Thread: question for the rod builders

If you have an 8' blank and you will be using between a 5000 and a 6000 size spinning reel with braid what size should your guides be? also how much space between the stripper guide (er... Stripping guide?) and the spool? Not really building a new rod so much as trying to make an old one better. It's one that I use mostly for stripers in tailrace areas, might also see a little surf duty.

Fordguy, I usually use a diameter close to 1/2 the spool diameter, generally set 18-22" from spool face. I almost ALWAys use the 27x method for guide spacing and sizing. Hasn't led me wrong yet. Since I rebuild rods - the new spacing can often vary greatly from original.
I have attached a guide that will help understand sizing and spacing...but always do static testing and make a few casts near the ends of the lure weight rating to make sure. http://www.rodbuilding.org/library/spinningNGC.pdf

Thank you RamZ. That was very helpful. One of the problems that I've had in the past was line slap on this rod, but it was only enough to bother me when I used a 4000 sized reel. I'm guessing it was because the stem on the 4000 was shorter and the spool was closer to the rod. With the 5000/6000 sized reels there was I would notice it occasionally but not all the time. Do you think that a high framed guide would help? I like the looks of the xbsg guides at mudhole, but I'm not sure if I'll need something with extra height closer to the spool.
Hoping that I can get this correct on paper before I order my guides...

Originally Posted by fordguy

Thank you RamZ. That was very helpful. One of the problems that I've had in the past was line slap on this rod, but it was only enough to bother me when I used a 4000 sized reel. I'm guessing it was because the stem on the 4000 was shorter and the spool was closer to the rod. With the 5000/6000 sized reels there was I would notice it occasionally but not all the time. Do you think that a high framed guide would help? I like the looks of the xbsg guides at mudhole, but I'm not sure if I'll need something with extra height closer to the spool.Hoping that I can get this correct on paper before I order my guides...

John G at J&M was explaining why he uses a Fuji K Guide 40L (long) stripper guide on his King rods and it was specifically to help avoid line slap and get longer casts.
So yes, some extra length helps, line slap with a large spool reel like my 6500SS or 7500SS is almost eliminated.

It must have been a little too early Chile, but what he needs is the standard 40 not the 40L, that's the low frame. For a light to medium action 8' king with that size reel, use Fuji guides KWAG-40J double foot then KLAG-25J,20J,16J,12J then a KTAG-10J for a set of 6 guides. Those are silver, add B to the prefix for black. For pier and surf rods, we place the stripper as far up the blank as we can to get the best casting distance with a small ring, high frame guide and 24 to 25" from the drag knob to the stripper ring works the best for a medium size reel. I can't give you measurements due to not knowing where the reel seat is but placement of the other five guides is not critical on a rod like this. Tape the stripper in place, add the tip. Tape the first guide down around 5'' from the ring of the tip then the next one 6'' then 7, 8, 9.5 and guide #5 will be around 11'' from the stripper. Expand or tighten the guides as needed. Adding an inch to the spacing to the first few guides then an inch and a half or so for the rest is fine. If we were talking an 8' tuna spinning popper rod with 80lb braid where you are fighting fish verticly with 40lbs of drag the guide set up would be way different. If the guide cost seems a little high to be used on an older rod they can always be cut off and used on another.

It must've been early... Heck, it was early.
I know you were telling/showing me a longer/higher stripper guide.
In my ignorance I thought the 40L was Long or High, sorry.
This does save me buying the wrong guide(s) if we try to make another rod like Nate and I would like to.

Let me know and I will loan you one of our spare Renzetti lathes.

"Spare Renzetti lathes"....now that indeed is a jealousy inducing comment if I ever saw one. Lol

Hell, I was part of the design team for Dale Clemens back in the mid 80's and got a yearly royalty check of $5 per lathe sold for around 10 years. I still use one of the original prototypes at my bench, Lee uses a first generation Renzetti that was given to us to make sure it was all right after they bought the rights and I have enough R&D parts to build a few more.

That is AWSOME john g. As you can tell, I am a huge fan of functional simple design that is built to last. I scour the net searching for "grandpa's old fish building stand"....
Today's equipment is JUNK.
Someday, I'll find it.