Good evening gentlemen,

It has been a while since I have posted but I have yet another question for all of you. I have been having a problem with the Fuji Alconite Bridge guides falling out. Specifically the size 8. I think that it may be due to the shortness of the foot on the guide but I am not sure. I have stopped using them but has anyone else encountered this problem ?? If you have, what did you do to fix it? No, unfortunately I didn't put on the Forhan locking wrap on these rods. I have incorporated it into all of the new rods that I have built and have had no problem with them, but again as I stated I no longer use the bridge guides.

thanks
Tom Kaufmann

I've never used the bridge guides, so I'm no help but I use Forhan on all SF guides even fly

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!!

I've used the size 8 fuji alconite bridge guide on several rods...all with the forhan wrap. No problems with them becoming loose/falling off. I just checked them and they are fine. I will say that I do have the darndest time with the forhan wrap on this particular guide, but they're tight just the same.

I've wrapped quite a few of these guides without using the forhan wrap with no problems. I do not use CP for maximum guide wrap strength.

Lou

Huh!!! Must be something that I am doing then. I have also had a couple of "factory rods" that have been plagued with this problem. Maybe I am just WAY too hard on my stuff. I am just going to replace all of them with a single foot fly guide nonetheless. Was just curious if others are having like problems.

Tom Kaufman - Maybe you need to use more Thread Tension? ... Or lighly scuff the top of the guide foot to increase friction between the guide foot and guide wrap. -Cliff Hall+++

Cliff, I will certainly make note of how tightly I wrap them for future use. Thanks for the suggestion.

Tom

Tom

Here's something that may help. You didn't specifically mention it but on the rods where you've had the problem, is there a "blocking wrap? I build mostly fly rods and I try to encourage the use of the lighweight, single-foot guides but I've also used the single foot bridge guides for some of the smaller guides on casting rods. I don't ever recall that the Fuji feet were much of a problem on the bridge guides but the PacBays and single foot wire guides could be troublesome. If not using the forhan method, then you will certainly need to place several (4 to 6 wraps) of thread in front of the guide foot before finally tying it off. The thread wraps along with the epoxy coating will "block" the guide foot from sliding out of its' tunnel when it's pulled in that direction - at least providing the the rest of the wrap is properly secure. This method isn't as secure as the forhan method but should work for most freshwater applications. It takes a good pull to just yank one straight out using the blocking wrap.

Sam,


On these rods, I didn't put any type of blocking wrap. On all of the recent rods I've made I'm using the Forhan and love it. These were a couple of my first rods and was intimated for some silly reason as to using the Forhan wrap. I will not make a rod without it now. I have even started to put it on some of the running guides on my spinning and fly rods.

Good to see you post again, Tom.

Putter
Williston, ND

Tom - these are the UN guides, right? I have these on several rods, and personally do not have a problem with them - Forhan or no Forhan. However, I put them on rods for a friend & my parents, and each one HAS a Forhan wrap, and each rod HAS teh same problem you are running into. It's not from fishing, it's from storage & transport, specifically hitting the guide from teh side will cause it to come loose. The Forhan wrap prevents it from getting pulled out.

Best way I've found to fix it, is to use the LN double footed guide on rods for otehr people who bang them around alot more than I do. Performance vs. durability.

I use. like Sam, some blocking wraps, but I call them tags, or false underwraps as I make them a different color, and if there is a good lil drop of epoxy at the guide foot base mine hold out and don't come loose

Make sure you also fill the tunnel with finish.
Good Wraps Bob

Guys,

I certainly appreciate all of the advice. I will make sure that if I use them again I will check that I have enough tension (checked this morning and it seemed a little looser than I thought it was). I will also use the Forhan as well as ensure that I have enough epxoy in the tunnel. Again, thanks for all of the great advice.

Billy,
I am glad that I am not the only one experiencing this!!

Tom