Hi everyone,
I'm wondering what people are doing to find the right guide spacing. Is following a set chart a sufficient of doing it? Or should I get like the Morton guide locating chart by Don Morton? I'm looking for quick and easy ways but also looking for the best ways. Any suggestions would be very helpful.
Brandon

Most blank manufacturers have charts on line, Mudhole has them, Rainshadow has a ton of them in their "recipes" section of their website. You can do searches like "Pac Bay guide spacing" or similar, too. . They should all be considered a starting point to be revised by your own stress testing and test casting. I'm not familiar with the Morton chart, but it cannot comprehend all blanks, all actions, all powers, all preferences. As you get into it more you'll find even the line and reel to be used on casting and spin rods will affect guide placements, especially the first guide, but also sizes. But don't be daunted by all the info; much of the tweaking is to get that last "5%". Factory rods don't take all this into account and many work just fine. Stress test is the most important, so if torn by conflicting info, believe that first.

Read this [www.rodbuilding.org]

If you have manufacturer or other source of suggested spacing use it as a starting point.

Exceptions to stress testing are the stripper, collection and first running guide for MicroWave guides and Fuji concept setups.

Brandon,
I use a spreadsheet I created based on effective rod length and desired number of guides I wish to use.
This in turn is adjusted based on the rod tip dia.
I prefer to utilize 1 guide per foot and add or subtract 1 for desired performance aspects.
I feel that visual guide placements are more subjective based on the perspective of the individual. More guides are always better from a visual point-of-view even if they reduce rod performance by increasing dynamic inertias.

Gene

First of all, "quick and easy" may not be "the best way!" I only build fly rods so cannot comment on other applications. I start with the manufacturers guide spacing recommendations and the adjust as needed using stress testing. Very often the adjustments are minimal. The manufacturers do a pretty good job with the charting.

To me all guides spacing is relative to the line height from the reel (hand placement on fly rods) and the guide height. I always try to space the three closest guides to reel in as straight a line as possible whatever that space will be. The runner guides, if there is a sufficient amount, can be somewhat generic but the quantity and the spacing will depend on the flex of the blank and alignment with the 3 stripper guides.

Don's suggestion, works on all rods, all the time.