Building a 6 foot st.croix SCIII UL and had questions about guides. I have made a few rods in the past using Berkley ss304 guides and seem to work out fine and was very inexpensive. This time I ordered Aluminum oxide guides and comparing the weight, the ss304 are much lighter. I don't think I need anything special because it's only for 4# line, but I feel weight would be important factor.
What other guides can I use that are of reasonable weight and cost?
And does anyone know where I can still get the berkley guides because the supplier I used last time quit carrying them.

Are there any online charts on weight comparisons of guides from various manufactures?

Any help would be appreciated!!

Andy

Welcome to FM!!!!!

Contact Lonnie at Thorne Bros. Fridley, Mn. they can help you with the correct guides.

You might want to look into Fuji Alconites. They are really nice guides built using their "concept" method, lightweight and have a price tag somewhere in the middle.

Here you go, right from the pro's.

http://www.midwestrodandreel.com/

I have never had an issue/problems with any Fuji guide that I have used on my rod building.
Thats all I use

Talk to Lonnie or Mike at Thorne Bros. They are a sponsor of the site and build around 3000 fishing rods a year. These two will know what you need.

If Thorne B or Midwest dosent have the berkly 304's I have gotten them from Janns Netcraft. They are very lite and I like the looks of the black with the chrome insert. Im a fan of the fuji alconites also. The litest guide going are the REC recoil guides. They are pricy but nice. Janns makes a knockoff called the "flexlite" that I have used on one rod with no complaints and will be putting on more rods. Lots of options out there...

Hi

Thanks for your help!!

Looked for the 304’s in the netcraft book and didn’t see them but they are listed online, so I found those. But after looking I’ve added the alconite & now netcraft flexilite to the mix. Which one of these would you prefer on an ultra light setup? I Have a rainshadow ul with the 304’s and works fine but always willing to try something new.

Thanks again for your help!!

Andy

Tanda - I put the flexlites on a 12 ft "float rod" this winter that I built on a spey blank. Spey blanks tend to be tip heavy. I wanted to use the recoils but didnt want to shell out the money for 12 guides(they are pricey). They are lite and nice, I only had to add a tad bit of weight to the butt to balance it out. Some people dont like how they look but I do, especially the "tich" finish. When the recoil type guides first came out they had some durability issues. I havent seen or heard of any recently. I think they would be awesome on an UL. My next build im putting them on is a 7ft ul.
Heres a pict of them on a rod...

The only thing I have read about the recoil guides is that in some cases they make funky noise while reeling.

I have been using PacBay Hialoy guides, they are pretty much the same as the Fuji Hardaloy. I know SiC guides are supposed to be better, but unless you go with the titanium frames they are heavier than the Hardaloy/Hialoy guides.

Yep, the Recoils make a funky noise, but what I really don't like is the shooting distance I get out of them. I'm going to rip a set of Recoils off of my Steelhead rod and replace them with some single foot and double foot ceramics. I want the rod to reach out and touch someone.

The recoils make the same noise as the 304's. I use fireline alot and it makes noise no mater what, so it dosent bother me. Useing them on my float rod I havent noticed any casting distance problems but it also has a centerpin reel on it that I havent mastered yet or had the need to cast very far...

They have to work fairly well for some folks or they wouldn't still be selling them. I have not used them as of yet so I have only what I have read about them, no personal experience.

The rod I have recoils on is very similar to a fast Sage blank. With the recoils I have problems casting past 50', on the Sage, a Batson blank, or another Winston I can shoot at least 90' with double hauling - all with the same line on the same reel. I've also experienced problems with mending line. The only difference are the guides, so off they come. Not a problem, it's the beauty of building your own rods - don't like the hardware, change it.

Thanks for the help!!