The 'new' equal angle guide system looks very familar to older systems which also used drawn lines to intersect a blank for guide location. Where does it differ from what has already come before?

The idea of placing a flexed blank next to a set of plotted lines in order to fix guide positions is not new. It has been around in various forms for at least 20 years if not more. I have two such systems in my shop now that date at least 20 years in age. And I got them from people who were doing them before me.

What is new about the Don's Equal Angle system, is that with this system you only need plot your lines once. And, given the number of angles present to work with,it is easy to plot a several sets of respective guide lines that will work with any set-up that you desire.

With the older systems, you were usually working with lines which were plotted after figuring the number of guides into the distance between butt and first guide, or tip. You had to do this simple math for each rod, unless they were verbatim lengths and you were using
the same number of guides. So your grid or set-up chart stayed the same, but you had to refigure the plotted lines for each rod.

So Don's system is not totally new, but it is the quickest way to pull it off. At least from what I am aware of.

Don has also incorporated some other aspects into his system. Working with a vertical spine finder he is able to spine, position and place guides in a single step and in a single location. Two steps perhaps, if you count the placement and sizing of the butt guides as a separate step.

So it is fair to say that the idea is not new, but this particular implementation is very new and very novel. And if you take the time to learn it you will be giving yourself the ability to completely spine, size and place guides in just a minute or two. How long does it take the way you are doing it now? I won't guess, but if you're like most of us I'd bet you're taking longer than you will with Don't system. Is this the final word in guide placment. No. But it's another method you might want to try. I see its greatest strength in being something that is not only faster than using any of the guide recommendation charts, but something also gives you guide placement with regard to the particular action/flex of your blank. Something no guide placement chart can do.

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