I have built 6 Fly Rods and I think I have most of it figured out. Lots of trial and error. The only thing I can't seem to figure out is how to get the guides perfectly straight. Its driving me APE! I have used snake guides and Single Foot guides. I have been putting 3 rubber bands on the guides, but they still end up out of whack. I've heard of folks using super glue and other kinds of guide set so the guides won't move around while there being wrapped. I have been building 8 ft. 3 and 4 weight rods. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Ron, some guys use tape, small rubberbands, guide foot adhesive, etc. I use a little 1/16" masking tape to get them as straight as possible before wrapping, and when i'm through with all the wraps I site down the rod and make any final adjustments to the guides just before epoxy.

Walt Davenport
"Roadhouse Rods"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/30/2010 11:30AM by Walt Davenport.

Thanks Walt, Im having a problem making any adjustments after the guides have been wrapped. Do you think I'm wrapping them to tight or is there an easy way to move the guides a little?

If you cannot move them at all after wrapping........they are wrapped too tight!

The tension on your wraps needs to be just loose enough to allow adjustments before applying the epoxy or other coating.

Thanks Phil, I'll give that a try. I've read that before, but I'm hard headed.

Ron,
Don't worry about keeping the guides straight when wrapping. Just be sure that you have the guides in the right location, before starting to wrap.
To make it easier, I generally take a 1/4 inch wide piece of tape and put about a 6 inch section of tape down the lenght of the rod, in front of the reel seat, so that it gives me a good long alignment mark on the rod, when wrapping. I generally wrap a guide about 1/2 way, and then do a spot check on the alignment of the guide. If I find that I am out of alignment by a good bit, I will take this opportunity to twist the rod to get it relatively close to the alignment of the reel seat and the tape that I have placed on the rod.
I do this alignment when I only have the guide 1/2 wrapped, because I have found that If a guide has gotten out of alignment by a good bit, say 180 degrees, that if you wait until the guide is completly wrapped, you may either have a bit of a problem to make this much of an alignment adjustment, or if you do make the large amount of alignment adjustment, that the guide wraps may become loosened a bit. This is because, if you aren't using a locking wrap, a large amount of guide twist, may cause the guide to partically slide out of some of the wraps. But, if you make a large angular adjustment before the wrap is finished, you can be sure that the guide foot is still completly wrapped, and the foot is secure before tying off the wrap.

In general, the wrap should be tight enough so that you can JUST make guide angular correction with some effort on the guide. If the guide can not be rotated at all, the wraps are too tight. If the guide can be rotated, at the touch of a finger, the wraps are too loose.

Good luck
Roger

Thanks Roger! That sounds like the stuff. Thanks again for your help.

OK guys, Here's how stupid I am. I have trying to push the guides around with a burnishing tool. So it just hit me to pinch the guide and wrap (single foot) between my forefinger and thumb and turn the rod blank from the butt or big end. IT WORKED like a charm. I'm now a happy man! Even though I feel pretty stupid. Thanks everyone for you help.

Hi Ron,

Any question asked in honesty is a smart question and the asker is smart as the question was asked.

Capt Neil Faulkner

Ron there is NO such thing as a stupid question. Those of us who answer posts with suggestions have experienced the same problem. The stupid thing is not to ask or search for a solution. Those of us who have built / designed rods for certain situations, could all write a novel on what not to do for beginners. Keep smiling and wrapping, each rod is a new experience

Good Wraps Bob

Here is a home made tool I use. Need very little tweaking after wrapping. I use it with a hand wrapper.
Mike Barkley has one he shows during his Seminar at the ICRBE.
[www.rodbuilding.org]

J.B.Hunt
Bowling Green, KY

Wow! Thats Brilliant. I can't wait to see the show in February in High Point, NC. This Forum is also awesome. Thanks for everyones replys.

Jay Hunt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Here is a home made tool I use. Need very little
> tweaking after wrapping. I use it with a hand
> wrapper.
> Mike Barkley has one he shows during his Seminar
> at the ICRBE.
> [www.rodbuilding.org]
> /photo/9526/title/rod-level/cat/508


Jay, that's a great idea. Would you explain a little how you use it for us (me) tool challenged? Will that only work on spinning reel seats?
Bruce



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/31/2010 08:26AM by Bruce Tomaselli.

I find with the tip top glued on and guides set to where they will stay, I wrap from the top to the butt. Lining up the guides with the top as I go along and wrap.

Bill - willierods.com

It is made from an old Zebco 33 reel frame. Cut the reel foot off with a dremel or hacksaw. Square it up top and bottom with a bench grinder and file so it is level both directions. Mount a string level on the top with Rod Bond and let it set up.
This is not very detailed but you get the idea.

I don't wrap with a power wrapper but it would probably work with one.
It will work on Spinning , Casting and Fly rods. Mount the "level jig" in the reel seat and get the rod level, install Tip Top.
After the Static load test is complete and you are ready to wrap the guides on permanently, mount the "level" jig in the seat again.
With the rod level, look straight down over the butt guide and get the blank centered in the "T" bar. Now move the guide side to side until you get the same amount of guide ring sticking out over each side of the blank ( keep an eye on the level bubble, don't move the rod). The Butt guide is now centered directly on top of the blank. Do each guide the same way, working from Butt to Tip.
There will be very little if any tweaking to do after they are all wrapped on.

J.B.Hunt
Bowling Green, KY

Sounds like you figured it out. I push on the guide ring to adjust them, I don't touch the threads. I don't know if it matters, just the way I do it.

For fixing the guides to the rod before wrapping, I use 4" cable ties snugged down with pliers. They are plastic, so they won't scratch the blank but hold very securely. The guides don't seem to move during wrapping. I can't imagine a better way.

The reason I use rubber bands cut from rubber tubbing is no matter how good you are there is always need for adjustments and when you wrap up to the band with your small scissors or a razor blade. The whole wrap depending on the guide should be about 15 seconds

Good Wraps Bob

I cut the foot off a old spinning reel and attach it to the reel seat of a rod under construction. It helped me big time to line up all the guides just eye balling down the blank.

I like the tool you made Jay!