Had a talk with a fishing bud over the weekend about what is the best major advance in overall rod building technology in the past half century. He says graphite blanks, but I thought about all the rods where other materials like glass or bamboo are still more suited, so my thinking is the advent of ceramic guides, since nearly all rods except fly rods now have them. What say you?

Many rods, including both fly rods and conventional rods, were using agate ring guides nearly a century ago. Agate ring guides are nearly identical to modern ceramic guides in form and composition. I'm going to have to go with your buddy on graphite.
Funny how big advances in fields as diverse as rod building and electronics owe their advances to the space program - reputed by some to be a waste of money.

I love agate stripping guides for bamboo rods but would you want an agate tip ?
Lightweight modern ceramics are certainly a great advancement.

I would say the computer brought the greatest advance to rod building technology as they have to just about every technology in that time frame.
From material design and manufacture all the way to wholesale and retail operations as well as getting the parts to our doors.
And then there's the benefit of information sharing on forums such as this.

Hands down it's the computer.

Bill Gates made me say it.

Phil Ewanicki Wrote:
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> Many rods, including both fly rods and
> conventional rods, were using agate ring guides
> nearly a century ago. Agate ring guides are nearly
> identical to modern ceramic guides in form and
> composition. I'm going to have to go with your
> buddy on graphite.
> Funny how big advances in fields as diverse as rod
> building and electronics owe their advances to the
> space program - reputed by some to be a waste of
> money.

There could be an entire new thread started just on advances that came from the space program. So so many things we use in everyday life came from NASA.

I was once told by two different rod/blank mfgs. that if S-glass had come before graphite that it would be in the forefront of rod building and not trailing graphite. There are so many inovations that it is impossible to say which is the most significant.

Fly rod guides that fit the shape of the rod blank did it for me,its just alot easyer for me and my fingers to fumble with.I dont have alot of experience Im on about my 20th rod so far.

Jim, good for you!! Keep at it, I don't know how old you are, but I am going on 70, and also going towards 3,000 rods. I have 40 in the works now, and feel like I could make another couple thousand. Enjoy, and let your brain take you where no other rod builder has gone!!

Microwave guide line control system.

Randolph Ruwe Wrote:
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> Jim, good for you!! Keep at it, I don't know how
> old you are, but I am going on 70, and also going
> towards 3,000 rods. I have 40 in the works now,
> and feel like I could make another couple
> thousand. Enjoy, and let your brain take you
> where no other rod builder has gone!!
Thank you Randolph that great inspiration, Im 51,Thats alot of rod building you have done.

Nearly all were fun and only a few turned into work. That doesn't count the countless test wraps I did!! It was fun experimenting, coming up with new wraps, techniques, etc. Experiment!!!

Without a doubt ..... the internet!

Without a doubt ..... the internet!

I'd have to agree wholeheartedly with Steve Cox. Without it this wonderful little alcove wouldn't be here and it has changed a lot of my rodbuilding in a lot of ways. I could go on for ages what it has done for me and I'm just one builder.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

I'm with Steve all the way - it has enabled us to share ideas and techniques which is pushing everyone to go that step further.

Also, as someone really into thread-work - the use of Polyesters has been a huge jump forward in colour use and cross-wrapping.

Regards
Mark
Outback Rods
Australia

I'm pushing 70 and in my lifetime I recall a number of small but significant improvements to my fishing in general...
Skirted spools on spinning reels.
Soft sented plastics for worms et al.
Ceramic guides.
Graphite blanks.
Spectra type braided line.

Rodmaker Magazine. Ten times more info than all these forums put together and usually a year or two ahead of the internet.

I would agree Ken. But I was thinking along the lines of hard goods not information.

The most valuable innovation in my opinion is the Rod Builder him or herself. Without demands for improved goods and the experimentation by Rod Builders, we would not be where we are today.

Hello All.

I have to agree with Randalph, it's the rodbuilders themselves, in the form of innovation.
No people no innovation.

Tight Wraps.

Bob,

New Bern, NC.

The question is "what is the major advance in rod building TECHNOLOGY?"