and taper requries 3.5 - 4.0 inchs guide spacing spacing back near the transition it forces the production company to add guides on the tip simply for aesthetics.

I seriously doubt that rods could be sold in stores with irregular spacing.

It is a shame that you can not sell rods in stores with the correct number of guides in the right place.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/20/2011 12:28PM by Bill Stevens.

To me, a static test has to be correct. I used to be concerned when my first guide was four inches and my second was three inches. Bill is right. I had been brainwashed over the years and didn't even know it:)

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

I agree with your Russell.
Up until last year, I tended to build rods with the conventional practice of progressive guide spacing.

But over the last year, - especially when working with some fast tipped or light action rods, the first guide form the tip is much further from the tip , than the 2nd guide is from the first guide.
No need for a guide at this location, so none was placed at this location.

But you are right. It is sometimes a bit difficlut to build something that looks different from what has been conventionally built for many years.

Roger

This is a GREAT topic - I hope all builders on this board read it!!! Bill NAILED it.