I've wrapped several rods in the past but never a spiral. With the two blanks below I intend to change that.

What I am looking for is advice on the guides, guide sizes for each, and the spacing. Is 20 16 12 12 10 10 10 10 good or ??

Also does it matter if I make these deckhand style or will they perform better with a real-seat?


Below is what I was going to try but open to advice.

Avet MXL - 65lb braid to 40lb mono
RCLB70M
Alps XN

Avet MXL - 65lb braid to 25 - 30lb mono
RCLB70L
Alps MXN

Thanks in advance

There's no need to use all those sizes.

Choose a stripper to give you the grip clearance you need and then (most of the time you can) go straight to your runner size for all the rest of the guides.

Ok, not to be too dense but if I'm understanding correct I can go from a 16 to 20 for the striper and then all 12's or 10's

Yes.

With those blanks and other comparable blanks, I actually tend to use 20,18,16, 12, 10, 10, 10,10. Just seems to work out and look better to me compared to the straight to running guide style. Weight usually isn't much of a concern on my builds anyway. So I think your original layout is quite feasible. Although either way works.

Line pathing, at least to me, should be a greater concern that what looks good.

If you can achieve a good line path with guides that look good to you then by all means...

To me, in a spiral wrap the line should touch each guide and each guide should bend the line. Guides should not be placed, when the rod is loaded, so the line spirals through a ring without touching it. This means the guide is not contributing to the spiral and could be eliminated. At the same time, a guide should not be sized or placed to introduce unnecessary bend into the line, this is not efficient.

It's been my experience that larger unnecessarily tall 2nd, 3rd, or 4th guides bend the line path excessively. But every rod is different, just like builder preferences. If you can make it work and you're happy with the results that's all that really matters.

I've .fished lr out of san diego for 20 yrs and wrap my own spiral or acid wrap rods , leaving on an 8 day tuna trip june 20 on the Intrepid hoping for bft(I hope).

I've tried every spiral tech over the years and now have my stripper guide at 0 deg, usually a size 20, last rod i wrapped was a calstar 700M for 40 # and used a 20 for the stripper, a 16 next at about 30deg, then a 12 at 150 deg, then 2 more size 12s at 180deg, and then 3 size 10s at 180. I pretty much use the same system for all my rods. longer rods might use a few more guides-every tech i tried, they all casted the same, no difference when spiral wrapped over convential-just eliminates the twist in the rod, i never use gimbals, don't need them. I just eyeball the 2nd and 3rd guides so the line doesn't touch the blank, if you're in san diego you can stop by and look at my rods.

Got one even better for you: [www.rainshadowrodblanks.com]
Click the "Blue Prints" tab and you will see sample spiral wrapped rods complete with blueprints to help guide you throughout the process.

R. McBride

Batson Enterprises
BatsonEnterprises.com | RainShadowRodBlanks.com | ALPSForeCast.com | Build2Fish.com

If your knots go though the 8's good
I glue the top on of course at 180
Then place the guides at 180 spinning fashion Bring the first two up Run line and static test
I would also go 20 - 16 then 8's The 8's will keep the line closer to the blank and a straighter line path
I also try to keep the line at the bottom of the guide close to the blank or at the top of the ring But not on the sides as I feel this will tend to Push the guide -- All under pressure
Works for me

Bill - willierods.com

Thanks everyone for the input... Got the blank in the mail the other day and have since wrapped the cord and taped the guides on for testing... I ended up getting 20 - 16 - 12 - 12 - 12 - 12 - 12 - 12 but they just feel so big on the blank. I may end up ordering 3 x 10's to shrink it by the tip. I'll post a few pics soon.

If you can and have an 8 laying around Check the 8's and see if your line and - knots - fit Less weight on the tip always a good thing

Bill - willierods.com

I have a full set of 'ATC Virtus Lite Guide - Black / Nanolite' 20 - 16 - 12 -12 -12 - 10 - 10 - 10 in my build box that I haven't used yet.

I was going to run Alps XXNZ on it and that's what I used for testing.

Are the ATC beefy enough to 40lb mono and braid?

Hello Jay.

Yes they should be fine I use them on my 30# king stuff all the time, at 60-80# you would be better off with the heavy Virtus.
I like a GTS 70L, Spiral wrapped using the Titans, (but the Virtus Light would be just fine in the same sizes) NIRLC-12 Butt, a NIRLC-12 Bumper, a NIRLC-8 Transition, and 7 NIRLC-6 Running Guides, TTRLT-8-7.5 Top.


Tight Wraps & Tighter Lines!

Bob,

New Bern, NC.