[Ben Dixon]

Another project I am looking at is a 9' #7 single hander that will be used against the tape at BFCC comps with GT 125 and for single handed salmon / light saltwater.  Fishing will mainly be done with shooting heads on mono, SLX or Rio Outbound style lines.

I want to keep top end as light as possible but do not want to use Recoil guides

Sage recommend the following ring set for the TCX 790

3 x #1
3 x #2
1 x #3
1 x #4
12t
16t

Question is, could I realistically come down a guide size using H&H American pattern double leg snakes without affecting shoot and, how much lighter would the 619ALS single leg stand off guides be than the double legs for same ring size (forgetting loss of whipping and epoxy).  Any experience based info on rate of wear of H&H thin vs standard wire guides would also be appreciated.

The blank will be ether a Sage Method or CTX Affinity X

Cheers

Ben

[Rob Brownfield]

I dont do snakes if I can help it. Way too much friction going on.

I use the single legs for everything unless asked. They are lighter as there is less wire in them. Its only about 1mm, but thats still as much a saving as going from thick to thin wire.

The only time I have seen the thin wire guides is when I replaced two for a chap that did a lot of fishing at Newburgh. I guess the salt/sand caused rapid wear.

How is this for a radical thought, use the single leg guides but grind the foot back until its only 3mm. Start the whipping, and once the ring is held, take a spot of super glue and dap the foot. It will run underneath and hold the ring to the blank. Then finish the whipping with three turns infront of the foot to lock it. The ring can still be replaced as the superglue is only holding, not bonding.

The weight saving will be large across a whole set of rings.

Just a thought if you are really wanting to cut weight.

[Ben Dixon]

Thanks Rob,

Not sure on the superglue thing, seems one just about one up on pritt stick & bug bond / cable ties.  Think I will do a bit more research in to ID of the snakes I listed above and see about going down one size.  Just not sure about the look of the single leg things and I'm really not sure what the difference in weight will be if I grind the feet on double legs right back.

Cheers

Ben

[Rob Brownfield]

The Superglue is not nescessary if you do a proper locking wrap of the thread. It is useful if you do not know how to do that

[acercon3]

Hi Ben

Any particular reason you are shying away from the Recoil guides ?

I have them on my Helios which I use at Newburgh but have not noticed any real wear take place yet . I also had them on a self build 15 footer but I replaced these after seeing the tip start to wear rather earlier than expected.

Alan

[Ben Dixon]

Hi Alan,

I find they wear faster than H&H snakes and they are not as slick and don't shoot so well.  Three times the price for less performance (in this situation) makes them a non starter for me.  In some applications I don't think they have any equal but for this rod I'm not sure they'd be the right choice.

[Stuart Smith]

has kev not tryed to make them yet ben?

[Ben Dixon]

Not yet Stu but I think he has bought the titanium for them, just needs to get around to starting 

[acercon3]

Hi Ben


Have you re rung any of your Helios rods due to wear out ?

I forgot to mention that the 15 footer that I had was set up with single leg recoils . These rings resonated when the fly line was passed thru them but  okay with the running line. This resonating was quite off putting and initially I mistook this for friction. Anybody else had this issue with the single leg recoils ?

Alan

[Rob Brownfield]

These rings resonated when the fly line was passed thru them but  okay with the running line. This resonating was quite off putting and initially I mistook this for friction. Anybody else had this issue with the single leg recoils ?

Yes!!!

In my mind, if they resonate, then they must be vibrating. If they are vibrating, something must be making them vibrate. The only thing that can do that is friction.

I have gone right off Recoils. The quality seems to vary greatly with batches, some wearing out very quickly, others seemingly lasting for ever.

[Ben Dixon]

Hi Ben


Have you re rung any of your Helios rods due to wear out ?

I forgot to mention that the 15 footer that I had was set up with single leg recoils . These rings resonated when the fly line was passed thru them but  okay with the running line. This resonating was quite off putting and initially I mistook this for friction. Anybody else had this issue with the single leg recoils ?

Alan

I had a TCR5 that was built with Recoils, these were changed twice, Helios 905 TF also changed twice and a Helios 966 that was changed once.  These were double leg standard wire guides.

I think I would only build with them if I was doing a little short very light line rod where I wanted next to zerro weight at the top.  Stuck them on a 15' tournament rod but it's mainly just because they were the only thing t hand in the rght size when I stuck it together.

Single legs are far noisier than double legs, I find that the line seems to shoot better through hard chromed guides but I have no even vaguely scientific basis for this.  Just how it seems to me when using rods with different guides.


Cheers

Ben