Finding the Spine

[Bill L]

Builiding my first rod and have a basic question on finding the spine of the blank. I's a 7' heavy action graphite (Am. Tackle M701), which will be wrapped for casting. I've read two references, and am still a little unclear.

To find the spine, I placed the butt on the counter, and supported the rod at a 45 degree angle with my left hand up near the tip end. I put a little pressure on the middle with my right hand to flext the rod, and rolled it on the counter. The book says to feel for a stiff plane, where the rod "jumps". It was my impression that there would be a soft exactly opposit the stiff side, and that the guides should be placed on one or the other for spinning or casting.

I did this, and it seems that there are two stiff points in the rotation, opposite each other, before I do one complete rotation. Is this stiff plane of bending the spine, and the guides can be placed on either side of the rod as it is stiff in both directions?