Sorry about the long title!

Well,I was in Steve's micro guide class at the Expo..EXCELENT presentation.
BUT,there was not a good solution on how to hold a micro while wrapping.
Sorry,Steve!
It was just keep trying til ya find something that causes you the less hairpulling,alcoho lconsuming,drug taking headache!!!

Well, here is what I came up with.Thinking bout gitting a pateint(sp).

I took a paper clip the kind with the round magnet on top.Boston brand.Or you could use a girls hair clip.
But I like the metal the best.
Cut some thin strips of alumium 1/2" wide 1/32" thick, buot 3 inches long.
I then expoied the strip to the top of the clip,put a 90 deg.bend in the other end of the strip,bent up.
Tape a guide to the face of the strip,,clip the paper clip on the blank and adjust down til the guide rest
on the blank...then wrap and remove the guide holder!!! Oh I put some tape inside of the clip as not to scratch the blank.
I am gonna try and post some pictures.I have them on my photo bucket acc.

mikeb

Home Town,Gretna VA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/06/2010 12:02PM by mike burnette.

A neat way that I learned from this forum that I will try to explain is as follows: Make a few starter wraps. Slip your small guide under the last wrap at the bend where the foot turns up. Make a few wraps up the leg, pull the guide toward the tip a bit so it moves forward under the wraps, make a few more wraps, pull the guide toward the tip a bit and so on. When you have a enough wraps the end of the guide will slip under the thread and you can finish. No glue, not tape, no fuss. Works well on guides 8 and under. Prep the feet well so the guide slides under the thread and be careful not to pull the guide so far that it comes out from under the thread.
I hope this is clear because it really makes wrapping small guides easy.
John

Just had a thought - oh that hurt - How about the wraps that you get from food packages. those little wire twist things with the color paper over them. Maybe strip the paper off ? .

Bill - willierods.com

Mike,

John hit the solution square on the head. Start a few wraps then lay the end of the guide on top of those wraps. You will continue wrapping up the foot and after about 7-10 wraps, VERY CAREFULLY wiggle the guide back and forth and slide the guide off the starter wraps. I will say that if you are using Batson guides you should scuff the foot of the guide so the thread has something to hold onto. I have just completed three rods doing it this way. It works great. Something else for you to consider is if you are using the Fuji's this will work also but I have found with AmTaks you will need to shape the foot of the guide to get the nicest looking transition possible.

Just keep at it. As the old saying goes practice makes perfect. Steve made mention in his seminar something to the effect "you have to train your fingers to use these guides". It just takes some time.


Tom

Make a few wraps and then stick the end of the guide foot under the standing wraps. The guys are correct............it works WELL!

Ok......let me help Steve and you guys out a little.

1. take a flat file and taper the micro while holding it with a pair of forceps.

2. repaint the guide foot if you desire-I do

3. take rubber guide foot tubing that you can buy at many RB retailers, it's like rubber band material surgical tubing-I like the bright light colors to see it better over black guide feet

4. cut slivers of the guide foot tubing making tiny rubber bands with standard scissors

5. take a small round stainless steel thread packing tool that has a 3 sideed point or any point on the end and place the home made rubber band on the sharp end of the tool-make your own tool can be done!

6. grab the rubber band and double it over onto the tool, making it TIGHT to the tool and have two layers, same as you'd double ANY rubber band around something to make it tighter

7. stick the point of the tool into the end of the rod blanks tip, now roll off the rubber band onto the rod blank

8. slide guide foot under the rubber band

9. begin wrapping the guide

10. once you have 1/3rd of the guide foot wrapped, take a sharp razor blade and touch the rubber band right on top of the guide foot cutting it, the rubber will fly off like a rocket and the guide wont move

11. continue wrapping the guide foot the rest of the way.

EASY, FAST, SIMPLE, INEXPENSIVE, DONE.

DR

I must have incredible dexterity ... I just take a little piece of masking tape and do it just like any other guide - not even the slightest problem.

I'm with Duane, I use the homemade rubber bands but instead of doubling then I searched the interweb until I found a supplier of tubing smaller than the that the normal suppliers offer . Size will depend on your blank. I use a piece of tungsten for a tig torch that is sharpened just a little and roll the rubber bands onto it when I cut a bunch. It makes it easy to keep up with them because they stay on it and its easy to roll them off onto the blank. the rest is like Duane says. If you are having trouble keeping your guides from moving you need tighter rubber bands and better prepped guide feet.

The advantage Jim to the surgical tubing is mobility (huge advantage) and you don't pull off the paint from your newly painted guide feet if you re-paint them. The surgical tubing allows you to move your guide spacing SO easy while outdoors casting, and also line up the guides perfectly before you ever wrap them, then once wrapped minimal adjustment if any is needed. It's easier than tape and no sticky issues.

DR

Put em on with Duco cement (glue), place them where you want them and adjust them after wrapping.

This should help you guys, sometimes a pic is worth a thousand words :

[www.rodbuilding.org]

DR



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/07/2010 01:56PM by Duane Richards (DR).