Does placement of guides change wt. rating/speed of rod?

[learner]

Okay, I have my rod kid ready to go. I have found the "soft" part of the spine. If I put the guides here I will have a 6 wt. rod.

What if I put them on the other side, the "hard" side. It is harder to bend back. Does this mean the rod would "load" differently? Would it need more "line in the air" of 6 wt. line to load it--instead of 30 ft, some greater number? If so,does this make it a different wt. rod?

Would it make the action "faster" to have the guides on the "hard" side?

I see that it is recommended to usually go with the "soft" side, unless you want a stiffer rod for fighting bigger fish. But in doing so, do you change the two characteristics noted above?

thanks, learner

[flyfisherjoe]

The rod loads in both directions. It's not going to make any difference in rod weight rating.

I put the guides on the hard side to have a softer forward cast for presentation and be stronger when picking up line for a back cast.

I don't think your going to notice a great deal of difference whichever way you do it.

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Joe

[FlyingCarp]

flyfisherjoe,

I have never built a rod and I'm making NO acusations here. Not good w/ physics either.

Please explain why placing the the guides on the hard side would help w/ line pick-up and a softer presentation on the forward cast. Seems to me, it would be the opposite.

Again maybe I don't understand the way folks label, hard side - soft side of the rod.
Thanks for any replies.

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Land Em',
Carp

[flyfisherjoe]

FlyingCarp, the visualization can be difficult.

When I check a blank, I find the side it bends the easiest and call that the soft side.

In use, the guides are at the bottom of the rod. When you pick up, the rod bends on the bottom. If this is the hard side it will be stronger, if it is the soft side it will bend easier.

The opposite is true for mounting guides if it is a spinning or conventional rod which has the guides at the top.

Does that make sense?

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Joe




[This message has been edited by flyfisherjoe (edited 16 June 2005).]

[FlyingCarp]

flyfisherjoe,
I hear what you are saying.I didn't realize that is the way a rod bends.
Without any previous instruction, as mentioned befor, I would think the soft side of a spinning rod would be on the top of the rod,opposite the eyes which would be on the bottom. Therefor when the forward cast is actuated, the force from the forward facing part(bottom of rod w/ eyes) of the rod would create the most energy for the cast.
So, if I took a section of a rod and bent it with my hands while rolling it, it would eventually come to a point where the rod would be the easiest to bend. My thoughts are, that the inside of that bend would be the hard side and the outside would be the soft.Or in other words, rods bend on the outside of the curve, not the inside. Do I have this totally wrong?
thanks again

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Land Em',
Carp

ffj,

I've always been advised to place the guides 'opposite' the spline(hard side).

As far as space between the guides, I understand that you can alter the action 'somewhat' by altering the spacing as well as + or - a guide.

Perhaps this question should be asked on the rod building bulletin board.

Allan

[flyfisherjoe]

FlyingCarp, I wouldn't do a spinning rod to be stronger on back cast, maybe some might.

As to which side should be called the soft side, I guess it could be looked at in different ways. I suppose it would be simpler to say I put the guides on a side that gives me a stronger backcast.

There's nothing wrong with doing it the opposite or just putting the pieces together so that every thing is straight and turning the rod until it is as strait as it gets (lowest drooping) and putting the guides on the bottom of that position to achieve what I like.

I think guide spacing is important. A static test can be made by taping the guides and running line through them. Then load the rod and seeing how it looks and feels at each guide.

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Joe

[learner]

Thanks for ideas. My apologies for posting on this board. I will use the "rod building" board for any future questions on rod building. There is so much on the site, I hadn't noted the presence of the rod building section. learner

[FlyingCarp]

learner, Good luck with your rod. I hope it comes out great.
ffj, Thanks for your replies. I think I'm starting to get it but, I'm just slow enough where I would have to be shown.

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Land Em',
Carp

[Benjo]

Where's the guy from GandL when you need him?