which rod guides are better for a budget build?

Started by steelfish, July 14, 2016, 11:43:05 PM

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thorhammer

Quote from: Jeri on July 19, 2016, 03:24:59 AM
Hi Steelfish,

I see a little confusion in some of the Fuji codes that you are using. If you check out Angler's Resource web site, they have a good section on explanation of Fuji codes.

A small point. NLG guides are rapidly being discontinued, and pretty much only 'old stock' is available, and replacements will be very hard to find, should you need to replace a broken guide at any time in the future.

Look at NOG as possibly the cheapest option, a good workhorse type lined guide that will be around for many years to come. If you are looking perhaps for the next level up, then MNOG have the deep set frames, and go a long way to stopping the ceramic insert popping out.

The next levels after that are basically all the same frame, just changing the quality of the ceramic insert to Alconite or Silicone Carbine, or even Torzite. Which just about concludes the range of stainless steel framed guides. The next level up would be Titanium frames, but costs going through the roof.

I personally would stick with Fuji, as they are the most reliable product I have used in 30 years of rod building, and we have never had a problem with their product, and in all that time, the NLG series are perhaps the first meaningful discontinuance of a series.

Cheers from sunny Africa.


Jeri


NOT HAPPY Hardloy is going away; I have built majority of my rods with BNLG and BSVLG guides...

cbar45

#16
Quote from: thorhammer on July 21, 2016, 05:58:29 PM

NOT HAPPY Hardloy is going away; I have built majority of my rods with BNLG and BSVLG guides...

Have you tried the new BMNOG's yet? Jim at Fuji (Angler's Resource) told me Concept "O" was developed to be an improved version of the high grade aluminum oxide known as Hardloy, while also being its replacement; it did not make sense to have a regular Al Oxide guide, along with two higher grades.

The rodbuilding market can be confusing as vendors may describe Concept "O" as simply being aluminum oxide, leading some builders to infer that it is of a lesser grade than Hardloy--which it is not. It is, however, a high grade aluminum oxide and seems to work every bit as well for me as did Hardloy.

*Edit. That should have read BMNOG's, not BNOG'S.

Jeri

Hi everyone,

I would have to disagree with 'char45', as there are some errors coming about from the misuse of various Fuji 'Concept' phrases. 'Concept O' and 'Improved O' are two different issues.

In 2013, introduced a new 'improved O' series insert, which was basically brought about due to a rationalisation of all the inserts that Fuji were making and developing at that time. Both the original 'O' and 'L' series were very similar in performance, equal hardness. The 'L' series were in certain situations slightly more prone to chipping or cracking, though were slightly lower in 'thermal conductivity' than the original 'O' series. The 'L' series were also grey in colour, rather than traditional dark colours going to near black – so a small aesthetic issue.

The result of the changes were the new 'improved O' series of inserts, with the total end of production of 'L' series inserts, as the new 'improved O' series had all the benefits of both 'L' and the original 'O' series.

In 2014, the next level of development came with 'Concept O', which at that time basically takes the year old new 'O' series inserts and builds them in the flanged frames that were universal in their Alconite 'A' or Silicone Carbide 'S' series of guides. The concept change was a development/improvement of the frames, not of the inserts. At the same time they introduced 3 variants of the 'Concept O' frames, light, medium and heavy, depending on your application and usage. This new 'Concept' therefore brought about a radical improvement in the overall strength and performance of the guides, because of the flanged or recessed frames.

By way of interest – Alconite or 'A' series inserts are best described as reinforced high grade aluminium oxide; which are slightly harder than 'O', and have slightly better thermal conductivity.

The whole point of all the various grades of ceramic insert is to balance out cost against performance, and in certain situations line speed and associated friction are the critical factors. The ability of the insert to cope with the friction are associated with the properties of the insert in hardness and thermal conductivity. The ability to take the ultimate smooth polish at a microscopic level, and then dissipate the heat of any friction that occurs at the line to insert interface.

Fishing in situations where line speed across the insert are going to be higher than 50 km per hour warrant a much higher grade of insert than below – hence the onward development of inserts to Silicone Carbide and more recently Torzite; situations like high speed casting or fishing for Sailfish or Wahoo and the like.

In conclusion, ordinary 'N' series frames, with 'improved O' series inserts are now the most economic rings in the Fuji range, but for a small increase in price the use of 'LN', MN' or 'HN' frames and 'improve O' inserts is to follow the 'Concept O' development.

Cheers from sunny Africa

Jeri

steelfish

wow, excellent write up Jeri.

thanks for let us and put all things more clear about the fuji budget guides.

The Baja Guy