Can anyone give me a suggestion of guides to use and the measurements for the guide train for a Point Blank PB731MFX that i am going to build for a crankbait rod, want to use Fuji reduction system if possible. This will be a casting rod with a Lews BB1 reel and a Alps MVT reel seat, back of reel seat should be around 11-13 inches from butt of rod, so if anyone has the measurement I would need for the reel seat, IE 13,13.5 ect, that would be great also so I could order all at once. I called Get Bit Outdoors today but they dont the blank in stock to give me the reel seat size I need. Mudhole has the blank but does not sell alps reel seats so my only other option is to wait until I get the blank and do the measurements then, just have to wait another week for the reel seat to come in. Any help would be greatly appreciated. At some point I know I am going to have to learn all this for myself but right now putting $300 in rod blank and components I dont want to screw up. BTW I used the spinning rod I just built today for the first time and it was flawless, casted like a dream and super sensative. Thank you Norman for the help with that one.

Keith Langford

Use the Fuji KR casting guide train. The stripper will be a KW10, followed by a KW5.5 transition guide which is then followed by KB/KT runners all the same size. I usually use either size 4.5 or 5 runners. If you have a little extra money you can use the RV6 stripper, but it only comes in a titanium frame, but it is a very nice guide and looks cool. I have rods built using both KW10 and RV 6 strippers and really can’t tell any difference in performance. Place the stripper about 20 to 21” in front of the reel, and place the first runner about 9 cm behind the tip-top then progressively place the remaining guides between these two guides, progressively increasing the distance between guides by a cm for the first few guides, then gradual increase this distance to 1.5 to 2 cm. It will take about 10 to 11 guides total. Do a static test to fine tune the spacing. My PB 731MXF rod has 10 guides total I love the way it performs. If the line touching the blank really bothers you then do a spiral wrap and you won’t need to worry about the line touching the blank, plus you can use fewer guides. Casting rods are pretty easy to setup hard to go wrong.
The OD of the PB731MXF at 10” from the butt is 14.3 mm, at 11” 14.2mm, at 12” 14 mm and at 13” 13.9 mm. So a reel seat with an ID of 14mm should work just fine. If needed just ream the seat a little to get a good fit.
Norm

Norman, If I lived close to you I'd buy you a steak dinner, assuming restaurants will ever open again. Thank you again for the info Norman, you are making my rods turn out like I was a pro and I am going to take your advice and use braid on all my reels with Fluro leaders, that will definitely be different for me, the only rod I ever used braid on was my frog rod. It worked great on the shaky head spinning rod yesterday and the FG knot is simple to tie. Starting from the transition guide how many KB runners before switching to KT. and how would I determine all of this for myself, would the guide software tell me or is it just live and learn.

Just an FYI as far as the sizing on the MVT casting seats go. They are sized at the end of the threaded barrel, and not at the back of the seat. I learned this the semi hard way when I had to reorder a couple of seats. If you measure the blank where you want the back of the reel seat to be, order the next size smaller seat, and ream it to fit.

Of course, my recommendation is based on a rod blank with more of a taper in the butt section than the Point Blank blanks have.

I use three KBs and the rest KTs. However, you can use all KBs or KTs. The foot of the KB is pretty wide and depending on the blank can be too wide to use in the very tip of the rod. The KR GPS is only for spinning rods. As I mention casting rods are a different animal and layout is pretty simple. Just place the stripper somewhere between 19 to 22” in front of the reel and the first runner about 9 to 11 cm from the tip top and progressively fill in the space with the appropriate number of guides. You will get a feel for what is appropriate when you do a static test, and you will be amazed at just how simple it is. Test casting is always a good idea. It’s not rocket science and you can be quite flexible with guide layouts and get excellent results. You will know when you get it right.
Norm

David is correct on seat sizing. The Point blanks unlike most other blanks are know for their equiradius butt. For example, there’s is very little taper in the first 12” in the butt section, allowing one to use the same size winding checks and reel seat. If using metal winding checks get them slightly larger, it’s a pain to enlarge a metal winding check. For an exposed reel seat I get them slightly smaller because they are easy to ream.
Norm

Norman will this guide sizing work for pretty much all of my casting rods and just adjust the number of runners on length of rod, I plan to build quite a few more casting in the 7'3'' to 7'6'' range, all point blank. Also on the location of reel seat and handle, do you move the reel seat forward the longer the rod or do you keep it pretty much the same location, I built my first 2 with the butt of the rod just shy of my elbow, like about 1 1/2 inches short, feels comfortable to me there.

Yes that guide sizing will work for all rod lengths using low profile casting reels, no problem. Just make the handle length that’s is comfortable for you. That’s one of things that make a custom rod custom. Do it the way you like it.
Norm

The rear handle length used for one technique, or one class of baits, won't necessarily work for a different technique, or different kind of bait. For instance, I would never use the length rear grip you outlined in your opening post on a rod that I would use for flipping or pitching,or for a rod where you have to manipulate the rod a great deal. But I would use it on a crankbait rod.

IMO you want to determine rear grip length based strictly on ergonomics and the ability to use the rod, comfortably. Otherwise it will just end up being extra weight in your boat, because you aren't going to want to use it.

X2 on the steak dinner.