Okay, so I finally had some time to build a new rod for myself. I've got a Phenix X-11B crankbait blank that I've been really excited about. I tried spray painting the reel seat a transparent royal blue. Turned out awesome. Built the handle this week, prepped the guides on Friday night and got them taped on. Wrapped the guides yesterday a.m. and epoxied. It's looking cool! After about 3 hours of spinning, I start thinking to myself, "Ummmm......did I check the alignment of the guides?" Simple answer: "NO!" Doggonit! I've got to pull off all but 2 of the guides and re-do them. What an idiot.

AC
FishinFreaks
Rogers, MN

I did the same thing with a reel seat a few weeks ago. I build on the straightest axis and the reel seat was definitely not lined up that way! Of course I didn't think of that until after the epoxy had dried.

I think I'm gonna make myself a checklist...

jeremy

It is easy to forget the simple things, or overlook them when your behind the poercurve. I think a checklist is the way to go. I might add that to my list of things to do. It @#$%& having to work to support my rodbuilding........lol

I put masking tape on different sections of the blank to remind me that this aligns with that, guides are this way.

Bill - willierods.com

Aaron, I did it about two months ago. I usually leave the rod on the wrapper and only put it on the finish rack when the guides are aligned. I got in a hurry to start a new build so I finished one that needed 5 of the 9 guides to be removed and re-wrapped. I feel your pain!

Chuck

Aaron,
I imagine nearly every one of us have been there, so don't sweat it. I've done it myself, but got lucky because the guides were mostly straight. p

Robert

Okay, 6 removed and re-wrapped guides later, I am spinning again. Hopefully I'll get to try her out on Tuesday.

AC
FishinFreaks
Rogers, MN

Aaron, Write down all the things you screw up while rodbuilding for the next 20 years and you'll have the prefix to your very own "A Lifetime or Rodbuilding" then for the rest of your life you can work on gathering the content. EVERYONE MAKES MISTAKES!!!
Rodbuilding is the longest apprenticeship , right up there with Art and Music. You'll never stop learning so, just take it on the chin and add it to the list.
Dennis J. Danku

I had a pretty mild case of the flu earlier but stayed home from work. I got bored and started wrapping a spinning rod I'd been working on. My wife saw it when she got home and asked why did I spiral wrap a spinning rod. I had to remove all of them and start over.
3 weeks ago, I starting wrapping a casting rod and when I sighted them in I noticed I put the guides on backwards. The first 2 guides were on right but the rest were wrapped smallest to largest.

Thanks guys! Glad I am not the only one! My biggest stupid act was when I hounted my first reel seat to a nice split grip handle 7". Well, I had the threaded lock to the spinning seat threaded all the way down. I epoxied (and used a lot , of course) the loct onto the threads butted against the handle. I had to cut it off. Ended up with a nice 5.5 foot crappie rod!!

I am always cutting off thread. My wife is the actual builder in my family. She loves all the ups I make!!
Kyle Robinson