I have searched and read most of the previous posts on finding the blank spine and constructing your own "spine finder". Now I am confused. I know what the spine is and the basic concept of rolling one end on the floor or a table and that it pops when you hit the spine.

But from reading through previous threads is there a vertical and a horizontal spine? Is there more than one way to check the spine? If you have a 2 section rod do you check and mark each section individually?

I have built one fly rod, a GL3 9' 5 wt. and the way that I found the spine on that rod was rolling on the floor multiple times. The reason I checked multiple times was because I wasn't sure of what I was doing and wanted to check myself. I also did this for both sections of the rod seperately and then with the rod put together. Is this the correct way to check the spine before you build a rod?

Thanks, Doug

Doug,

I think you have been confused by the term vertical and horizontal as it applies to two types of spine finders - one functions with the blank horizontal while the other functions with the blank in the vertical position. They both find the same effective spine.

There are many methods for locating the spine, all the best ones make it easy for you to find that location where, when pressured, the blank will settle into a curve of least resistance. This is the position where it wants to stay put.

On multi-piece rods you should check for the spine individually and then assemble and check again. The overlap at the ferrule can cause the effective spine effect to shift slightly and thus you will make any minor changes with the blank assembled.

Sounds to me like you did everything correctly.

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

Doug, I think you are in the ball game. Use the material that Tom gave you and try this to get the rod set-up correctly without much of the confusion. If it is a multi piece rod spine each section as Tom directed and when you have the rod section together, place the butt end on a table or other smooth surface and press down. The rod will roll to a spine, turn it and feel the spines. Now select the place on the rod where the rod "locks in", or in other words the place where it is hardest to turn while you have it bent to about 90 degrees. Once you have found this spot mark it and place the guides on the outside of the curve. This will be the position where the guides will need to be placed for the rod to "track" or said another way, the position for guide placement where the rod will not torque on the cast or the retreve. The spine will hold the rod straight on the cast and the guides on the bottom will hold the rod on the retreve. Tape the guides on the rod and run your line through them and pull the rod back into a casting position and then forward in a fish fighting position and see if the rod stays straight in all fishing positions. If it does you have it set-up correctly, if it doesn't back to llthe drawing board.

Remember to use very low frame guides on the upper section of the rod. Otherwise the force of the line seeking the lowest postion will overcome the spine effect and you will get twist on really powerful casts.

Don-

Thanks for the best explanation of guide placement -vs- spine I've seen on on this board yet (probably should do a search for spine...).

I assume that your description is for a spinning rod. Your explanation also hints at why spiral wraps work well for casting rods.