I'm looking for some help with a Sage RPL 8'6" 5 wt. 2 pc

First of all, I picked up this custom built rod used. The blank looks to be in great condition but the guides are less than desireable and are not located correctly. I would like to strip the rod and rebuild it from the cork up.

Could someone point me in the right direction for guide spaceing on this particular rod? Also I've done some searching of old threads on stripping, light sanding & refinishing. (for relocating guides) The thing that I'm concerned about is the transparent finish with the visible spiral wraps.

Is there anyway to refinish the blank and keep the original looking finish?

Any kind of tip in this rebuild will be much appreciated.


Thanks in advance
Mike

Guide size and spacing for the rod is in the rodbuilding section on the Sage site, or you can do your own.

Hi Mike,
I've done one with a spiral in the blank and it turned out better than I expected. I put the rod in a lathe and sanded it carefully as I was also worried about removing the pattern. I stated with 400 wet and dry, then 600 and finally 800. Also used a lot of water and sanded it just enough to get rid of any blemishes. Then had the blank painted with two coats of 2 pack polyurethane auto clears. Other finishing methods such as Lumiseal should also work.
Guide positioning will rely on static testing and you should start with those from the Sage site for that blank.
Hope it turns out well. The pattern should be in the blank and not the finish coat so you should be able to carefully remove some of the finish without damaging the pattern.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

Spencer & Col,

Thanks for the info, I went to the Sage rodbuilding section and found the guide spacing for the rod. ( I wouldn't have thought that they had the spacing for that old of a blank still available).
As far as the Static testing, Sage says not to vary more than a 1/4 inch from their spacing that was designed for that particular blank.

Now having confidence in refinishing the blank, a few tips on removing the guides and thread finish would be extremely helpful. I will be searching the archives but every time I do, I don't seem to get the answers that I'm looking for. It seems that some searches go off course and just mention what I'm looking for. Maybe that's the reason that the same topics get posted over and over?

Whoever built the rod put a guide about 1 1/4" from the ferrell and put finish 3" up the blank from the ferrell and I have no idea how to remove the finish with out destroying the blank.


Thanks for your time
Mike

In my search, I came across this very helpfull thread. [rodbuilding.org]

Any other tips are appreciated.


Thanks
Mike



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/21/2012 02:38PM by Mike Chambers.

Mike,
Did you notice that the spacing Sage uses is marked at the rearmost foot of the guide and not at the guide center? You can also compare the guide sizes used on the older rods, vs what they use now for the same power blank. The newer guide sizes are a bit smaller now I think and the Hopkins and Holloway guides use a thinner wire guide in the tip area to reduce felt tip weight a bit.

Hi Mike,
For guide removal get a new single edged razor blade and cut through the thread along the guide feet and you should be able to peel it off. For finish on the blank some heat from a hair dryer will soften the finsh a lot and you should be able to scrape it off with a credit card or similar. For any little bits of finish remaining use the single edged blade again but hold it vertical to the blank and work it back and forth. The 400 wet and dry should take care of the rest. The auto finish will make most of the fine scratches disappear.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

Spencer,
I did notice the layouts were from the tip of the foot nearest the real seat, only because of the illustrationon the site. Also, I plan on using Recoil Black Pearl guides.


Col,
Your tip is right on point with the link that I came across, giving me more confidence to do a good job on this.

Thank you both for your help
Mike

I rebuilt a Sage 3 wt. Was in very good condition when I got it. However, I was shocked at the size/thickness of the silver/steel snake guides on the rod. The wraps were single color and nothing special. The handle was fine but nothing to write home about. Gold Reel seat was fine. Cast great but I knew I could easily make it sweeter and lighter. Stripped everything but the gold reel seat. The guide feet did not appear to have been prepped. Put on lighter/nicer Gold strippers. Went to single foot gold minimas for the drop down and runners. Laid it out and used the common sense method for guide placement. Put on a custom Birckbark/Cork handle. Put some sweet little gold trim wraps into the guide wraps. Looks great and is a bit lighter than before and still casts great. I now truly have a custom Sage.