For all those who have recieved the latest Rodmaker, what's your opinions on the equal angle guide placement theory? Will it be accurate every time? (I know some depends on ensuring accurate angles) Does this method improve on the old, stress testing and test casting method? Just curious if all the work in setting up for that technique is worth it?

Once you set up your chart, the time it takes to place the guides with this system will cut at least in half. The chart does exactly what you are doing manually with your static stress distribution tests. Because the blank is flexed when applied to the chart, the particular action of the blank is accounted for automatically.

When Don was here back in May, he had a chart with him. It was possible to determine proper guide placement in about 2 or 3 minutes I guess. A commercially available chart should be available very shortly.

I am sure Don will chime in with further comments.

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Looks good on paper, and I'm just curious as to know how much a difference it would be from the standardized charts for rod actions.As long as the line run is straight as possible with a minimum of guides I would think this would be sufficient.When matching some of my same rod lengths with a different action I have noticed a slight difference in the equal angle to rod tip.I would like to setup a ( PGT Grid Tool ) just to see how far off from the standardized specifications it would be.

I am not aware of any such standardized specifications. What are those? I would very much like to see them.

If you plot guide placement with the generic spacings listed in many books and on some websites, you are getting just that - generic spacing that does not take into account the handle length or action of any specific blank. Don's method considers both.

I like what Don said in the opening paragraph, "... guide placement based on a set of criteria rather than a set of measurements seems to be a better answer".

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I have been using the Angle chart since last years conclave. I have yet to find any problems with it. In fact it seems to save time and you are the one who decides how many guides to use. I made my chart using various amouts of guides. Each variation uses a different color of line.All variations are set up within a 120 degrees of angle. So use a different color of marking pen to make the lines on your chart. I also made up an angle chart for Don's new fly rod set up. I think you will be seeing this at the conclave. Be ready to be surprised at what it will do. Nothing short of amazing. Be there I dare!
I have not gotten my latest issue yet of Rodmaker so I hope I am not just repeating the info.

Bruce Young
Landing Gear

I have read and re-read the article. It looks like Mr. Morton has defined a "field theory" for guide placement. It reminds me of the graphs I have seen for plotting cosine on a sine wave. No matter where you are in the world you are, or no mater what the sine wave looks like, there is one formula you use. I would like to know if Mr. Morton has a backround in electronics, mathematics, physics, ect...

Bill Doherty

Sully,

This is all new to me. I think what you are refering to is decided by how many guides you want on the rod. If I read the article right, you take 120 degrees and divide by the number of guides. That gives you the increments you mean. But it is only the number of guides you want from between the tip-top and where the 90 degree bend straightens out. I have responed to your post without a good knowlege of this system, not to give you bad info, but to clarify my understanding of Equal-Angle Spacing. If I am wrong, please somebody explain it to me also.

Bill Doherty

This ariticle was part 2. The last issue of RodMaker had part 1 and told how to determine how many guides you wanted to use. From there you use the grid lines that correspond to that number.

I think the number of guides is up to you and what feels safe or right to you. Don's method just puts the guides in the optimum(sp?) place. The last rod I built used 9 flyrod guides from the set-up guide to the tip. But that's because I wanted to. That was on a G-USA B70M. It's a killer on 8 -10lb sheepshead and 25-35 inch reds! Kinda took the fun outta the fight!

Steve

I read the write up in RodMaker and understand it. I even think I understand the why and how of about 95% of it. The question that I can't figure out is what is the magic behind 120 degrees? Why was that angle choosen instead of something else?

Thanks and Happy Holidays Everybody!
DaveB

Because it is divisable by any number of different degree settings. 105, 115 or 110 would not be. In 120 you can place 4, 5, 6, and roughly 7 guides.
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Tom, I was under the assumption that rod blank companies were giving you there standardized specifications with guide spacing and not the generic.Thanks for informing me on this subject.
Pacific Bay's development of actions and powers are recorded to insure design consistency.Then this would be considered generic with line weight and rod action.