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Microguides and heavy stuff?

Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2011 10:45 am
by Sportive
Hello friends, I'm planning to made my first custom rod and I have a lot of questions in spite of I've read a lot in this forum, of course also before the problem with the server :doh:

I'm thinking about a casting Phenix UMBx in 7' and MH power blank. I want an all purpouse rod for fishing when it's not possible to go with the boat or the floating tube. So I will cast everything from 1/8 to 1 oz, and sometimes I'll fish pikes with not so heavy baits.

My question (the first :roll: ) is if the titanium frame sic microguides will be a bad idea for this kind of sometimes hard use... what do you think? :-k

Thank you!

Re: Microguides and heavy stuff?

Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2011 12:01 pm
by jimmyb
titanium framed micros are overkill... i personally just stay with the SS frames when using micros

i have sold a number of my buddies on the virtues of the K series micros because the guides are so small and stiff. They will hold up to being stepped on in a boat, whereas a BLAG 6 would be bent flat

The only downside to a micro on a heavy rod is if you are looking to try and pass large splice knots or swivels thru the guide, you are gonna struggle.

Re: Microguides and heavy stuff?

Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2011 1:06 pm
by Tokugawa
jimmyb wrote:titanium framed micros are overkill... i personally just stay with the SS frames when using micros
x2 You'll save very little weight with the Ti frames. I like SS/SiC for primarily braid applications (like frogging) and SS/Alconite for all the others.

Not sure you'll get all the way down to 1/8oz with a MH power rod.

Re: Microguides and heavy stuff?

Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2011 4:32 am
by Sportive
Ok, thanks for your help.

Tokugawa you are right, I'll only cast a few times 1/8 oz and only short casts. Most of the time the baits I'll use will be between 3/8 and 7/8 oz.

I've just decided that I'll try a spiral wrap, despite I think that it will add some difficulty. Could you help me with the guide spacing and number of guides I need, please? (I'm thinking in 4mm ring)
I am going to use the wrap that Mattman has wrote in other post (30°, 80°, 135°, and 170°), and I know that there is a different answer for each blank, but I need to start from a "standart" because I have not expirience 8-[

Thank you, have a nice day!!

Re: Microguides and heavy stuff?

Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2011 6:18 am
by jimmyb
i have been making my bumper style spiral wrap at the following
stripper @ 20" from reel
bumper 6" forward of stripper
180 guide 6" forward of bumper
modified "equal space" guide spacing to tip, tweaked as needed for the blank taper/action

I generally end up with 9 guides + tip on a typical 7' spiral wrapped.

Re: Microguides and heavy stuff?

Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2011 1:34 pm
by craigrbns
X2 on the necessity of titanium frames. However, Ive been switching to titanium frames on all my new rods, and some of my older ones simply because most of my rods see 1/2 of their time inshore fishing on the flats. Hopefully there will be no worry about corrosion in the future!

Re: Microguides and heavy stuff?

Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2011 3:32 pm
by Tokugawa
craigrbns wrote:X2 on the necessity of titanium frames. However, Ive been switching to titanium frames on all my new rods, and some of my older ones simply because most of my rods see 1/2 of their time inshore fishing on the flats. Hopefully there will be no worry about corrosion in the future!
Yeah - Ti is good in saltwater.

I'll toss something else out there too...Ti is really hard to bond to. Have you guys noticed low bond strength of the thread epoxy directly to the Ti?

Re: Microguides and heavy stuff?

Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 4:41 am
by Sportive
jimmyb wrote:i have been making my bumper style spiral wrap at the following
stripper @ 20" from reel
bumper 6" forward of stripper
180 guide 6" forward of bumper
modified "equal space" guide spacing to tip, tweaked as needed for the blank taper/action

I generally end up with 9 guides + tip on a typical 7' spiral wrapped.
What size guides I need for this first 3 guides if I'll use 4# micros in the next 6?

I only fish in freshwater, so deffinitly I'll not use titanium frames.

Re: Microguides and heavy stuff?

Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 6:07 am
by jimmyb
i am currently using a #6 as the stripper guide... then switch to 4's to the tip

Re: Microguides and heavy stuff?

Posted: Sat Apr 09, 2011 8:48 am
by Sportive
Guys, I have a problem with the spiral wrapping.

I'm trying to do the smoothest path as possible, but I'm not sure if the line must touch in the bottom of the bumper and 3rd guides or that's not important. ](*,)

Can you help me, please?

Re: Microguides and heavy stuff?

Posted: Sun Apr 10, 2011 12:10 pm
by Koldkut
I built exactly what you are building(Phenix Ultra MBX 700HM ti-sic micros), it was in the show and tell section before the forum had a severe crash. I used all 3.5 Ti-sic micros, stripper at 0, first bumper 4" ahead at 60, second bumper 4" ahead of the first at 120, then the next guide at 180, usually 5 inches ahead of the last bumper guide. then statically place your running guides.

Re: Microguides and heavy stuff?

Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2011 11:06 am
by Sportive
Koldkut wrote:I built exactly what you are building(Phenix Ultra MBX 700HM ti-sic micros), it was in the show and tell section before the forum had a severe crash. I used all 3.5 Ti-sic micros, stripper at 0, first bumper 4" ahead at 60, second bumper 4" ahead of the first at 120, then the next guide at 180, usually 5 inches ahead of the last bumper guide. then statically place your running guides.
Ok, thank you. I'll try your method also. I'm using #4 micros.
Now, after time fishing with the rod, what do you think about the blank?

Re: Microguides and heavy stuff?

Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2011 4:23 pm
by Koldkut
Sportive wrote:
Koldkut wrote:I built exactly what you are building(Phenix Ultra MBX 700HM ti-sic micros), it was in the show and tell section before the forum had a severe crash. I used all 3.5 Ti-sic micros, stripper at 0, first bumper 4" ahead at 60, second bumper 4" ahead of the first at 120, then the next guide at 180, usually 5 inches ahead of the last bumper guide. then statically place your running guides.
Ok, thank you. I'll try your method also. I'm using #4 micros.
Now, after time fishing with the rod, what do you think about the blank?

It's not my rod, It's Boondocks, I'll send him a link and have him chime in, I believe it's his personal fav.

Re: Microguides and heavy stuff?

Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2011 4:29 pm
by Boondock
Sportive wrote:
Koldkut wrote:I built exactly what you are building(Phenix Ultra MBX 700HM ti-sic micros), it was in the show and tell section before the forum had a severe crash. I used all 3.5 Ti-sic micros, stripper at 0, first bumper 4" ahead at 60, second bumper 4" ahead of the first at 120, then the next guide at 180, usually 5 inches ahead of the last bumper guide. then statically place your running guides.
Ok, thank you. I'll try your method also. I'm using #4 micros.
Now, after time fishing with the rod, what do you think about the blank?
He built the rod for me.
It is my nicest jig rod. So sooo sensitive. Sold my GLX 853 as it couldn't compare at all. Just had an SCV 7' med built and it doesn't compare to the phenix sensitivity wise.
FYI It is pretty light for a MH. I wouldn't throw anything jig wise over an 1/2 ounce... You may want to consider the heavy. Wouldn't trade this rod for nothing.

Re: Microguides and heavy stuff?

Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 12:27 am
by Sportive
Wow I'm glad to hear this good opinion.

I had not the chance to hold this blank or a rod made with it in my hands before buying because here in Europe it's not possible to find them in our local shops.

This afternoon I'll try to make finally the casting test. I've dones tatic tests with 3 different spiral wrpas, one that jimmy suggested, other than mattman wrote in other post and the one that kolkud told me... and all of them seem to be a good configurations. I must start casting with each one.