Does anybody out there have any special tricks to lining up the guides ,other than eyeballing then down the blank?

I cut an old reel foot off and I put this in the reel seat to help line up the first guide. I just center the piece cut off on the reel foot around the blank and then without moving anything, glance up at the first guide to ensure that it's centered also. After making sure the first guide is correct, just eyeball the rest of them with it as the guide.

Putter

Rich; turn the rod over with Guides on Bottom it is easier to see if they are centered on blank. I still use the Mk-1 Mod-II Eyeball to line them up

The old eyeball still works for me.

Eyeball upside down like Barry's method...of course after getting at least one lined up with the seat.

Jay

Ditto the guides on bottom, and eyeballing it. Look down from above and well back. Look for equal amounts of open space inside each guide eye on both sides of the blank.

I took the reel I designed the rod for ( A stradic and using the concept system) put it in the reel seat, the tied a piece of dark fireline to the spindle, and ran it down through the guides, once I got the tip and the reel on the same plane, I just added a 1/4oz dipsy sinker to the end and allow the tension to center the line.

On the lighter rod, I used a 1/8 oz jig head, (Hook cut off)

As some already suggested, use the reel foot from a casting (convetional) reel.

I use the reel foot from a Penn International 30, it has a nice wide and flat surface that allows you to eyeball everything better and keep things centered. You can order the reel foot by itself, or at least I did some 10 years ago. Don't know if you still can.

Years ago I ordered one of those laser alignment accessoried for one of my lathes, it was money wasted because I still wound up eyeballing the blank after using the laser.

Lou

Eather of the fore mention well work. I have my shop light directly ove the center of my wrapping lath. That way the light sends a light shadow right down the center of my blank. So I use that for my center line as I wrap. I need vary little ajusting as I wrap
Good Wraps bob

I've used lines and I've used lasers. To me, eyeballing is the best way. You are not only lining up the guides to the blank but also to each other and vise versa. Only the eye can tell you if everything is on track.

Mick it all depends on how many bourbons or scotchs you had.

Between Myles & Mick, there must be a LOT of interesting guide layouts out there (now I know where the spiral wrap got started)



Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

Myles give me a scotch please

I do it from the tip top down to the butt. Just make sure your top lines up with the reel seat. Then I wrap one aline then another etc
Also the best light is outside daylight

Myles is that called" The Down Under Double scotch Wrap" Works for me

that's double shooters

I tape a 3/4" x 3/4" x 6" long piece of wood to the reel seat. This helps to instantly see at a distance if the rod is twisted. Then eyeball down the blank and check to see that the guides are straight up.

My daughter bought me a wonderful laser level for Christmas (Sears) and a friend of mine bought me another one (Ryobi). These are wonderful tools. One has a "cross hair" view (intersecting horizontal/vertical planes). I tried them & drove myself crazy with them (natural curvature of the blanks; droop over distance on light rods). I use them to hang pictures, build cabinets, align ceramic floor and wall tiles. I even keep one in the rod building shop - but it never gets used for that. What I found is that aligning the reel seat center line with the tip top with a piece of heavy cord then building from the tip top back (where the guides are closer together) gets the initial alignment very close. Once the guides are all in place I rotate the rod "guides down" and look across the top of the blank to see if the eyes are equidistant. "Final" step is to hold it up - again guides down and do the 'eyeball thing' . Minus "tinnies" or "Down Under double vision scotch wraps" it works for me.

Thank's for the opinions guy's,some good recommendations.

I also recomend usind a laser level (black & decker LZR3)
Using a soft jaw vice i clamp the but of the blank and tape the laser level centraly on top.
An easily visible red line can be projected down the blank from but to tip.