Making Fishing Pole Question.

[Bryan]

When making a fishing rod from a blank for both fly fishing and drift fishing is there an optimal or sweet spot on the blank I should line my guides up with? If so how do I find it?
thanks bryan

[Firedog]

Bryan, yes there is a spine to a rod blank. Here is the link to rod building.org go to the FAQ's page it can explain it a lot better than I can or just do a search on the http://www.rodbuilding.org

[ 06-06-2002, 11:17 PM: Message edited by: firedog ]

[Bait O' Eggs]

Bryan - all blanks have a spline. What you are looking for is the point of least resistance when the rod is bent in a curve and allowed to rotate freely. You can do this by holding the top portion of the rod in an open hand, while your other hand applies pressure in the middle of the blank bending the rod while allowing the blank to rotate freely. When the blank stops turning and comes to rest in the position that it doesnt want to leave you have found the spline. The outside of the curve will be the effective spline.

I usually put the spline on the side of the rod the fisherman is on. For a casting rod the eyes go on the spline, for a spinning or fly rod, the eyes go on the opposite side of the spline. Some people will place the eyes opposite of this trying to put the strength of the rod into casting rather than fighting fish or some other reason. Their is no wrong, as most factory rods dont locate the spline, yet building a custom rod allows a better performing rod.

I know we got off to a rocky start but if you have more questions or have not built a rod before I would be more than happy to meet you and try and answer any question you may have.

edit: Marty, we must have been typing at the same time. :grin: good suggestion on the rodbuilding.org website.

[ 06-06-2002, 10:50 PM: Message edited by: Bait O' Eggs ]

[Lazy Drifter]

OK, I'm not understanding your question entirely. Are you trying to build a drift rod or a fly rod. This is important because the guide alignment with the spine (the sweet spot) is opposite of each other. I hope you aren't trying to build one rod to do both jobs because if you do, you won't be happy with it. If you really want to learn to build quality rods, go to www.rodbuilding.org
If you can't find out how to do what you want there, then it probably shouldn't be done.

Good luck,

[Bryan]

Thanks Bait and others. I am trying to do a little research into the subject for a business project. Do all the "professional" rod companies like Eagle Claw... LOL Lamiglas do this identification by hand as well? Is there a difference as far as casting efficiency is concerned regarding where the guides are set on a blank? I guess I am asking does the sweet spot on a blank result in more efficient casting! Again thanks Bait, and yes we surely did get off to a rocky start and I am sorry for that.
bryan

[Firedog]

Bryan it does make a diference on the location of the spine in relation to casting power. Here is what Tom Kirkman(rodbuilding.org)has to say about spine, he already has it typed so I am just borrowing it :smile: As far as the factory rods having this done, I like to think that the high end rods do

There is no wrong position to locate your blank's spine. Where you do put the guides in relation to the spine, however, will result in certain performance characteristics being either enhanced or reduced.

There is no wrong position to locate your blank's spine. Where you do put the guides in relation to the spine, however, will result in certain performance characteristics being either enhanced or reduced.

There are three viable options as to where to locate the spine.

1. Spine on top - This option gives a bit more power on the forward cast but a bit less for line lifting (fly) and fish fighting.

2. Spine on bottom - This position puts the spine into strong play (better tracking) on the forward cast and gives you slightly more power for lifting line off the water (fly). Opponents of this method say this position will lead to rod twist when fighting a fish. This is not true, however, as guide position alone determines rod stability. (More on this topic can be found in the next question.)

3. Disregard spine and locate the rod's stiffest axis so that the fish is pulling against it (A blank's softest and stiffest axis are not necessarily 180 degrees opposite each other). This usually locates the blank's natural bend in such a way that the butt and tip are "up" and the belly of the blank is "down". This puts the maximum amount of power into play for fish fighting but may result in slightly less casting accuracy/tracking.
www.rodbuilding.org

[ 06-07-2002, 02:50 PM: Message edited by: firedog ]

[Bait O' Eggs]

Firedog is pronto on the spot with an answer and posted what I believe to be true in rod performance. Tom Kirkman runs the rodbuilding.org website and also is the editor of rodmaker magazine. I have never met him but he seem very knowledgeable on the subject and I assume if he says it is so, it must be.

You should be able to make the rod optimum when casting, or optimum when fighting fish. I guess it depends on the rod and what you are trying to accomplish. I always go practice cast my rods after getting the eyes taped on and before I tie them. You can find things like guide placement is a little off, or maybe the first eye is to close to the reel etc.....

Bryan - I have one of Tom Kirkmans books on rod building you could borrow if you want. It does an excellent job of describing how to build a rod from start to finish. In the book he has a picture of a device for finding the spline. If I remember correctly it looks a lot like a couple big bearings mounted in line with each other. You slip the rod in the bearings and push down on the tip. The bearings allow the rod to rotate putting the spline on the outside of the bend. I have never seen a mass production facility but it would take just seconds to find the spline with this tool if a manufacture wanted to do so. Of course my bending the rod in my hand and rolling on a table surface posted above only takes a few seconds for the home builder to find the spline without having to have any special tools.

Good luck on the business venture. Let me know if you are interested in borrowing a book. I have been looking at Firedogs book by Clemens on rod art, which is where the beauty in a custom rod can really be captialized. Some of those weaves are real pretty. :smile:

[FishinMission]

I thought "splines" were on the end of an axle??

Mark

[fishbait]

What BOE said.

Never ceases to amaze me the knowledge shared here.............