I’m building a couple 3wt fly rods on the 8’ F 803-2M. Northfork Composites recommend 10 guides for that blank but all the info I have is pointing towards 8 or 9. I was thinking 10mm, 3, 2, 1, 5x 1/0’s. What do you fellas think?

I use 9. A 10, 2, and 7 1/0's

Ron Weber

Al,
I would use what the blank tells you it needs during a static flex test.
I use small neoprene "O" rings of various diameters to simulate guides. I slip 11 of them on the blank - run the line through them - slide them around until I'm happy. The extra "O" rings are snugged against the ones that are in correct position.
That way I am not taping and un-taping guides. And not risking scratching the blank.
Herb
CTS Rep.

Ron Weber Wrote:
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> I use 9. A 10, 2, and 7 1/0's

This was also a thought I had, get down to the runners as fast as possible.

Herb Ladenheim Wrote:
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> Al,
> I would use what the blank tells you it needs
> during a static flex test.
> I use small neoprene "O" rings of various
> diameters to simulate guides. I slip 11 of them
> on the blank - run the line through them - slide
> them around until I'm happy. The extra "O" rings
> are snugged against the ones that are in correct
> position.
> That way I am not taping and un-taping guides. And
> not risking scratching the blank.
> Herb
> CTS Rep.

That’s what I was thinking, in Gary we trust. I’ll be doing static and test casting so maybe I’ll try 9 and 10

I had I similar issue in my NFC 6wt recently. It called for 11 guides. I did a static test and used 10. It is the best casting rod I have.

Gary Goldsmith Wrote:
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> I had I similar issue in my NFC 6wt recently. It
> called for 11 guides. I did a static test and
> used 10. It is the best casting rod I have.


Good info, thank you. I’m thinking 9 would be enough, 10 seems a bit much

Yeah. I posted last week about it. Honestly, I just used spacing from another rod and static tested it. It was perfect and the rod is incredible. It was the classic series 6wt.

I'm a new builder so take it with a grain of salt but I think with the 10 guides I used it would be pretty hard to mess up. Same with 9 on an 8 footer.

I’m using the classic blanks as well.

I don't think you will be disappointed. I have a couple gamma betas coming as well.

The more guides you use the slower it will become

I’m going to try a few different trains, I’m suspecting 9 is the magic number though

It won't be slower - it will slow the recovery rate an infinitesimal amount - if you use light guides. i.e. REC Recoil. You really won't see the difference between 9 or 10 runners.
Herb

I used REC recoil guides on mine.

Actually, it will make the act softer overall. All guides, whether single or double footed, will soften a rod to some degree as the weight they add has a greater effect on rod efficiency than does any stiffening that does occur between the guide feet.