What’s the best thing to use to tie down the guides while trying to do a static test so they don’t rip off while putting the blank under a load. Will masking tape be able to hold them if I wrap enough of it on the the guide foots tightly or do I have to use something else?

Do a two line static test, and you don’t have to worry about torquing the guides. Run the line though your guides, and tie on a small weight and let it hang from the tip top. Now tie a second line directly to the tip top, and then attach this line to something very heavy or immovable. You can now pull up on the rod and put a bend in it without the guides torquing out of position. Adjust the guides to follow the bend in the rod. Simple and it works.
Norm

Don't use guides.
Get yourself enough neoprene "O" rings of various sides to simulate guides. The "O" rings give you the ability to slide them back and forth without scratching the blank and removing and reattaching guide.
Herb

That sounds perfect man, I never even knew that was a thing. Will definitely be trying this!

Herb,
Now there is an intriguingly, different approach to static-load-testing. How do you accommodate for different (reduction) guide heights? Maybe it is not of as much concern with fly rods.

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

" Will masking tape be able to hold them"

The answer is 'Yes' , masking tape has been used for decades to temporarily attach guides to a blank for static testing and test casting . The pressure exerted when using the two line method isn't on the guides it's on the rod tip so no worries but even if static testing with one line the guides will hold because the pressure is spread out along the entire top half of the blank it's never on a single guide .

As far as using O rings , never tried it but Herb knows what he's talking about so if he says it works it works . I never lay out reduction guide trains using a static test only running guide trains at least on spinners.

If you do this properly, the load will be on the tiptop only, which allows the blank to take its natural design flex. The line running through the guides will be very lightly loaded, just enough to keep the line taut.

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

A tutorial is available at anglersresource.net, click the link in the left margin.

There is also an article in the library. [www.rodbuilding.org]
Norm

Herb Ladenheim Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Don't use guides.
> Get yourself enough neoprene "O" rings of various
> sides to simulate guides. The "O" rings give you
> the ability to slide them back and forth without
> scratching the blank and removing and reattaching
> guide.
> Herb

This method work on a casting rod? I can see how it works on a spinning rod,



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/11/2021 12:13AM by roger gleason.