Rod rebuilding help please

[JungleJim]

I need to rebuild a rod as the spine is not correct & possums have had a feed on the front cork grip can anyone help with the size guides I should use with my Alvey 40C reel? The blank is a Conlon which was 2.2m but has been extended to 2.425m , has I believe a medium action and tapers from approx 2.5mm to 14mm the best I can messure as it has guides & reel seat fitted. Also would it be better to cut off the butt extension and return it to the original length? I can get the suggested guide locations off the Alvey site or is there a better location for them, the wire guide has been removed from the front of the reel.
Any help I can get will be greatly appreciated, them I can use the equipment.Thanks.Jim

[Feral]

Way to set guide spacing on a rod as I was taught as a nipper was to put your tip on, tie the but of the rod to a chair or similar, load the rod to simulate about where you reckon it will go to with the target species on it, and keep it there. (Note if using one of those whippy rods which virtually bend in half, dont go past 90 degrees or your spacing will look real wierd! )

Then along the floor divide the distance between the but and the tip evenly by the number of guides (including the tip) you are going to use, (a chalk mark on the floor or similar) then mark the rod vertically above each chalk mark. That tells you where to put the guides.

Has always worked well for me. PS I would reckon 5 guides and tip would be heaps for the rod.

Some people reckon for an Alvey you need to put the first runner half way up the rod, you wont be much short of that anyway using this method, but with a 40c I doubt it would be necessary. I have never done it - even with a 7" alvey on a 12 foot rod.

[roz]

Firstly, would definately pay to look at the information on the Alvey site.

I've never build a rod to suit a side cast, I have a rough idea, but I wouldn't even attempt to advise you there. Send off a quick PM to DR (Dave).

Good Luck

Roz

[JewseeTHAT]

The way I do it is to find the spine, tape the reel into position, put the stripper guide roughly halfway up, tape on a tip and very roughly space out the number of guides, the lower number the better. Using the reel, with the line you intend to use, go out into the yard or park, and tie on a sinker approximating the weight you'll be using. Get the sun behind you, and send out a few decent casts. What you need to look for is the line coming off the reel. It'll look like a cone, you will have to jockey around to get the light just right to see it. Make adjustments to the postion of the stripper guide so the cone of line is at its smallest as it reaches the stripper guide. You don't want it choking, or slapping the rod, so keep juggling until it's right. Then load the rod up and space the guides so the line is kept evenly spaced off the blank along its length. Once you're happy, mark all the positions and untape the guides. Clean up any traces of tape gum (without removing your marks), and you're ready to bind the guides on.

[JungleJim]

Thanks for the replies, is the actual size ( ID ) of the guides critical?
Jim

[Feral]

First one needs to be big, the rest just reducing.

[JewseeTHAT]

Stripper of 28 mm approx is plenty if you get the position right. The big wire strippers of days gone by are basically overkill, in fact they can work against you in a couple of ways, weight is obviously one, and the really large diameter also encourages line slap on the blank. With a 4 inch alvey there's nothing to suggest you need think about a wire one. My Mitchell 499 has a spool almost as big as that, and you wouldn't dream of using wire on that, eh? Huge killer of distance, not to mention knocking the blank about. A reputable tackle supply shop will clue you up on the other guides, light weight on that blank will help. The butt really should be quite short, on my 650 I have it less than 5 inches, as standing for long periods with it longer is an invitation to a back-ache. Probably not quite as important with a 4 inch reel, but still I'd keep it pretty trim.The grips I'd carefully cut off and think about replacing with shrink material (Frogleys Agencies have it that I know of).
Cheers.

[JungleJim]

Thanks for all the help guys, it is greatly appreciated.

Roz, I can't send Dave a PM as I have not made 10 posts yet.

Thanks, Jim

[DR]

just saw this, JewseeThat, has said pretty well what i'd do
cheers

[Volvo]

Agree with what JewseeThat sez but will add a bit more. Firstly are they the original guides??.If so there's a possabillity that the spacings are okay and one only needs to remove the extension thats been added on the buttsection i presume??.
Place the rod in a rodholder or whatever, put the Alvey in the seat and loaded with line. Get a good working curve on the rod and see how it fairs far as rod bend goes..
Looks okay, then get ahold of the rod youself and see how it feels fer comfort loaded up.
If all okay then mark where the guides should sit and remove them along with the foregrip thats been damaged and reel seat.
Fix the butt section to where or how it should be,locate your spine and mark.
Replace reel seat, foregrip , guides and tip..
Not quite sure of the blank but If you can access the Alvey site they should be able to supply spacings and guide types if yours are out otherwise give me a holler and i'll see what recipes i have aside to send you for spacings...
Now some wet n dry and holding the blank outback under the garden tap you carefully n smoothly remove old resin,varnish or whatever and re-apply another to bring it up spik n span again....
let me know you have any problemo's.
Cheers