When you are building a custom fishing rods, you must determine the correct spacing for the guides. The spacing of the guides on a fishing rod is a critical element in building of the fishing rod. The guides needs to be placed correctly on the fishing rod.
If the guides are too close to the tip of the fishing rod, then the tip might bind when there is a load on the fishing line. If the guides are too far from each other toward the butt of the fishing rod, then the fishing line will slap against the fishing rod. Therefore, understanding how the rod blank will bend will allow for correct placement of the fishing rod guides.
How to Place Guides on a Custom Fishing Rod
A fishing rod will not bend in a straight line. Instead, the fishing rod will bend progressively along the length of the fishing rod. The tip of the fishing rod has most flexibility.
This means the guides need to be closer to one another toward the tip. The butt of the fishing rod have more stiffness than the tip. This means the guides will need to be further from one another toward the butt of the fishing rod.
Because the flexibility of the fishing rod change from the tip to the butt, the distance between the fishing rod guides will have to change as well. Before you can measure the distance between the guides, you will have to prepare the fishing rod blank. Find the spine of the fishing rod blank.
The spine is a stiffest line on the fishing rod. Find the spine by rolling the fishing rod between your finger until it wobbles the least. Once you have located the spine of the fishing rod, install the tip top guide, the reel seat, and the butt cap.
These component will anchor the fishing rod guides and will ensure that the measurements stay in place. Measure the distance from the tip ring to the butt of the fishing rod where each guide should be placed. Use a guide spacing chart to determine where you will place each guide on the fishing rod.
For instance, a seven-foot spinning fishing rod will have a different guide spacing then a four-foot trout rod. The shorter the fishing rod, the fewer number of guides. A longer eight-foot fishing rod will have more guides than a four-foot fishing rod.
Use masking tape to mark the position of each guide. Do not use glue yet to mark the position of the guides. Use a flexible tape measure to measure the distance between each guide.
Make sure to sight down the fishing rod to ensure that all of the guide are in a straight line. The fishing rod guides should be placed in a specific way so that the fishing line move correctly through the rod. For example, there will be reduction guides on a spinning fishing rod to flatten the line cone created by the fishing line as it moves out of the fishing rod.
The size of the guides should match the diameter of the fishing line and the fishing rod blank. If the guides are too large in diameter, they will create drag on the fishing line. After you have taped the fishing rod guides to the fishing rod blank, perform a static load test on the fishing rod.
Use clamps to secure the butt of the fishing rod so that it is level. Thread the fishing line through the guides. Hang a weight from the fishing rod tip to simulate the weight of the fish when it is reeling in the line.
While the fishing rod is under load, observe the fishing line. The fishing line should follow the curve of the fishing rod blank and not touch the fishing rod blank. If the fishing line touches the fishing rod blank or if there are sharp angles between the line segment, move the guides to a new position and perform the static load test again.
Use specific tools to assist in placing the guides correctly on the fishing rod blank. Use a China marker to make faint line on the fishing rod blank. Use calipers to ensure the guide feet are flat against the fishing rod blank.
Use a burnisher to make the thread turns tight. Use an epoxy brush to apply thin coat of epoxy to the fishing rod blank. Use an alignment tube to ensure the rings of the fishing rod are straight.
Use a rod dryer to spin the fishing rod while the epoxy dries. If you make any of the following mistake when placing the guides on a custom fishing rod, it will ruin the effectiveness of the fishing rod. Placing too many guides near the tip will overload the tip of the fishing rod.
Placing the guides too far from one another in the center of the fishing rod will cause the fishing line to sag. Not finding the spine of the fishing rod blank will cause the guides to wander from the center of the fishing rod. Finally, if you skip the static load test, you might not catch issue with the guide placement.
The static load test will reveal flaw in the fishing rod blank that the guide spacing chart will not reveal. If you follow the logic for placing the guides correctly and perform the static load test, your custom fishing rod will effectively transfer the energy from the fish to the rod and the fishing line will move through the guides smooth without any drag.