hey guys,
after you guys prep your guides do you coat them with something to prevent the guides from rusting? I recently built a few custom rods with some new guides and they are already starting to rust (after two uses). I am assuming its because i sand them down to fit them.

thanks

THat's why I don't grind guides.

Hi Steve,
I assume the guides are stainless. If their corroding that quickly they can't be a very good grade of stainless, 316 is about the best. After everything is coated with finish air and water shouldn't get in , if it doesn't then no corrosion will occur, check the finish carefully. You can coat the feet after grinding, a lot of guys use sharpie markers etc or you can use paint which takes a while to dry. Check the contents of anything you use and stay away from stuff with chlorine in it as that can accelerate the corrosion of stainless. I'm using mainly tianium frames now but some of my older rods have stainless guides and I don't put anything on them. They don't show any signs of corrosion.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

Thanks guys. I am using some SIC knock offs that are coming from who knows where, so I really think it is just the coating that I am knocking off. I thought they wouldnt rust beings the epoxy finish is perfect, but I guess I was wrong.



Billy, do you just wrap over the guides? Some times they are very bulky and have steep inlcines, what do you do in those situations?

I just wrap over them. The only purpose to guide grinding is to make it easier to wrap. That myth about the thinner guide flexing better is @#$%&. I havent' ground guides in several years, there are rods I've built that get used 300+ times a year with very little epoxy cracking, and others that are used twice a year that have cracks in a few guides. Once you get used to wrapping over pre-gound guides you see how easy it is to do. If you're using size A thread it's much harder, but it is possible. When you get the guide foot move teh thread so there's a gap, wrap 8 turns on teh guide foot and pack the gap close, and the thread slides down the foot. It's easy to do once you practice, and done properly there is no loss of tension and no gaps. The only issue is sometimes when you adjust the guide for straightness, teh threads will overlap at the tip of the guide foot. THat problem is taken care of once you put epoxy and nobody can see, nobody cares, and it doesn't affect performance once iota.

I have pics of dozens and dozens of guide wraps so you can see that what I'm saying atually works. I wish more people giving advice would post photos so you can see if their advice matches their skill level.

No grinding on this one. Procedure used is very similar to what Billy V described. End result ... perfect as a daisy.
[www.rodbuilding.org]

If you are going to grind the feet, use Testor's Paint Markers (or similar PAINT system) to recoat.

When I don't grind I end up with a 3in guide wrap. The thread just keeps on pushing it . I normally start my guide wrap just at the tip of the guide. My have to play with it because grinding is a pain. Oh ya, no rusting on any of mine as of yet.

I hate to grind because I'm lazy and clumsy (I file actually). Size D thread makes all the difference in the world. Seems I do better with real old thread too. New metalics are impossible. If they are really giving you fits just run up the foot and back down again. Like Billy says nobody can tell after the finish is on!

No pics, no skill level, and that is the story I'm stcking too.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

I simply prefer to sand down the guides to a nice thin tip. Easy to wrap with A sized thread and have not had any rusting issues.

I use a belt sander with 180 grit on the sander to quickly thin the tip of the guide. Generally takes 2-3 seconds per guide to thin the tip with the 1x30 inch belt sander.

Roger

I simply prefer to sand down the guides to a nice thin tip. Easy to wrap with A sized thread and have not had any rusting issues.

I use a belt sander with 180 grit on the sander to quickly thin the tip of the guide. Generally takes 2-3 seconds per guide to thin the tip with the 1x30 inch belt sander.

Roger

I grind my guides down then coat them with nail polish so if i get a problem later then i know it was one of my guides and hasn't been tampered with by some one else.

I always take life with a grain of salt. Plus a slice of lemon and a shot of Tequila.

Garry,
Same here, except I use lime.
Black or silver nail polish from a box store OK

"It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble.It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." Mark Twain
John in Wethersfield, CT

Lol.
Once again thank you all for the advise.

coat the foot with CP.

get a quality set of guides and get rid of those cheap knock offs Who knows what they are made of ???

Bill - willierods.com