I've been using two-foot and snake guides exclusively and the masking tape method to attach my guides. I will be building my first single foot guide rod, and I'm wondering what methods some of you use for static placement. Obviously using masking tape would make the job a little tricky. I've thought of elastic thread at the loop so I can start a wrap below it, then cut the thread when the foot is secure. Will it work without too much trouble? I have fat finger disease, coupled with stumblebum syndrome. Is there hope for me?

I use rubber bands which works great because you can move the guides for alignment and hold them in place the whole time. Wrap the band , 1st around the ring then make a couple, 3 wraps around the base.

Masking tape works fine. But, you have to know the trick to using it on short footed guides. Don't make the mistake of trying to tape the guide to the blank - you don't have enough hands to hold the guide to the blank and apply the tape at the same time. Instead, Cut or tear narrow tape strips and apply the tape strip to the guide first - forget about the blank for the time being. Center the tape strip on the guide foot near the ring and stick it down.

After you've applied the tape to the guide foot, set the guide on the blank with one hand and use the other hand to press the ends of the tape strip to the blank. You'll find this easy and effective. Best of all, it's extremely quick.


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Go to any hobby shop that deals in mdels. They carry plastic tubing used for model engine fuel lines, etc. It comes in various diameters, is inexpensive and with a cutting board and a razor blade you can slice off a years worth of thin rubber bands. Slide as many as you need, with a couple of extras, on to the blank (before the tip is installed) space them were you want and slide the guide feet under them. They are easily moved and adjusted and once you wrap up onto the guide foot, just nick with a razor blade and they fly of. Quick, easy and best of all CHEAP!

Mike

I use the smallest electrical zip ties. cheap enough, they hold very well, and you can slide guide to reposition on the blank somewhat. after i put about five or six wraps on i clip the connection block with a
set of diagonal cutting pliers. never had a problem with damage to the blank.

I strongly suggest elastic thread. It can be bought in Walmart 30 yards for $.88. You can wrap the guides in with this thread ,test cast , slide the up and down the blank with in reason . I've tried the other stuff suggested and there is nothing that compares.Just my opinion.

This weekend I was so frustrated with aligning a small single foot guide I decided to superglue it on. The top two guides were giving me trouble on a 6ft ultra light spinning rod. The superglue worked very well. You have a few seconds to align the guide before it sticks. Then you don't have to worry about the guide moving while wrapping. If you mess up, acetone will eat thru the superglue or you can buy superglue remover. All you need is a little dab and it doesn't show on the wrap nor the finish. But, alignment is critical. I've also tried heat shrink, but it leave a residue behind.

I normally use very thin pieces of masking tape as Mr. Kirkman wrote. Lately, I've been experimenting with an UHU glue stick. The UHU is not a strong glue. It's just enough to temporarily keep the guide in place while I position the tape properly. You just want an itty-bitty dab on the guide foot before you put it down on the blank.

Thanks all, for the variety of suggestions. I think I'm going to "stick" with the elastic thread technique. I don't want to use any glue product for my first paying customer's rod. If the thread doesn't work for me, I'll use the masking tape method that's been working great so far. It's just that single foot guides don't have much space on them for tape.

BTW, he doesn't know that he won't be paying for the rod! It'll be payback/ future favor kind of payment. But it's still my first real client!

I have a auto body repair supply store near me. They carry tape down to 1/8" and even thinner I think. They also carry other things like scotch bright, etc. Just look in the yellow pages under auto body repair.

I use automobile pin-stripe masking tape in 1/8 & 1/4 in. widths. The two rolls I have cost $6.99 each if I remember correctly and were 60 yd. rolls. In 7 or 8 years I've used maybe 1/2 of each one. As I was told by a man who paints hot rods (cars), pin-stripeing tape leaves no adhesive residue on the paint. Nor on rod blank finishes (gloss & matte), I've found. I get my rolls of Emory cloth, 80 - 400 grit, to sand cork on the lathe at the same place. Tom E. said where. Ralph

If at first you don't succeed, go fishing, then try, try again.

I have posted on this several times, but I cannot recommend strongly enough the Flex Coat guide foot adhesive. I would never have tried this stuff in a million years but Roger Seiders was kind enough to give me a stick at a Guild conclave once five or six years ago. I am still using the same stick and it is by far the best method I have tried for single foot guides...especially the 5s and 6s I routinely apply to the small tip sections of light weight fly and spinning rods (by small I mean size 4 tiptop tube).

I simply warm the guide foot with a cigarette lighter for a few seconds (hold it above the flame to keep the soot off), swipe the guide foot on the end of the glue stick, stick the guide on the blank and hold it in place for maybe a second. Unlike the superglue mentioned above the guides are still very easy to position / align after they are wrapped as long as your thread tension is appropriate. Doesn't take much glue and one of the only ways to mess it up is to use too much.

Using this method probably cuts my wrapping time in half...I couldn't live without it. I hope this helps. Good luck!

Bill