I have a older build I like to sand down the high spots on the wraps, does any of you have any suggestions on the best way to do them I was thinking of using a popsickle stick and wrapping like a piece of 240 sand paper and sand it wet, but I was wondering if any of you have any better suggestions. Thank you.

Use a wood block. It's firmer and won't give on you. Although, an emery board can work well on smaller guide wraps.

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I think I got a small wood block, Thanks.

Lorenzo,
Since you say that you are saying that you are sanding the high spots over a wrap, you really have to be careful about sanding all of the way through the finish and into the wraps.
If you get though the finish at all and snag a thread - it is all over. Time to cut off the guide and rewrap and recoat.

I would suggest that you have a few different grades sandpaper on hand and use the highest number grade that you can use and still achieve your purpose. Normally, if you want to cut through epoxy, you have to use a grit like you mention - i.e. 220 or 240 or so.
But, if you get closer to the thread, you can back off to a finer paper like 400 or 600. Just be aware that when you go to these higher grades, you get less cuting of the epoxy and you begin to polish the existing finish, rather than cutting it away.


Roger

So you don't go though to the thread maybe you should just scoff with a fine scotch pad and recoat to be safe

Bill - willierods.com

As said above, be careful not to sand to deep,
On my very first build I was following advice to rub down hi build after 1st coat with 'synthetic' wire wool, I went a little to far and took the metallic right off the thread and had to restart.

Lorenzo,
I know that you begin the post by saying the you wanted to level off a guide wrap by sanding.
But, I think that you might be better off to strip the guide, clean up the blank, rewrap and recoat without getting excess epoxy on the guide.

Many times folks think that they are going to save time, but often, in the long run one is better off to just strip the guide and start over.

It only takes a minute or two to strip and guide and clean up the blank. Then another minute or two to rewrap the guide. Now, you are up to about 5 minutes and you have a perfect wrap that is ready for initial coating. How long have you already been sanding and what does the guide look like right now?


Your choice.

Roger

Lorenzo,


At The Ohio Rod Builders 1st gathering we had Mark Crouse as one of our demnstrators. (You should buy his book) One thing he talked about was finishes. He told us he sands all of his wraps and starts of with 80 grit sand paper, wipes it down with d.a. sands with 120 grit, wipes it down and keeps progressing in a higher grit. He will then brush the wrap length wise with a low build epoxy.

I was afraid to try it but did any how. I don`t have the perfect finish yet. But, they certainly have improved. I would never try this on just a single coat. I also would practice on an old rod or dowel rod or something. I caught my thread once and had to use an alcohol lamp to burn the little fuzzie and all was well.

Good luck,

Bill

Ohio Rod Builders

Canton, Ohio

For me a file works better. Sand paper tends to remove the low areas too. It is nice to have an assortment of small needle files. Finish off by wet sanding in all cases.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

I just sand mine with 320 400 and some kind of block

Bill - willierods.com