acid wraps?

[Bobb-o]

Thinking of putting an acid wrap on a kistler helium blank I picked up, anyone have any experience with these? I have done them on ice rods, but am wondering if I will lose any casting distance from it.

[upnorth]

If you are talking about a spiral wrap, it will have no real affect on casting. Just make sure you tape the first guide or two in place and put a reel the same or similar in the reel seat and make sure when you reel up you won't drag on the blank.

[Bobb-o]

ok, thanks, I know how to set them up and everything, was just wondering aboot the effect on casting, it seems like it should dampen the casting action.

[upnorth]

I did my Muskie rod with a spiral and that thing throws lures like a howitzer. Big thing is to keep the line off the blank. None of the angles are really tight enough to slow the line.

[bemidjibasser]

Building a spiral wrapped rod will give you a far more stable rod than a traditional all on top rod. The rod will behave much like a spinning rod when a load is applied (fighting a fish/ retrieving a lure), in that it will not try to roll on you.

[pureinsanity]

Enjoy that rod. That blank is awesome I really love my heliums.

[Rodbldr4fun]

Theoretically, the spiral wrap is more efficient for casting as long as you do the turn so that it doesn't cause drag on the blank. Once the line is on the bottom, the chance of drag on the blank is less than if the line is run on top of the blank. That along with stability are the reasons for the spiral wrap.

[Scoot]

Yep, as was said above- an acid wrap (aka. spiral wrap, Robert's wrap) will theoretically ADD to max casting distance, not take away from it.

[Rodbldr4fun]

If you do a spiral wrap, you want to set the spine the same as you do for a spinning rod.

[bemidjibasser]

Spine has no bearing on the performance of a rod. Once a rod has a load applied to it via line and through the guides, the rod will flex towards that load regardless of spine orientation.

[pureinsanity]

Spine has no bearing on the performance of a rod. Once a rod has a load applied to it via line and through the guides, the rod will flex towards that load regardless of spine orientation.

Though your statement is "only somewhat" true, being inline with the spine increases accuracy and casting distance.

[Rodbldr4fun]

I have been at some rod building get togethers where they tested that and the rod tip did in fact role when incorrectly aligned. It is one of the reasons tips will break loose; they are being torqued when out of sync with the blank. Folks like Don Morton also suggest that it will throw the line off on the cast because of the misalignment. Don has been building rods for a very long time and has worked on the physics of the condition. The gatherings I have attended have been at the St. Croix rod factory in Wisc. I certainly don't claim to be an expert whatsoever, but I have learned quite a bit from folks like Don and tend to believe their expertise.

[bemidjibasser]

Rodbldr-I have been there also and they are great events.

pure-I guess we may have to agree to disagree on this one. Building on the straightest axis is far more important to accuracy and distance than spine orientation from what I have garnered in my 10+ years of rod building...

[Rodbldr4fun]

Agreed.

[unfrozen]

Regarding spine, I'm in your camp bemidjibasser. I also build only on the straightest axis. A rod will cast and fish just fine no matter where the spine is oriented. The level arm effect of the guides always trumps any spine effect.

If anyone wants the bare facts regarding spine pick up the last issue of Rod Maker magazine, Volume 13 #6. There's an excellent article by Tom Kirkman titled What About Rod "Spine?"

[upnorth]

I am staying out of this one I check the spine(which on a good blank will be in align with the straightest axis) but still build in the straightest axis. I don't see having the guides out of align off to one side a good bet.

[Rodbldr4fun]

Certainly, if the blank is not straight with the spine, it needs to be built in line. However, I haven't had that problem with quality blanks.

[bemidjibasser]

I don't even bother to check for the spine, which many blanks will have more than one... Straightest axis only for me, as already stated. =)

[rushing]

Straightest axis for me as well.

[CHM]

Rodbldr-I have been there also and they are great events.

pure-I guess we may have to agree to disagree on this one. Building on the straightest axis is far more important to accuracy and distance than spine orientation from what I have garnered in my 10+ years of rod building...

I agree. Spine affecting casting accuracy is a myth. Those that say it does have not tested it, they just think it.