Rod Building Basics - Guide Placement and Testing

[@kelvinlloysellis5976]

Hi I have a question on the transitional guides for the spiral wrap. Do the 2 guides that wrap around the rod after the first double foot guide transition down in size to the running guides or are they both the same size?

[@fdxcustomrods]

Yes, typically I step down in ring size in the transition guides. This rod- stripper is an 8, 1st transition is a 6, 2nd transition is a 5 and the running guides and tip are 5's.

[@bobrhine9057]

Is there an advantage of a spiral over a traditional wrap? Or, is it just another way to get from Point A to point B and have fun doing it.

[@kelvinlloysellis5976]

@@bobrhine9057 See the Spiral Wrap-Why and How video

[@robertchadwick1552]

Thanks for breaking that down. I'm building my first rod and learned quite a bit from your video.

[@fdxcustomrods]

You're welcome, Robert.

[@daveengstrom9250]

This is a REALLY GOOD video. Thanks for making it (take the rest of the day off).

[@fdxcustomrods]

😂

[@LunkerFishing]

Questions: Do you always make the spiral to the right? How come? Are your guides forward of the stripper guide all the same size? Do you have trouble inserting/removing rods, if you have them in rod tubes, inside the rod locker when you have spiral guides compared to conventional guides that are all located on the same side of the blank? Good video Captain Lee!

[@fdxcustomrods]

I spiral to the side of the intended reel handle. It doesn't matter from a performance standpoint. But everyone lays rods down handle side up. That protects the trans guides. Stripper is an 8, 1st trans is a 6, the rest including the tip are 5's.

[@LunkerFishing]

That makes sense about the reel handle. I am very right handed but it never made sense to me to cast with my strong hand and then change hands so I could reel with my right. So for the past 55 years I have used left handed baitcast reels.

[@jadrankodolovcak627]

Thx for good info.

[@fdxcustomrods]

You're welcome. Thanks for watching.

[@StephenMeyer58]

I know this is an older video but i have a question. What is the advantage of spiral guides? Also, disadvantages?

[@fdxcustomrods]

Here's your answer. kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZnS2pWSGhtR6a7s

[@robertmalis4493]

Do you have a video that explains why the spiral guides I have never heard or seen such a thing it seems very interesting to me about 1520 years ago I made me a full set of tuna rods. I know here in Florida Anna, looking to start building rods again.

[@fdxcustomrods]

Yes. I posted one around 8 months ago called "Spiral Wrap - why and how."

[@M3hammerdown]

When you rotate the first guide 5° against the spiral, do you need to make any small adjustments to compensate with the second or third guides of the spiral to even out the path around the shaft? Thanks as always for the lesson and great advice.

[@fdxcustomrods]

No. By rotating the stripper 5° off axis, you are only pulling the line back to dead center of the blank. The smaller the ring size of the stipper, the less you have to rotate.

[@Ben_fishing]

Im redoing a 2 piece rod and was wondering if I could do spiral wrap guides on it?

[@fdxcustomrods]

That should not be a problem. Just spline your top section and set your running guides and tip top on the bottom of the curve. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gX-2d6Z9bLmtbsk

[@Ben_fishing]

Ok thanks, definitely learning a lot from your videos

[@rhodesianhunter9360]

I've just started building rods for myself. They've all been NFC x-ray blanks. I really like the MB684-1 blank for my smallmouth river fishing. Most of the baits I throw are right at 1/2 an ounce. I think it's going to be a do it all blank for me. Have you built on point blank? If so is there a 6'8"-6'11" that you like for 1/2 ounces jigs?

[@fdxcustomrods]

I would look at the nfc 890. MB 736 X-ray. Cut it down to your preferred length. It is the blank for all things under 3/4 oz. MH-F with a super sensitive tip.

[@kyleheine]

Thanks for the video- I build for myself as a hobby and I always use NFC X-Ray (because IMHO Kistler are the best rods I’ve ever used and NFC supplied Kistler their blanks for the longest time) and spiral wrap all my soft plastic and pitching rods- I’ve built a bunch of rods (NFC) and have around 25 NFC blanks in my shop waiting to be built. My question is this- I’ve looked at the guide spacing table on the NFC website several times and I can’t find the blanks I use- I have several of the MB736 you showed, MB705, MB709, SJ736, MB765Neo, etc. to name a few. I’d think these are popular blanks and would be on their spacing table but I’m not seeing them. Is there another NFC table out there I’m missing?

[@fdxcustomrods]

There is only one chart that I know of, and it has quite a few missing blanks.

[@sk-kiron]

good

[@fdxcustomrods]

Thanks