Guide Spacing for St Croix FnF Rod?

I am building a Float N Fly rod using a St Croix 2S86LM2 Blank and was wondering if anyone has this rod, Its a St Croix Premeire, 8'6", 2 pc Float N Fly model. Im having problems getting the correct guide spacing, and was wondering if anyone has this rod and if they would be willing to measure their guides distance from the tip to bottom for me. It has 7 guides and the measurement would be at the center of each guide starting from the tip. Ive been getting conflicting measurements from St Croixs site and some of the others I usually use, think this will save me alot of time and frustration, Thanks

I do not have that rod, so cannot give you measurements. What I would do is use the info that you got from St Croix on the guide placement and tape the guides to the blank. Attach the reel you intend to use with the rod and then do a stress test to see where you might need to move a guide or two, or even add or remove a guide altogether. After you feel the guides are in the right place, take some test casts in the yard to insure all is right before you wrap and epoxy the guides. Each blank is a little different so using an existing formula may not give you the best lay out.

Andrew

Where are you located? I can help you do the stress test. I am here in Louisville. What I do is put the tip on. Use tip top adhesive like you normally would. Wrap it. I took a piece of PVC pipe and screwed it to a board. I attached the board to my work bench with a C clamp. I put the rod about a 60 degree angle. I put the rod in there and then take a regular water bottle and tie a string around it then tie to the guide. where the rod bends put a guide on it.

7 guides seems a little light to me. I try to use a guide per foot. Spinning guides you can get away with less depending on the rod and set up. Micros will change that as well. Give me a call if you have any questions 502-664-5921.

I agree that 7 guides sounds light, but I've been using microguides. St. Croix should have the guide spacing on their website somewhere. I just looked for blanks info on their site this week, and I had trouble finding it. If you don't see it on their site, call or e-mail them. They are in the business of making their blanks as successful as possible. If they weren't, they wouldn't sell them (like Loomis!). If not there, another vendor who sells their blanks, like Mudhole, might have the charts on their site.

You can also go to bassboatcentral.com

I emailed St Croix a few days ago and havent heard back yet. The 7 Guides does seem light, I got that info from St Croix's guide spacing chart for a 8'6" walleye/spinning rod. I guess I'm just being lazy or trying to take shortcuts with this one, I am going to go ahead and do stress test on it. Regardless of what St Croix says or reccomends, the stress test would be best. I have only done stress once before and it turned out ok. This is the 6th rod I will hopefully complete, I'm actually building it for my Father in Law for a crappie rod. The others Ive finished were MHX from mudhole and they have a guide chart. I have gotten in over my head on this rod building thing, as of now I have 7 rods I'm in different stages of completion and about a 20 or more rod blanks waiting to do.

On a side note:I bought a bunch of blanks from mudholes grab bag sale a few months ago, and they sent me some I dont think I'll use.. If anyone is interested in them (cheap) I'm willing to trade or sell they are all IM6 graphite Cast/Spin blanks. I have 6' Heavy (3), 6'3" Heavy (1) 6'6" ML (1), 6'6" MH (1), 6'8" HVY (1), 7' M (1), 7'3" ML (1), 7'4" Hvy (1) and 2 5'6" UL (1blue-1green)

I also have a St Croix 6'6" MH SC2 spinning I'll sell for 35.00

If anyone is interested in them let me know [EMAIL="[email protected]"][email protected][/EMAIL]

The specs on all those rods for sale are estimated. They are all MHX's and they come unmarked, so I might be wrong on the powers. they are all different tip speeds too. I can get pics and more specs if needed. I also have some spare reel seats both casting and spinning and grip parts too.

I still have 3 of the 6' Hvy's left. I'll take $10 ea or $25 for all 3. I also have 1 of the 5'6" UL (green) left for $20. I dont want to ship, can meet near Lexington. I would also entertain any trades for tackle, reels, anything fishing related etc. let me know what you got.

[EMAIL="[email protected]"][email protected][/EMAIL]