1143 Guide Spacings...verify please

[Gregor]

Can someone verify these guide spacings for me before I wrap them. They are no longer listed them on the official gloomis site. I pulled these from google's cache of a Russian gloomis page. What concerns me most is the 76 3/4". It appears to be too close to the reel seat. At least when the space is compared to a 1024 or 1025.

Thanks

STR1143C GL3 2PC

4"
9"
15"
22"
29 1/4"
37"
45 1/2"
55"
65 1/2"
76 3/4"

[Bait O' Eggs]

Gregor - There is no exact answer for what you ask. You can get to the answer you seek a couple ways.

1. Go to a store and measure the pre built rods Loomis offers and call it good enough.

2. You can design your own guide placement points. To do this you need to tape the eyes on the blank and do some practice casting. You will be looking to see if the line slaps the blank between the eyes. You will bend the rod while you have line strung thru the eyes and check that the line is not hitting the rod. If it was me, I would put the cork and reel seat on the blank and then figure out where you want the eyes to match the bend in the rod. Since this is a casting rod I have a couple rules of thumb to get started with. I dont like the first eye from the tip more than 5 inches and since you are at 4 you meet that. I also like the first eye off the reel seat about 22 or 23 inches give or take on a casting rod for salmon steelhead. this is only a rule of thumb and may change on the blank. Assuming you are putting on a 14 inch rear cork, the face of the reel would be about 18 inches +/- from the butt. Your first eye off the reel shown on your guide spacing chart is at 76.75 inches from the tip. An 1143 is 114 inches long so I can determine you are about 19 inches from the face of reel to first eye. I would guess this to be a little bit close, but not excessively if any.

Tape the eyes on the rod and see if it cast ok, and looks ok. Move it forward if you want to.

Not having handled to many loomis 1143 rods, I dont know exactly how much spacing I would go with. An 1143 is not a rod that is heavy in the butt section like a hot shot rod and the eye may need to be a little close to the reel since the rod may flex in this lower region.

When you are at the store measuring the eyes, pick up a pack of hooks I think you are low on #4 hooks

Good luck

[WaterDog]

I have tried to use those charts and immediately found them to be useless. The best way to space the guides is to tape them on and put a bend in the rod as BOE said. Besides the reason you building you own rods is to build it right and to your specific use. I have found that I usually have one more guide than what you get from an “off the shelf” rod. Also if you can, use the exact reel (full of line) that you are going to use on the rod when you test it. This will help you place that first guide from the reel seat as well.

[baitslinger]

Why don't ya email TH, on this site. I bet he can help you out

[TH]

Sounds like the question has been answered...
I can give you the exact measurement from Loomis if you'd like... ?
Shoot me an email so I dont forget :smile:

We fudge a lot on our spacing .. we have found what works for us and use them...

TH

[Gregor]

Thanks guys ...not having handled a 1143 before, I didn't know if the last guide was correct. To me the distance from the reel face to that guide just feels too close. Doubt I will use those spacings even though they appear to be what gloomis recommends. Will wait and see what spacing TH offers up before I finalize.

[ 08-06-2002, 08:13 PM: Message edited by: Gregor ]