Several of my blanks have major and minor splines, and I just go with the major one. But I have two blanks that have a double spline, both about equal in power. In one rod, they are 180 degrees from each other. In the second rod, they are about 90 degrees from each other. * In either, does it matter which one I use? * In the blank where they are 90 degrees from each other, should I spli
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I am planning on building my first rod as I mentioned in another post and was wondering what you folks think about the Fuji Alconite guides? Are the sets of Alconite guides like the one Mudhole and others sell worth buying? Here's what I plan on buying and would appreciate any comments about the supplies I have in mind: Lamiglas 7' "S" glass blank Fuji Alconite guide set and tip U-40
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I have a blank that has a curved tip. I don't know if i should try to spine it, Put the guides on with the curve of the tip facing up or put the guides on with the curve of the tip facing down. Thanks for your help it is always appreciated. Rick
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..of RodMaker is nearly sold out. I have less than 25 copies left. Once it's gone there will be no more. It is still listed on the website (www.rodmakermagazine.com) for those who are interested. It contained the following topics: Special Rod Building Tips and Tricks Section Finding the Spine What Is Rod Spine? Insurance for the Rod Builder Custom Power Wrap Lathe Test and Review Th
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Hi guy's. Since I have started building rods in the past year I have become more critical of all rods now. Just this morning I disassembled a rod built for my boss. It was trashed ,so I wanted to check workmanship. It was an All Star blank with unknown guide and seat manufacture. It broke six inches from the seat and splintered bad. Also had a missing tip top. I was going to try to salvage the g
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Can someone tell me what can be used for marking on a blank ie measurments, spine, guides, etc....Thanks in advance! erick
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Hello first this the place to be its a great site it has helped out alot thanks . Now has any one ever used amtak blanks ? are they a good buy for the money ?any feedback would be great thanks for your time.
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I've been building rods for a few months now and have started thinking about the blanks I've been using. They're 7.5' shikari blanks that make perfect live bait rods for flats fishing here in FL. Here's where my question comes into play. I"ve been buying these "shikari" rod blanks for $12. I've soon realized that's dirt cheap. How do I know these are really shikari's? A lo
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In Dale Clements book Advanced Custom Rod Building he talks about a devise or tool called a spine finder. I have checked all my catalogs & web sites that I know of without sucess in finding one. Hopefully someone will know where to fine one or how to buile one. I am not having much luck finding the spine of the blanks. I am a beginer at rod building. My first try at a complete rod was a cast
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Please discuss the relative merits of spining a fly rod up or down to prioritize it's forecast or backcast/fighting characteristics. Thanks in advance. J M Jacobs, Lake Worth, Fl
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I hope I don't "start something here. I'd just like to find out what you all folks "in the know" think about this. 1. The rods I build are for SW applications so pinpoint accuracy isn't a factor. MANY years ago when I learned about spines from Dale Clemens book I built rods as per what I understood the book to say. I didn't (and still don't) have any special kind of "spine f
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I've yet to build a spiral wrap rod, but have read all I could find in BI's of Rod Maker & Rod Crafters+ Archives. As soon as I can get moving from a lower back injury I'll get started. I've read so much and taken so many notes that I'm into Info overload I think. I'm going to give something a try that I'm sure you more experienced wrappers have already explored but I'm going to try to explai
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I have two Loomis GLX blanks to build. One is a FR1206 10ft wt6, and the other FR1084 9ft wt4. I was hoping to find a guide spacing chart on the Loomis web-site, but without succes. And also should I place the guides on the spine or 180 degrees off on these blanks ? Can anyone help me on this one ? Thanks in advance ! Gunnar Joergensen
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Can anyone explain what blank makers mean when they say that 24 tonnage or 30 tonnage of graphite cloth was used in building the blanks? How does that apply to modulus? Thanks Angelo
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I've wanted to start building my own fly rods for some time now. It's been only recently that I stumbled onto Rodmaker magazine and this site! Can anyone tell me what equipment I need to starting building my own rods and what initial cash outlay are we talking? Thank you! Jared
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I often find that the tip of the blank is curving out of line with the plane of the spine after finding the spine and assemble the pieces. Sometimes it is way out of line. With a three or four piece blank does the tip section alone effect the overall performance that much? The rod would look better if all of the pieces lined up.
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What is a simple method of marking the blank along the axis that lines up with the guides? I go through gyrations when I am marking the flyrod blank to identify the center line for the guides. I use a spine finder to mark the blank on the spine. There must be a simple process of transferring this 180 degrees to the inside for the guides. Thanks, Jim
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I think that I read somewhere that Redington rods reverses the spine on some of there 2 piece rods. The guides on the spine side on the butt and opposite side on the top section. It sounds like a good idea what do you think?
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I just got my Rainshadow blanks in the other day and have finally gotten around to spining them. I ordered the ISB781M and it has a very good feel. It's a fast action blank but feels like it has a very light and senstive tip. I think I'm gonna like it because I will try it out before I turn it over to the guy for whom I'm building it for. I also got the Rainshadow IF907 fly blank. This blank has
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There seems to be a difference of opinion on an other board as to which term is correct: Spine or Spline. From what I have heard, the term spline was a misprint in a catalouge or journal that caught on. Can someone clarify for me. Thanks. Billy
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Just a note to say that while restocking the bins yesterday I noticed that RodMaker Volume 2 #4 (July/August '99) is now down to about 30 copies. I expect it will be sold out within a week or so. It contained the following: Rod building tips and tricks Finding the effective spine Understanding rod spine Insurance for the rod builder Custom Power Wrap lathe test Double alternating wrap letter
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I've received all the back issues of both RodMaker and Rod Crafters that address spiral wraps and new guide concept. Have read all the material 3-4 times and figure my basic understanding is good enough to give it a go. Since I'm an avid reader I've read almost all of the issues front to back highlighting things that I want to look into more. In one of the 99 issues there was a piece about the &q
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I was just toying around with some blanks I have, and clamped the butt end of a blank in my chuck, used one set of rollers placed about 18 inches from the chuck. I locked teh chuck in place with the indexing pin, with the spine of the rod placed up. I pressed straight down on the tip, and released. I did this 4 times, every 90 degrees from what I found to be the most effective spine. On some
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Thread was getting lost in theory and praise. Falconer and I have essentially the same questions. Using this wrap, what is the formula on how close to place your butt guides? Is not the butt guide placement still a function of the reel and angle of the line coming off the reel? How do you get away with using less guides? You still have to take your back cast into account. You also still want a
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How do you look for the spine on a two pice rod? Each piece individually? Or does the butt section even matter because of its stiffness? I've only built one piece rods until now and have never had to think about it.
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There is an issue with how rod blanks are categorized that has been bothersome to me for many years now, as a custom rod builder, manufacturer, and supplier. I would like to ask for some help, and or suggestions, in coming up with a solution that would be recognized by rod builders. So, it is to the rod builders around the globe that I ask. Rod blank models are originally developed and manufactur
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For you new and moderately experienced builders, myself included, I've found that most of the general rod building questions posted on this site are answered quite effectively in Tom Kirkman's new book "Rod-Building Guide." In about 50 pages, with plenty of good photos, you'll find up-to-date tips and information about blanks and modulus, spine and guide placement, seats and grips, adhe
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Could someone tell me where I could get plans to build a simple spine finder? I'm not against buying one but I just like to build things such as my own tools if possible. I think I could handle this if I could just get pointed in the right direction. Thank you.
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Ok Got and read twice back issues covering new concept. Not all that new was doing something very similar before I stopped building. Am ordering back issue that covers spiral wraps and also BI's of Rodcrafter covering same subject. Want to get as many different views as i can reasonably find. In the afore mentioned articles is the issue of guide placement relative to the spine addressed? I would
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I've not paid much attention to rod building in the last 4 years,up until then I tried to keep up with what was going on in the tackle industry in general and rod making in particular. Got away from it due to severe health issues. I can do some limited fishing now and because I'm retired and disabled I have the time but not unlimited funds for rod building again.Have subscribed to Rodmaker and o
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