Backbone locator...

[masterdusky]

Does anyone have any ideas where I can pick up one of those backbone locators for building a new rod...seen em a while ago (well a few yrs LOL )cant sem to find em now..... any ideas ????


AL

[mjc85]

Make one :P a weight of some kind tied to the tip of the blank with some string, make sure its not to heavy and snaps your nice new blank

[wheezer]

the best backbone locator is yourself! stand the blank vertically with the butt against the inside of your foot (arch) load the rod through the lower half-2 thirds section (some blanks will exhibit multiple backbones through different sections depending on how they were made, the strongest one will obviously be where the blank is thickest) rotate gently and the blank should 'lock' into place. also most blanks will seem to have 2 backbones, opposite eachother. choose the one that locks into place strongest.

there is another school of thought that you should build your rod 'off the bone' because it will be stronger. G.loomis seem to apply this theory as 95% of their rods I pick up are built off the bone. I'm not convinced though......

[westie]

the best backbone locator is yourself! stand the blank vertically with the butt against the inside of your foot (arch) load the rod through the lower half-2 thirds section (some blanks will exhibit multiple backbones through different sections depending on how they were made, the strongest one will obviously be where the blank is thickest) rotate gently and the blank should 'lock' into place. also most blanks will seem to have 2 backbones, opposite eachother. choose the one that locks into place strongest.

there is another school of thought that you should build your rod 'off the bone' because it will be stronger. G.loomis seem to apply this theory as 95% of their rods I pick up are built off the bone. I'm not convinced though......

Totally agree I find that the old fashion way is the best.

As for building off the bone I am not a lover of it, >:( the main reason is if and when you get to load it up to the max, you don't want to be fighting it to bring it in line ( The rod screwing out of you hands) you need it to sit with runners up for overheads and runners down for spin Etc. NOT at 10-20deg off.

I have one of those and it P's me right off but just to uncomfortable to fish with. That is when I could catch fish :'(

[straddie]

I'll throw my vote to the by hand method as well, it is as good as any.

Westie sounds like that rod might not be quite straight and has a very slight bend in it toward one side. The back bone doesn't have enough influence to cause spinning when under pressure on correctly aligned guides.

[westie]

Well there you go I have learnt something today.( No Pun intended)

Will go and get it and put it in the vice and tap it with the 10lb rod bender takeer outa.

Just a thought, is that the best way to get it straight again, or is the 10lb er over the top ;D

[grave41]

Come and have a loan of my $500 custom 24kg spin stick on 30 pound cobia and try and tell me it doesent spin on you. Made by well known rod maker. Still hauls ass but you fight for it. Backbone and guide alignment is critical. My oppion . Graham

[revs57]

Couldn't agree more Graham, nothing worse than having to fight a crook set up and the fish

cheers

Rhys

[straddie]

Westie re read your first post this morning and realised I hadn't seen the overhead part, yes they can spin as a result of BB position but other minor inconsistancies in the blank can also be to blame.

In my opinion building to the backbone is not the be all and end all of good rod building and each individual blank has to be assesed and built on accordingly.

[masterdusky]

Straddie...what do u look for in determining how a blank be built.....?? :D

[Willo]

In my opinion building to the backbone is not the be all and end all of good rod building and each individual blank has to be assesed and built on accordingly.

[/quote]


I agree with Straddie here.

Materboy
You will find all blanks are different, some with one back bone others with more and vary rarly do you get a strait one.
If you eye down your blank you will usually see a slight cure or bend in .What a lot of USA rod builders are now saying is that you use this curve to build on. That is tip up belly down butt up . Won't go on about for why but they say it will give you a better rod.
I hve since built two spin sticks and a couple of Spiral Wraps on Loomis Blanks using tip up belly down method and found if gives the rod a nice crispe action with a quick response time,and diffinately not cause rod twisting
Would build on back bone if I was ever lucky enough to get a dead strait blank
Just my thoughs though :)

[DR]

i personally prefer to build the traditional way, by using the backbone..
have known people who always build 90deg off the bone, saying it will give a stronger rod, which i suppose is true in some respects as it is fighting against clicking to place with the bone, it definately is harder to bend, but stronger i doubt.
as for all the companies building off the bone, to me it is marketing to save a few cents, one company says it's because their blanks are so perfect they don't have backbones :) IMHO as for them being curved, they either have bent mandrels or crap quality control, any blank can be bent, just ask anyone who has left a rod leaning in the corner for a long time or left a rod in the car on a hot day..
on lighter stuff i don't think it matters either way, i just feel more comfortable with it. on heavier stuff, especially overhead, which i have never used in anger, it could be a problem. hard enough fighting a large fish. let alone the rod as well.

[Willo]

Just a side note
The curve I'm referring to is not actuall curve from tip to butt as such, but a slight bend in the last 1/4 or so to the tip that they say happens when blank is removed from mantel or mold (spelling ??)on manufacture at times

[Cloud_9]

id argree with the build on the back bone .
ive watched Rod jones from Jonesy's Custom rods find the BB by put butt on the floor with the rod tip in your fingers and rotate the blank
the rods own weight creates a curve and the BB will
showup as a rise and fall of the blank as you roll it.

[Volvo]

I'm with DR...
Easy way to find your backbone without getting complicated is to to place/rest the first eight to sixteen inches of the tip of your blank(this is depending type of blank and line class) say over the forefinger of one hand and with the forefinger of the other push slightly down on the tip whilst lifting with the other .
As the butt section lifts it will click n drop with backbone in place.
Now if yourve wrapped a wee bit of masking tape somewheres along the tip end or lower down the blank you can get someone ta place a wee mark where backbone runs.
Yes blanks can have more than one backbone and all the more to your advantage but must run your backbone test a few times to find out which backbone is more prevalent.....
Getting back to the slight debate whether it is or is not critical or important to have backbone located in the right place is part reason of either having a custom built rod or buying off shelf..
A tailormade suit is is made to fit one nicely and not only look good but be comfortable.
You build the Rod for the same reasons and that is not only look good but to be able to fish with it tiresly(Shite i know ive spelt that wrong but ya know what i means ey :-[)..
A rod built true and well will do halfe the work for ya in battle and you wont tire fishing with it all day ey..
Okay have ranted on enough...
Cheers

[wheezer]

the above method is great for lighter and/or longer stuff, but not if you're rolling up something like a heavy jig stick as the blank won't bend under its own weight.....

great discussion on whether or not to build on the bone, I prefer to build on the bone and if I get a blank that has a bit of a woof or kink in it I send it back. Have had to do so with a few of the lighter Samurai sticks. The mandrels they make the blanks on are straight so therefore the blank should be when it comes off.

[Volvo]

Wheezer you are right offcourse if one isa newcommer to rodbuilding but have done enough to be able to locate the backbone as mentioned myself otherwise if the blank is quite stiff in its action then best way for me is to lay the tip in the palm of one hand whilst rolling the blank along with the palm of the other making sure the butt has a smooth surface to roll along with no interuptions..
Blank will certainly click onto its backbone and can aslo detect more than one backbone this way ..
Still find the earlier method the best as it straight off goes to the main backbone..
Cheers

[DR]

i use the same method as Volvo, but rather than describe it, sent dusky off to a site with pictures :)

just to throw something else into the mix, one other thing i have noticed over the years is that some BBs can actually spiral up the blank.. therefore when i do find the bone i do it by putting a working curve in the blank, & find it is usually down the rod a fair bit from the tip. have had rods that appear to be on the bone, but when fully loaded they are off.

[wheezer]

i use the same method as Volvo, but rather than describe it, sent dusky off to a site with pictures :)

just to throw something else into the mix, one other thing i have noticed over the years is that some BBs can actually spiral up the blank.. therefore when i do find the bone i do it by putting a working curve in the blank, & find #it is usually down the rod a fair bit from the tip. have had rods that appear to be on the bone, but when fully loaded they are off.

that is why I suggested in my first post to load the blank in a working curve in the lower or most powerful section of the blank. Most blanks will exhibit multiple backbones as the flags are wrapped around the mandrel and there are a number of different flags spliced on at differrent locations to dictate the stiffness and action of the rod.

[DR]

i use the same method as Volvo, but rather than describe it, sent dusky off to a site with pictures :)

just to throw something else into the mix, one other thing i have noticed over the years is that some BBs can actually spiral up the blank.. therefore when i do find the bone i do it by putting a working curve in the blank, & find it is usually down the rod a fair bit from the tip. have had rods that appear to be on the bone, but when fully loaded they are off.

that is why I suggested in my first post to load the blank in a working curve in the lower or most powerful section of the blank. Most blanks will exhibit multiple backbones as the flags are wrapped around the mandrel and there are a number of different flags spliced on at differrent locations to dictate the stiffness and action of the rod.


sorry wheezer, did not read your post properly, i tend to speed read :-/ & miss bits, like the low down BB, which was important,sorry.

[wheezer]

no apologies necessary :)