I've recently been asked to build a spiral baitcaster. New territory for me as I mostly build centerpins and spinning rods. I get the theory, and most of the components were selected by the end-user, but I still need some input. How do I decide what size stripper guide to start with? Fuji makes a 16, 12m, 12, 10m and a size 10 in their titanium kw frame, but I REALLY don't want to purchase all 5 of them just to experiment with. This will have a 3.5" for-grip and it will have a lo-profile (abu revo) reel and either 10-12lb. mono or similar sized braid. ANY thoughts would be appreciated,
Jay.

For a Fuji KR micro concept build use either a KW10 or a RV6 as the stripper guide. Since you are going to be using titanium guides I would recommend the RV6. This is followed by a KW5.5 which is followed by KB/KT runners all the same size in a size of your choosing, i.e. 5, or 4.5 or 4. Use three KB runner with the remaining guides being KT runners. If you wish you can substitute a 5.5KB for the 5.5 KW. The stripper will be on top the next guide at 60 degrees and the third guide at 120 degrees, and the rest at 180 degrees. The spacing for these guides is exactly the same as it would be if you were doing a conventional setup with the guides on top. The KR micro concept gives you a very light guide train, that performs exceptionally well.
Norm

I would tape the guides in place and do a load test at a 45 degree angle with about 25 pounds of weight and see how the line lays in the spiral around the blank and if the line contacts the blank as it can be done where the line doesn't make contact with anything but the guide rings

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Wi.

I do mine a little different. On light to medium rods (8-12 lbs mono) I like the RV 6mm on rods up to 7' in length. At 7' plus the a KW 6 will work or any other higher framed guide. I totally agree with Mark about his placement on the transition guides and the running guide sizes. I try to get the line (1) as straight as possible and (2) off the blank, so I will tweak the transition guides as far as distance between each other or position on the curvature of the blank.

Thanks everyone. I can't use the micro's on this one, so I'm going with the kw 10, a pair of kw 7's for the transition and kt 7's for runners.

Not sure what you mean by "can't use micros." For me, 7's are too large. No need to be that big. You can get KB's and KT's in size 6, if that size seems better. I would do all KB/KT5.5's exc the first guide. And maybe the second (90 degrees) whose function is just to keep the line off the blank. I would use a KW 8 for that first guide. But the success of the RV, which is always a 6, and is designed for casting rod first guides, suggests that 6 is enough, especially if it's a little high. I don't think the RV makes a lot of sense for a spiral, IMO.

My preferences are based on the simple spiral which puts all the guides exactly where you would put them on a conventional casting rod build. THEN rotate all but the first guide to 180 degrees. THEN add one guide at 90 degrees half way between the first and second guides. This guide should be as low as possible and the same ring size as the runners. Its only job is to keep the line off the blank. Some omit it. If you're using a KW for the first guide, use a KW for this one, size to match your runners. To lower it, consider bending it.

There are a lot of preferences for spiral layouts, but I don't think anyone has documented performance advantage over the simple spiral.

Consider the side of the reel the crank is on and do your offset guides on that side so when the rod is resting on the casting platform of a boat, both the crank and the guides are up.

Michael Danek Wrote:
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> Not sure what you mean by "can't use micros." For
> me, 7's are too large. No need to be that big.
> You can get KB's and KT's in size 6, if that size
> seems better. I would do all KB/KT5.5's exc the
> first guide. And maybe the second (90 degrees)
> whose function is just to keep the line off the
> blank. I would use a KW 8 for that first guide.
> But the success of the RV, which is always a 6,
> and is designed for casting rod first guides,
> suggests that 6 is enough, especially if it's a
> little high. I don't think the RV makes a lot of
> sense for a spiral, IMO.
>
> My preferences are based on the simple spiral
> which puts all the guides exactly where you would
> put them on a conventional casting rod build.
> THEN rotate all but the first guide to 180
> degrees. THEN add one guide at 90 degrees half
> way between the first and second guides. This
> guide should be as low as possible and the same
> ring size as the runners. Its only job is to keep
> the line off the blank. Some omit it. If you're
> using a KW for the first guide, use a KW for this
> one, size to match your runners. To lower it,
> consider bending it.
>
> There are a lot of preferences for spiral layouts,
> but I don't think anyone has documented
> performance advantage over the simple spiral.
>
> Consider the side of the reel the crank is on and
> do your offset guides on that side so when the rod
> is resting on the casting platform of a boat, both
> the crank and the guides are up.

It's a float rod for steelhead, pretty much the same principle as a centerpin. Size 7's are the bare minimum for the Great Lakes area if you're going to use this time of year, which most of us do.