I have almost gotten used to dealing with a curve in the last few inches of my spinning rod blanks - I just align the guides with the blank in a "tip up" orientation . Works pretty well but .... I'm just starting on my first fly rod - a 9 foot , 5wt , 2 piece and the butt section is curved or "bowed" so that , when it is rolled on a flat surface to a certain orientation , the center is touching but both ends are at least 1/8 of an inch up off the surface . The same thing is true of the tip section but to a slightly smaller amount . The tip section also has the usual bend starting 4 - 6 inches from the tip but , to complicate matters , this forward bend is about 90 degrees off the axis of the bow .
How do I best select the axis to place the guides ? I believe I have read an article in the archives here discussing the problem with bowed sections but have been unable to find it again .
Thanks .
Ron

If you can align them so that each section puts the bend in a position where the belly is down and the tip and butt up, you should have an overall bend along a straight axis. Again, belly down and tip and butt up. This will give you the strongest orientation possible in terms of deadlift strength. On a fly rod the guides would go along the bottom of this orientation.


...........

WOW, I don't know what blank you have, but in over 40 years of fly rod building, I never seen a blank that bad. I'd send it back!

Tom Kirkman Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you can align them so that each section puts
> the bend in a position where the belly is down and
> the tip and butt up, you should have an overall
> bend along a straight axis. Again, belly down and
> tip and butt up. This will give you the strongest
> orientation possible in terms of deadlift
> strength. On a fly rod the guides would go along
> the bottom of this orientation.

Thank you . I can see where this orientation would increase deadlift capacity . But , with the type of fishing I do , deadlift capacity is not the primary concern . Casting accuracy , distance , and "feel" are more important to me . Unfortunately , the fish I catch aren't that large so the functions before hooking the fish might be where I need to concentrate . If this tip and butt position would also be better for the casting functions , then so much the better ,
Thanks again.
Ron

Phil Erickson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> WOW, I don't know what blank you have, but in over
> 40 years of fly rod building, I never seen a blank
> that bad. I'd send it back!

Thanks Mr. Erickson .
I plan to try to get accurate measurements of the problem this morning and then contact the company that made it . It'll be interesting to see how it plays out .
Thanks again.
Ron

If you build on it none of your priorities will be compromised by aligning the guides as Tom suggested. And the curve will be less noticeable.

You'll get a little better response if you build it the way I mentioned. Casting accuracy is really something that comes from the person making the cast, not so much the rod.

...........

Phil Erickson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> WOW, I don't know what blank you have, but in over
> 40 years of fly rod building, I never seen a blank
> that bad. I'd send it back!

Mr. Erickson,
Your comment of no blanks being that bad in 40 years prompted me to remeasure . The maximum deviation at the forward end of the butt section is just under 1/16 inch and the maximum deviation at the butt is just a hair over 1/16 inch . The axis orientation of the tip maximum deviation is approximately 20 degrees but I had no way to measure that accurately . ( My guess ?? is that would suggest a slight bend as well as a bow ?? ) Perhaps this brings the blank back into industry norms . I'll still check with the company to be sure .
Thanks again.
Ron

Mr. Danek and Mr. Kirkman .
I will certainly take your advice and build with the tip and butt up . Thank you.
Ron