[www.rodbuilding.org]

Guys....how do I prep this monster? I am not sure if I should just have at it with my Dremmel.....it is huge. Wind on stripper guide.

They're not that bad as the foot is rather thin to being with. You may find a simple, sharp, hand file is easiest to work on these with since you have a good amount of room available. And a hand file, properly used (long strokes in the forward direction, only) will take off a great deal of material.

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Joe,
I use my 1x30 inch belt sander to prep guide feet. I use 180-220 grit sanding belt. I hold the guide foot perpendicular or 90 degrees to the sanding belt. As the material from the guide foot is removed, tiny perpendicular grooves will be put into the guide foot, which act nicely to help hold the threads in place as you wrap the guide.

For smaller guides as shown in the picture, I use a piece of rod blank and a machine screw all of the way through the guide and blank with a nut on the top to hold the guide. The rod blank acts as a handle for small guides.

For larger guides as you are showing, it is easy to just hold the guide foot against the running sanding belt for a quick guide prep.

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Good luck

On large guides like that, I do as Roger does and some judicious use of my belt sander.

I find that a Dremel or belt sander takes off too much too fast. I, like Tom, use a fine file or an EZ-Lap med grade. Files come in bastard, 2nd cut or fine. I like fine.
After that I use 400, 600 or even 1500 wet or dry to eliminate burrs that will shred your thread.
Herb

I like to used a diamond fingernail file. It gives you a lot of control and does an excellent job especially on smaller guides including micros. Gives a nice smooth finish that allows your wrap to pack gap free.
Norm

In addition to the belt sander, I keep a flat stone handy. After prepping the guide, I take a few strokes of the guide across the flat arkansas stone to be sure that the underside of the guide is free of burrs that might impact the blank.

Thanks all.....I used the file to quickly remove a lot of material quickly then sanded the foot smooth with a stone......it worked great.
Thanks again guys.

Not sure of other guide brands, but the Fuji KLAG have arrowhead shaped protrusions on the sides of the guide foot. On small size guides I haven't figured out how to file the foot between the protrusions and vertical legs without removing the protrusion. What works good in that small space?

John Shear
Chippewa Falls, WI

I use a Work Sharp knife sharpener. Its easy to change belts and comes with an assortment of grits. Plus it makes the best edge on my knifes.

Bill