I've been told there are no stupid questions, so I hope you guys don't beat me up on these. I've checked the Rodboard library and and spent a couple of hours surfing the Rodboard pages last night for answers and I'm still unsure what to do. So I'll give you the easy question first.

1. I read a post about cutting down a blank, and that to maintain the blank's characteristics you needed to remove an equal amount from both the tip and the butt. I would like to remove 7cm. from the butt of a Calstar 270-7. Does that mean I should remove 7cm from the tip as well to keep the power profile of the blank consistent to what it would have been in it's original length?

2. No doubt I've been missing the boat, but the concept of using the straightest axis as opposed to finding the spine of a blank is a new concept for me. For the last 40 years (dating myself here) I've always located the spine and mounted my guides accordingly, usually on the inside?? as you would on a spinning rod without any apparent problems with diminished lifting power. Reading what Bill B.,Tom Kirkman, and others have said and reading the two Rodmaker articles that Tom mentioned, I can see the wisdom in the "straightest axis" concept, but I'm still a little confused. My question is if I roll the blank on my 12' flat bench, how do I know when I've located the straightest axis on the blank is and once I know, where do I mount my guides? Thanks for accommodating my professed ignorance.

If you cut the blank, from either end or both, you will change the rod blank's characteristics. You cannot keep the same power and action if you cut the blank. Impossible. f you remove 7cm from the butt of the blank, you will have a blank with a little bit lower action and a bit less overall power.

If you have a lathe or rod wrapper, put the butt of the blank into the supports, maybe about a foot apart. Then rotate the blank and find the point where the tip is centered and pointing up. That's how I would build the rod - in that orientation. The guides would go as needed for spinning or casting. I don't know what you mean by "diminished" lifting power. You can lift with the blank in any orientation but the maximum deadlift capability is going to be along the straightest axis as outlined above. This puts the thickest wall of the blank on the bottom, in compression

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David,
Of course Mr. Kirkman is correct as usual.

Many rods are purchased with the idea of a given tip action. Many many rods, derive the bulk of their characteristics from the front 1/3rd of the rod.

Unless you want to stiffen the tip action, I personally never cut anything from the tip.

Particularly in many freshwater rods, a manufacturer will make a given rod with a specific tip action. Then, when the manufacturer makes a longer rod, he just extends the taper of the rod into a longer butt. By trimming the butt back, the shorter rod is obtained with the same tip action.

There are times when I want to stiffen the tip action. If I do wan the tip to be stiffer, I will do some checks to see how much I need to trim to achieve the desired tip action. Often, on many rods, the change by 1/4 or 1/2 an inch can change the tips action significantly.

You can tie a line on the rod at different spots from the tip back to see how trimming from the tip will affect the rods action, before making any cuts.

You can also hold the butt of the blank in different positions to simulate the action of the rod if you trim from that end of the rod, before trimming as well.

Good luck

Tom,
I've got an American Tackle power wrapper. What I meant to mean about "diminished lifting power" was the reduced deadlift capacity that I am led to believe you see if you you mounted your guides (such as on a spinning rod) 180 degrees from the compression side of the blank. So if I understand correctly, for a casting or bait rod that you might use for tuna, I should be mounting my guides opposite the compression side to achieve maximum deadlift capability. And the thickest wall of the blank, or compression side, will be on the top of the blank when the tip is pointing up while in the supports?

If you want the greatest amount of deadlift capacity before failure, the thickest wall of the blank should be on the bottom, regardless of whether it is a spinning or casting rod.

Generally when you have the straightest axis and the butt and tip are up, with the belly down, the thickest wall is then on the bottom.

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Tom and Roger,

Thanks so very much. There is so much quality help and information available here, it's almost mind-boggling. And Tom, thanks also for all you do as moderator, ect. It's appreciated more than you know.

Dave Sytsma

As a relatively new rod builder these are the kinds of posts that I find truly helpful. My first rod build was during a class that focused on the "build on the spine" concept and encouraged the purchase of a spine finder and while some of these "arguments" regarding building on the spine in my mind fall along the lines of Ford vs Chevy it is nevertheless food for thought.

I'll echo Dave's last comments and keep visiting this site on a regular basis.........

That is why when I hear of a New product or way of building a rod
I wate
I want to see how many builders start to ask about it - Have problems with it
finding the spine i was using two Shot glasses to find it -- Glad i never bought a finder !! LOL

There are so many posts HERE that builders ask of Why and How to do something

These are the ones that are needed to be read After a while the Spine thing was tested and Tom K posted Not Needed
But people Still ask about it
That is why it is WELL you come here even if only several times a week To read the posts and LEARN on what is going on and
How Things Are Changing in Rod Building

Bill - willierods.com