Is the Spine Finder (ex. MudHole) really a helpful tool or a hype? The reason I ask is bc I have used the traditional method on my fly rods and some pieces has been hard to locate the spine on. If this tool is accurate and a time saver I won't hesitate adding one to my setup.

Tommy,
Leave the spine finder tool at the store.
Forget about spending any time to locate the spine of a blank.
Rather, just build on the straightest axis of the blank and move on.

Good luck

X2 Roger.

X3

Ron Weber

Has the spine theory gone out the window or something?

Chris - Yes! It's been replaced by 'build on the straightest axis'. Some times the spine and straightest axis align, but not always. It has been a tough concept for many to let go of.
Norm

What's the reasoning though? It makes sense to prevent to rod from twisting under heavy loads.

Read this and make up your own mind.
[www.rodbuilding.org]
Norm

The spine cannot stop a rod from twisting under a load. The lever arm effect of the guides will determine whether it can twist or not.

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I build only fly rods, and find that the spine has no effect on either casting or fighting a fish. It may have been important with the old heavy fiberglass blanks, but not today the carbon fiber technology and precise blank designs. Even true for the new lighter fiberglass. It is "old school."

Thanks for the response. So this is old school related to the fiberglass rods and has then been transferred to the modern rods? Makes sense. I've always mounted the guides 90 degrees from the spine. This is how I learned the craft. This was very important in order to prevent the rod from twisting, especially whilst fighting salmon. But also in the cast. If I don't need to focus on this anymore, great. Happy to learn something new

It wasn't important with older glass rods and isn't important now.

Rod twist is a function of guide orientation. It has nothing to do with spine orientation.

...............

On fly rods and spinning rods, the guides are on the bottom, the load is on the bottom, so you have no twist.

The load is not at the bottom at all times. Remember that both during spey and overhand casting you load the rod 90-180 degrees from the guides.This is what makes ferrules slip and the rings to become mis-aligned. Especially in spey casting where you set up an anchor in the water. Yes I know twist is a function of guide orientation, that's correct. Some people try to align this by twisting the hand in the cast. And others tape the ferrules, especially on DH rods. Tape is not of my choice and I've learned the theory that if you mount guides 90 degrees of the spine it helps with the twist and I can't say from personal experience that this myth is busted.

Tommy,

Many years ago, When I first leaned to build rods, I was taught to locate the rod spline and build accordingly. Much later in my rod building career, a buddy of my asked me to build him a Senko rod. He waited it light and sensitive and had the money to spend. I suggest that he go with a high quality blank and titanium micro guides. He decided to go with a St Croix SC V blank. I carefully splined the blank and wrapped on Fuji SIC.Ti micro guides after static loading the blank.

After taking the rod out my drying cabinet and admiring my work, my heart sank! The blank had a slight bend to the right in the tip area. The first thing he did when he picked the rod up was to sight down the blank to see if the guides were all in alignment, and naturally he said "the blank is crooked"! That is the last time I used the blank spline to determine the location of the guide placements.

After that embarrassing experience, I now place all the blanks I receive on my rod supports with a piece of graph paper at the tip and rotate the blank to determine at which point the tip is in the "up" position. I mark that locate on a piece of masking tape and then then wrap the guides on the tip "up" side for casting rods and the opposite side for spinning rods.

Don Campbell
don@sensorfishingrods.com



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/21/2016 11:17AM by Donald R Campbell.

I agree with Donald, By doing it this way you not only get the straightest axis but also this placement of the guides (spin vs cast) causes the bend to virtually disappear.
Norm

That is a great tip Don. Thanks for sharing your own experience

Found this in the library.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Easy DIY, seems reliable as well. Anyone in here ever tried one?

I have a similiar one, hasn't been out from under the bench for over 5 years. I as a lot of others build on the straightest axis, and never have I had any issues or complaints

Ron Weber

As fly casting instructor, I can tell you that the spine has NO effect on casting single hand or Spey! As casts are almost always done on multiple planes the spine is only rarely in play and undecenrable.