I'm not a big fan of spiral setups, not from a functional perspective, they just look goofy to me. But, I was wondering, since the second guide is intended mostly to just keep the line off the blank, so a really low guide is recommended, would a guide ring of the proper size glued to the blank in the half way position between the 0 degree guide and the 180 degree guide, work ok? Anyone tried this?

It would provide the lowest possible contact at 90 degrees, but would not contribute to line control. The line could go where it wants, and stay out of contact with the blank.

Just thinking. . .

Micheal;

I think the concept is viable, but also think that a guide ring may be a poor choice. A blank when flexed especially deep into the blank will tend to change shape from round to oval.
I don't think the guide restricting that would necasserially hurt the blank, But the blank ovaling may crack the ring which in turn will damage the line

Michael,
It is just simpler to wrap on a very low casting guide that works very well.


Be safe

I agree with Steve and Roger. Use a low casting guide. Spiral wrapped rods work great but I have found that using two or more guides to transition to 180 degrees works better. Best, MH

If you put a ring around the rod blank, there is a good chance the blank will fail at that point. However, you are on the right track in your thinking that all you need to do is keep the line off the blank. I have put down a couple coats of Permagloss and simply allowed the line to rub the blank at that point. No harm done and it functions perfectly.

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I know the accepted method is to use a low casting guide. That;'s what I said in my original post. My question is: Have you tried a guide ring from a scrap guide, of proper diameter to mount on the blank at 1/2 way between the 0 degree guide and the 180 degree guide? And if so, how did it work? I'm asking for actual experience, not conjecture.

The rod blank will break. Not conjecture, fact. You can't constrict the rod blank with a rigid object in an area where it needs to go oval under flex.

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Anyone that wants to try this and has a rod blank they don't mind sacrificing, do this - drop a washer or rigid guide ring down over the tip of the rod blank. Just let it slide until it stops. You don't have to jam it in place or anything. Now put the blank in a good flex down through the area where the washer or ring resides. You may want to wear safety glasses just to be safe...

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Michael, I misunderstood your idea. I agree with the others it's not going to work. Tom has a cool idea that sounds like it works. I'm thinking you could do a wrap to match your guide wraps and put a few coats over it. Let the line rub on that. Good luck, MH

Yes that would work. Although, a low frame guide ring isn't prone to wear and therefore should last longer. But if you don't want to wrap a guide, go right ahead with a coated thread wrap.

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I remember, vaguely, that someone put a stainless ring in that location. I seem to remember them looking or a way to cushion the ring from the blank, but I don't remember the outcome of that search. I would think that something that is tough and flexible (Rodbond?), under the ring, would allow the blank to oval sufficiently to all the use of a ring on some sort. The other thought is that most guide rings are not smooth on the outside surface, so would cause wear on the line.

Maybe mount the ring on/in some sort of vinyl/rubber surface?

Chris Richer
Iroquois ON

Thanks folks, especially Tom. I do have a private email from a guy who says he has done the ring thing many times. Could be he uses an oversize ring and the epoxy is soft enough to prevent the pinching of the oval blank? That sounds a little iffy, especially if there is no performance advantage. Certainly the weight of one guide isn't compelling enough to chance blank breakage.

I measured my Loomis spinnerbait rod for ovality under about the same stress as the CCS deflection, about a third of the length, and in 3 measurements got an average of about .003 ovality in the diameter of .300 just off the bumper guide wrap.