ok so i'm building my first rod and have the custom cork handle turned and glued, on the diamond butt wrap tight and looking beautiful but as i try to wrap the guides on i keep getting gaps on the feet no matter how tight or loose my string is.

could really use some advice on this cause well i'm kind of a perfectionist and until i can get the string laying right i'll never get this rod finished

Where are your gaps at on the foot?

Are your gaps at the ends of the guide feet? Try prepping them at a shallower angle (longer bevel) if so. Otherwise, burnishing the threads should take care of any gaps.

Mark Griffin
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C&M Custom Tackle
San Dimas, California

the gaps are right where the tip of the guidefoot meets the underwrap

didn't think about burnishing the threads to close the gaps thanks a ton mark

Did you prep (grind) the guide feet to a shallow gradual slope down to a fine edge?? This will allow the thread to wrap right up the foot as well as help to prevent the epoxy from eventually cracking there.

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!!

Your guide foot should look like this.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Thanks Mick!!

Raymond Adams
Eventually, all things merge, and a river runs through it..

Tryin to figure this out - Your second post says where the "tip of the guide meets the underwrap". If you are wrapping with the same size thread, i.e., A for underwrap and A for guide wrap the packing of the underwrap is very important. If ithe underwrap is not tightly packed the guide wrapping thread will tend to pull down into the underwrap causing a real problem at the point where the guide wrap climbs the ramp. It might help you out to apply a coat of CP or finish to the underwrap before trying to wrap the guide. You will learn to use a little less tension on the uppermost layer of thread to keep this from happening. Another thing is to use the next larger size thread for the guide wrap if possible. You did not say what size of rod or size of thread you were using. Prepping a guide right is mandatory to get a good transition up a ramp under all circumstances.

Thanks Ray and Mick! I missed that picture when posted last year - It was like a Christmas present when I saw it a year late, Outstanding!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/31/2006 09:46AM by Bill Stevens.