[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]
  • Thread Index
  • Date Index
  • Subject Index

    • Re: SPLINES (SPINES)

    Walter....

    This is by far the best set of answers I got !

    As far as I know, the only rods which were made without any spline, were the tubular metal rods, including the beryllium copper step-tapered fly rods of 1940.

    I consulted Jeffrey L. Haton's new book, "ROD CRAFTING, A FULL COLOR PICTORIAL AND WRITTEN HISTORY FROM 1843 - 1960", since he had many examples of greenheart and other composite wood fly rods.....but found no mention of splines.

                                                                        Gordy




     

    From: Walter Simbirski <simbirsw@xxxxxxx>
    To: Gordon Hill <hillshead@xxxxxxx>
    Subject: Re: SPLINES (SPINES)
    Date: Fri, 02 Sep 2005 20:48:06 -0600

     
    ----- Original Message -----
    From: Gordon Hill
    To: flysoup@xxxxxxxxxx ; sobbobfish@xxxxxxx ; rtab@xxxxxxx ; CAPTPERMIT@xxxxxxx ; creangler@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx ; dwright@xxxxxxxxxxxx ; daver@xxxxxxxxxx ; dennisg@xxxxxxxxxxxx ; captdoug@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ; dsprague01@xxxxxxxxxxx ; ephemera@xxxxxxx ; brushycreekfc@xxxxxxxxx ; keysjake@xxxxxxx ; barefootj@xxxxxxx ; bradyir@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ; flyfishar@xxxxxxxxxxx ; ken.cole@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ; captkirk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ; glbaggett@xxxxxxxxx ; mkreider1@xxxxxxx ; martyt@xxxxxxxxxx ; niallogan@xxxxxxxxxx ; pminnick@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ; bigfly@xxxxxxxxx ; whorwood@xxxxxxxxx ; flycasts@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ; sheila@xxxxxxxxxx ; scjacobs@xxxxxxxxxxxx ; tharper@xxxxxxxxxxx ; tomwhite@xxxxxxxxxxxx
    Cc: mildbill@xxxxxxxxxxxx ; caddis@xxxxxxx ; Brydnlnims@xxxxxxxxxxx ; cezannealexander@xxxxxxxxxxx ; crazycharlie@xxxxxxx ; croberts@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ; blacksalmon@xxxxxxxxxxx ; DermSox@xxxxxxx ; gladesflybum@xxxxxxxxxxxx ; hillshead@xxxxxxx ; iverson@xxxxxxxxx ; jfs523@xxxxxxxxxxx ; jerry_puckett2001@xxxxxxxxx ; kathleen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ; thedamselfly@xxxxxxxxxxx ; plami@xxxxxxxxxxx ; ray@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ; kerrrc@xxxxxxxxx ; simbirsw@xxxxxxx ; bobbeanblossom@xxxxxxx ; hillcathy@xxxxxxx ; donjack@xxxxxxxxxxx ; douglas.swift@xxxxxxxxxxxx ; erniemaynard@xxxxxxxxxxx ; flyfsfrank@xxxxxxx ; gregrahe@xxxxxxxxxxx ; ianmuirhead@xxxxxxx ; jeff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ; t.maltese@xxxxxxxxx ; skifishvail@xxxxxxxx ; jfv@xxxxxxxxxxxx ; trallag@xxxxxxx ; mollysemenik@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ; paul@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ; fraudflies@xxxxxxx ; shane@xxxxxxxxx ; snowmonkey29@xxxxxxx
    Sent: Friday, September 02, 2005 3:32 PM
    Subject: SPLINES (SPINES)

    Hi, Group....

    Let's discuss the fly-rod SPLINE.  (Some, such as Don Phillips, prefer to call it the SPINE.)

    1.)  What is it ?

    Due to manufacturing issues graphite blanks do not come with perfectly uniform walls. Grpahite comes in long
    thin strands which are packed around a scrim wrapped arbor. The whole is then wrapped with cellophane and
    then hardened chemically and with heat to create a rod blank. During the process the arbor/scrim combination
    will not be perfectly centered in the graphite blank. The result is that one side if the rod will be a bit stiffer than
    the other sides. This can be felt by bending the rod and then rolling it while it is bent.
     

    2.)  On which side of the blank do most rod manufactures place it as they make up a rod ?

    Most rod manufacturers actually look for the orientation in which the rod is straightest when sighted down
    the length of the rod. This makes it easier to align the guides when wrapping the rod. This is generally
    assumed to be the stiffest side of the rod but may not coincide with the spine as identifed in the
    previous answer.
     
     Another test for rod spine is to stand the blank section up perpendicular with one end resting on the floor.
    If you press straight down on the other end of the blank section it will consistently bend in one direction.
    This will tend to agree with the spine identified by straightness.
     
    Guides are usually lined up with the stiff side of the blank or opposite the stiff side.  (Some rod builders will
    align the guides at 90 degrees to the stiff side of the blank but usually it is on or opposite the stiff side).
    Lining up the guides on the stiff side gives the fastest rod action but the rod may twist in some cases and a
    ffect casting accuracy or the action of the rod when playing a fish. Putting the guides on the opposite side
    will make the rod a bit slower but it tends to cast more accurately and doesn't roll or twist when playing a fish.
     
    With the tendency towards faster rods most rod manufacturers place the guides on the stiffest side of the
    blank as identified by blank straightness or the test described two paragraphs earlier (i.e. not the test
    described in question 1)

    3.)  What is its effect ?

         a. In picking up line for a back cast?

    Following the guides on the stiff side scenario this would make the rod slightly slower on the back
    cast. This would make the pick up less noisy on the water.

         b. In making a forward cast. ?

    Maximum stiffness in the direction of the forward cast would maximize energy transfer and distance. A lot
    of people like to turn the rod 90 degrees when casting to avoid line slap and/or for biomechanical reasons
    so the spine will not be providing them any benefit.

    4.)  Does placement of the spline (spine) have any effect on tracking ?

    Not of the rod hand but it can improve tracking of the rod tip.The amount of the effect depends on the difference
    between the spine and the rest of the rod.

    5.)  You have two graphite fly rods.  Both are top-of-the-line rods made by a well reputed rod company.  One was purchased 15 years ago.....you bought the other yesterday.

    Question:  Is there likely to be any difference in the splines (spines) between these two rods ?

    Yep - improvements in manufacturing methods has reduced the erratics in the wall thickeness. This makes the spine
    less noticeable. Some manufacturers claim a Uniform Wall Thickness but from what I've seen a perfectly uniform wall
    every time is still not guaranteed.

    6.)  Do most bamboo rods have a defined spline ?

    Yes. Bamboo rods are typically made up of 6 triangular pieces resulting in a hexagonal cross section. While the rod builders
    do everything they can to have uniform stiffness in each of the 6 pieces there will be discrepancies introduced by growth
    rings etc.
     

    7.)  How do you find it ?

    I know of 4 methods. 3 I've already described. The 4th one I know of is to suspend the blank horizontally at the butt end.
    A small weight is attached to the tip end and then the blank is rotated. The spine is identified when minimal deflection is
    found in the blank.

    Two good references for this information, are Dale Clemens book on rod building, and Don Phillips, "The Technology of fly Rods".

                                                                         Gordy