Guide Spacing

[Bruce Crowley]

I'm starting to build my forth fly rod. On the previous three, I had no problem getting the manufacturer's recommended guide spacing. Not with this one, however. I've search for general guide spacings until I confussed myself. I have two different tables and two different calculators. The calculators require that I already know where I want both the first and last guides! I would think that the placing of the first and last guides would be the critical decissions. Anyone know how to make those choices or have any other advice?:confused:

[FlyShopKristin]

Bruce - what rod blank are you working with? Since you are in Monroe...why don't you just bring it down to the shop & we'll help you figure it out.

[James Mello]

You can do it two different ways. One way is to use the suggested guide spacing, the other is to do a static stress based guide spacing. The first is easiest, as you just put 'em where your told. The other is to actually flex the rod and figure out where to put guides based on distribuiting the stress along the blank from a static load applied to it. If you want to do the former, just send out the manufacturer info, if you want to do the latter, pm me and I'll point you to somes source that do a good job of explaining this.

-- Cheers
-- James


PS
If Kristin wants to help out, I'd suggest you accept! The folks at that shop are knowledgable and friendly. :)

[Bruce Crowley]

Kristin - Thanks, I really appreciate that, and I'll take you up on it in the next couple of days. The blank is a 9' 6/7 wt 3 piece made for Denny Rickard by Diamondback.

[Tom Bowden]

James Mello's advice to do a static stress test for guide placement is excellent. The process I use is to tape the guides on at locations specified by one of the recommended spacing charts or formulas, run a fly line through the guides, bend the rod about as far as it would go during a typical cast, then adjust the guides so that the line will go through the guides at a consistent angle. By eliminating the steep angles, you reduce friction as the line passes through the guides.


Tom

[Bruce Crowley]

Thanks Tom - That makes a lot of sense. - Bruce