Got a rod about 90 percent wrapped. Let it sit a couple days. Sat down today and was just disgusted. When I layout a rod I use a sharpie fine point marker to mark the end of the guide foot. Once I prep the guide foot I have reference mark for the guide's position. I found the red gives a decent enough mark to see on a black blank. Always wrap darker color threads won't ever see it. Never had a problem til today. I wrapped the rod with Hitena Olive colored Nylon thread. Every wrap has a red band of various thickness around the guide foot. How the heck a dry mark from a permanent marker can bleed through into dry thread is a total mystery to me. Needless to say more than a few choice words were said. Will make a habit of wiping all marks off with DNA once the guide is is positioned prior to wrapping. The littlest things seem to bit me is the ass on my builds.

Michael,
Some folks use a chalk marker to marking blanks. Chalk wipes away cleanly.

I personally never use a marker of any kind on the blank.

Rather, I use 1/8th and 1/4 wide masking tape - in various colors.

As long as the masking tape is only left on for a few hours, there is nothing left of the tape when the tape is removed - within a few hours of application.

Take care

Rod finish acts like a solvent on sharpie marks no matter how dry it is. As Roger suggested, masking tape or chalk are good choices.

I mark the blank where the ring will be - which on single foot guides is usually clear of where the thread and finish with be. A fine tip water soluble maker is another option that can be easily removed after single foot guides are wrapped (without using solvent that can lead to finish issues.)

I also learned the hard way to NEVER use the "china markers" that are sold to mark rod blanks. They're a wax pencil that gets into the texture on raw carbon blanks and leave crud that's hard to remove, and also need to be removed with solvent on painted/clear coated blanks and can leave a "shiny spot."

Sharpies and any other marker leave a light film of color and that film can be "reconstituted" by solvents, some even by water. Best way is to avoid them, using a process like Roger does. If you use the blue paint mask tape it won't even leave anything if left on for a long time.

The odd thing is I have not applied anything to the rod yet. Just thread over the sharpie mark and the mark was a couple three days old prior to wrapping. I will go a different route in the future.

That is odd. I thought you had applied CP or epoxy.

same problem here..i thought the CP over the thread would block it out but all it did was to color preserve the blotch..lol.

Wrapped a lot of rods in my time, never put marks on a blank to locate guides to this day.

Looks like now you have to add red trim bands, LOL

I use a white peel off China marker. After I set the guide and wrap to where the guide will stay on, I remove the mark with acetone and continue the wrap.

I've been using china markers. Use a piece of thread to remove the mark.

I also use the white china marker, and after setting the guide, I remove the mark with Goo Gone, remove any trace of a mark!

of late, i,ve been using china marker to locate the masking tape then wiping off the china marker with isoprople before starting the guide wrap..