I was up at Lamiglas last spring and saw that they were using a piece of a reel seat with a post welded to it to align guides at the factory. I'd always just eye'd the alignment and wanted something a little more precise. Sent a note to a friend that has a tool and mfg'ing business and described what I was looking for and got this in the mail this week

[www.rodbuilding.org]

It has two different size reel seats that he machined out of solid stock and put a vertical pin inside the tube to easily align the guides - works like the bee's knees

Thank you whoever you are

WWW.WeSeekHerRods.com

Wast of money

take off from an old reel the feet. paint the tip white so you can see it easy. Or just use you eyes. and mark the top of the blank with tape and a marker. Once I know where the straightest point is and where the guides will be, I use the tape and alien all with that.

Bill - willierods.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/13/2009 03:28PM by bill boettcher.

Here's an ingenious tool made by Jay Hunt! [www.rodbuilding.org]

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!!

Ted,
One thing to do, if you don't already do it is to site down the rod on the side of the rod - away from the guides.
As you do, slightly twist the rod from side to side.
You will find that if all of the guides are in alignment, all of the smaller guides virtually disappear as you sight down the off side of the rod. Then, as you slightly rotate the rod - counterclockwise, you will find if one of the guides pop out - before the others. Obviously this guide would be out of place. Then, do it in the opposite direction - for the same thing.

I do this for a final check after aligning the guides.

I have used lasers, rods, and other alignment tools, but have cast them all aside and simply use an eye ball down the length of the rod - first on the guide side for a quick setup, then a final sighting down the rod, from the top side.

Quick and easy.

Take care
Roger

p.s.

Another thing that I will do, is that after aligning the guides, I will go away from the rod for a while and come back and make one final check before applying finish.
Now and then, you may find that after not looking at the rod for a while you will find that one rod pops out at you as being misaligned.

As is the case with writing a paper. when you work too close to a project for a while you sometimes become blind to an obvious fault.

I don't find it a waste of money - a new gadget or tool is always fun to make and own and this one should do what it was intended to do.

Having said that, there will be a guy at the Expo in February that has devised a tool that both holds the guides and places them on the rod blank, all at the same time, in perfect alignment. It's really something to see. Most custom builders, probably all custom builders, place the guides on the rod blank. But this guy places his rod blank on the guides.

..............

Yea right - why wast money when it can be done with just the eye. and tape marked. people will by it cause it is a ( NEW THING ) and after a while it will be put aside and never used.

Just like the laser guide aliment thing a ma jigie And all the builders here said they use there eye

How does this thing align the Seat ???? Do you look thought it at the piece of tape marked on the tip of the blank ???

It's your money

Bill - willierods.com



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/13/2009 05:07PM by bill boettcher.

Dang Bill, kinda harsh don't you think?


Looks neat Ted, be sure to tell us how it works out for you.

Don't mean to be harsh but come on. Like I said the laser Aliment guide tool was on here and many builders said they use there eye to alien the guides. I believe in the KISS method and it works. A lot of builders like to buy tools, guides and things as soon as they come on the market.

hey if you got the money and after using them there things, find they don't work, Or your eye is a lot quicker to me that is a wast of money. Then you are trying to sell the new thingies

I think the whole rod building process starts out with blank alignment. ( straightest axis ) -- then seat alignment, to the blank, if the seat is off, the guides are off ??

With out all the fancy tools i can alien to the straightest axes, once that is done it all lines up correctly.

And i will guarantee it. And i am buy fare not the best here on this board. But the Kiss Method works.

Bill - willierods.com

Nothing is a waste of money if you find it useful!!!!!!!!!! Most inquiring minds look for ways to improve something. The Model A Ford was a great example of the KISS method. Worked but I'm sure glad people didn't thnk coming up with other ways to do it was a waste of time/money!

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!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/13/2009 06:06PM by Mike Barkley.

Will this tool show you the Straightest Axis of the blank. And if not how do you alien the guides.

How do you mark the straightest axes ??

Bill - willierods.com

Just sharing Bill. So far this tool has not cost me a red cent, my buddy made it for me which is pretty cool. I'm sure we'll settle over a couple of cold beers chasing Tuna next summer or over a pile of fresh sushi at our next sushi party.

Roger, I'm like you I line them up and walk away to check them again later.

Thank you whoever you are

WWW.WeSeekHerRods.com

Guys if someone wasan't thinking of a better way we would still be impressed by the rolling rock wheel probably without a hole

Paul@soonercustomrod.com

To each is own! Some are set in their ways and closed to new ideas, while other are constantly trying the newest gadgets. Most of us are somewhere in between these two extremes.

Experimentation and innovation is why the custom builder offers more than the big guys. Think about spiral wraps, micro guides and the like. Heck we could still be using bamboo poles without it!

Ted,

I think it is a wonderful thing that you are sharing this with us and I can see where it could be helpful. There are always naysayers for everything. Lets just hope they have a better day tomorrow and it may look a little better to them. If not they don`t need to get one made.

Bill

Ohio Rod Builders

Canton, Ohio

I think it is neat and innovative. Keep generating ideas ... boxes are for gift giving.

I learned something new today - you can waste money even when you dont' spend any. I love it.

There are many reasons we make and use "tools" or gadgets.We find we need one or it makes things easier.

As far as the KISS thing goes....one could take an old spinning reel stem and drill a series of holes along the centerline of it,and then run some easily visible string,cord,etc., from the most appropriate hole thru the guides and tip,tie it off on something stationary and adjust accordingly.

Ted,thats a super tool you have,and a super friend! Use it well. Tools are good sometimes. I don't always trust my own eyesight. LOL

Chuck

Bright colored fly line would work. Easy to see on static testing also.

Sorry Tom, did not mean to sound harsh.

Bill - willierods.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/14/2009 12:39PM by bill boettcher.

Billy Vivona Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I learned something new today - you can waste
> money even when you dont' spend any. I love it.

Ah, Billy! Your sarcasm always makes me smile. You remind me of my sons!