I laid out the first 5 guides ...

Starting at the reel: 17.5 inches ( 450 mm ) to 20H, 9.75 inches ( 248 mm ) to 10H, 6.75 inches ( 171.5 mm ) to 7M, 4.25 inches ( 108 mm ) to 5.5L, 4.5 inches ( 114.5 mm ) to 4.5B than 4.3 inches for the rest of the runners to the tip ...

Reduction train bulleyes perfectly, than I moved the 4.5B out a bit so the lower ring matches the top ring of the 5.5L ...

That accounts for the 4.25 in to 4.5 in spacing between 7M, 5.5L, and 4.5B ...

Any thoughts? Spacing on the runners from the 4.5B to the tip? 30.25 inches from the first 4.5B to the tip.

Test casted today. Seemed good. Nothing crazy. Wind is blowing a bunch but it felt ok.

Blank is the 8 foot Lamiglas GSB. The reel will be a Shimano Stradic 5000FJ. Line will be 20lb braid. Will not be looking to reel knots through the guides.

Big difference in the rod built like this versus the stock Lami build.

First rod Ive built this way.

Thanks.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/15/2015 08:10PM by Phil Juhring.

Phil,

It sounds like you laid it out just like the suggestions posted by Jim Ising from Anglers Resource. I have built numerous rods using the KR Concept and following Jim's suggests on guide spacing and they have cast like a dream.

Recently I had been using the MicroWave Guides on the spinning rods I built; but now I am recommending the KR Concept Guides to my customers. They aren't as apprehensive about the KR Concert Guides as they were with the MicroWave Guides. Some of my clients just would not try the MicroWave Guides, even after I loaned the a rod wrapped with them to try. IMHO, Fuji has brought their "A Game" with the KR Concept Guides.

Don Campbell
don@sensorfishingrods.com

Phil, looks like a good layout, but there may be something to "explore" if you are in the test cast phase.
With a 5000 series reel the stripper may be a couple of inches close, especially if you're casting 30# braid or heavier mono. Consider moving the ENTIRE REDUCTION TRAIN OUT to start at 19.5" or even 20.5" from the tip of the spool axle in a "mid" position...test cast and see what you think.

I just tested it with a SP minnow and the current layout ( another benefit of working at a golf course lol ). Not real scientific, but I casted two directions three times to account for the wind and any slope.

Paced it off and got distances of:

70
63
65
63
70
69

It feels really nice casting. What a huge change in the feeling and characteristics of the rod. The rod feels like it has a much faster action but cast effortlessly and smoothly, just like you'd expect from a moderate action blank.

I'll now move the stripper out a bit and try again.

So here are the results with the stripper pushed out to 20 inches ...

71 - 1
78 - 2
66 - 1
86 - 2
75 - 1
81 - 2

I just went to an open field near my house. It was a bit more open and the wind was more of a factor than at my golf course. I casted upwind and down wind. The fact that the into the wind cast ( 1 ) were equal to the earlier testing with little to no wind tells me this was an improvement. I couldn't feel or hear much difference if any.

The quality blanks of today vary hardly at all from one blank to the other. Manufacturers of quality blanks best know the ideal guide placement for their blanks; they must if theirs are quality blanks. They will share this information. Do different makes and models of guides require different guide placement on any one blank?

Phil Ewanicki Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The quality blanks of today vary hardly at all
> from one blank to the other. Manufacturers of
> quality blanks best know the ideal guide placement
> for their blanks; they must if theirs are quality
> blanks. They will share this information. Do
> different makes and models of guides require
> different guide placement on any one blank?

I'm not sure but about all the rest but I can tell you that the stock Lamiglas builds are far from ideal.

Phil, if I understand your question correctly, guides of the same height with radically different frames, one leg or two, one mfgr to the next will place exactly the same on any one blank (and reel combo). And the converse is true...different heights in the same frame from the same mfgr will place differently on the same blank (and reel combo). Did I miss something?

Jim: Most easy questions require complex answers. Who you get your answers from is critical. I believe a reputable manufacturer/marketer of rod blanks has a LOT more data and experience than any one person about what guides and guide spacings perform best with their blanks . I can't imagine why a blank manufacturer/marketer would provide buyers with unreliable information. I recently built a 9 wt. BVK fly rod for myself. I used the guide spacing recommended by TFO. With this rod I can cast 90' of fly line plus 10' of backing, something I have never done before. I am convinced the vendor knows the product as well or better than any individual and the vendor provides reliable information.

Jim: Most easy questions require complex answers. Who you get your answers from is critical. I believe a reputable manufacturer/marketer of rod blanks has a LOT more data and experience than any one person about what guides and guide spacings perform best with their blanks . I can't imagine why a blank manufacturer/marketer would provide buyers with unreliable information. I recently built a 9 wt. BVK fly rod for myself. I used the guide spacing recommended by TFO. With this rod I can cast 90' of fly line plus 10' of backing, something I have never done before. I am convinced the vendor knows the product as well or better than any individual and the vendor provides reliable information.