How do you get the guides aligned properly to the reel seat? I’ve been doing a little reading on static testing to locate the guides, and they recommend having the tip glued on to do the testing, so a weight can be hung on it. Seems like once is glued on, it is permanent, and would be very difficult to align the tip with the real seat. Thanks

roger gleason Wrote:
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> How do you get the guides aligned properly to the
> reel seat? I’ve been doing a little reading on
> static testing to locate the guides, and they
> recommend having the tip glued on to do the
> testing, so a weight can be hung on it. Seems
> like once is glued on, it is permanent, and would
> be very difficult to align the tip with the real
> seat. Thanks

Hey Roger,

If you use tip top glue which is basically hot glue you will be able to reheat it and move it around. I would not recommend using anything else but it will be very difficult to take the tip of without damaging the tip of the blank.
I personally find the straightest axis mark it (with tape) at the bottom and middle of the blank. I then glue the tip top on. the tiptop and the marks will serve as alignements indicator.
the reel seat should also be aligned and glued using the marks.
I am only on my second rod though and everything I know comes from this board so the staples of this board will probably be more helpful and legitimate.

Roger
I use a sawed off reel foot / stem from a broken spinning reel. I mount the reel foot in the reel seat and bore sight the guides with the seat along the blank. I attach each guide temporarily with a 12 thread or so wrap, then adjust all for a straight path to the tip, then wrap on the permanent wrap while cutting off the temporary wrap. It is probably a few more steps than most builders are willing to do, but it works for me. After 51 builds I still do it this way.
Rog

Once I find the axis I am to build on I use a wax pencil to make three marks in alignment with that axis. I will hold the rod up to eye level and make sure the three marks are indeed inline. I layout my grips and seat and glue them on. The reel seat is last and when I get it onto the grip tenon I rotate the reel seat to make the branded portion align with my three marks. Once that hardens I put the rod into my wrapper to hold it firm and I rotate it to where when I put the tip top on gravity will align it to the axis as it will spin when the glue is hot.

I align the reel seat to the tip and use the flat plane from the top of the casting reel to find center.

All good ideas.

The glare from a fluorescent light will make a straight line down the blank. In the end I normally use the eyeball test. Turning the blank so the guides are on the other side helps too.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Roger

First, a disclaimer;

"THIS PROCESS IS WHAT WORKS FOR JOHN DEMARTINI AND IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A MANDATORY PROCEDURE FOR ROD ASSEMBLY"

I start with the rear grip, I fit it and bond it in place, the rear grip needs no special orientation other than for cosmetic reasons.

Next the reel seat is fitted and aligned by eye with the straightest axis and bonded in place.

Next the fore grip and winding check are fitted and installed, no special orientation other than for cosmetic reasons.

A cut off reel foot is used as an aiming device and I start the guide alignment with the butt guide,

The butt guide is taped in place and aligned by eye to the reel foot.

The remainder of the guides from the butt guide to the tip in turn are taped in place and aligned by eye the reel foot.

The guides are then wrapped and inspected by eye and adjusted if necessary.

For a final inspection I ask who ever is around wife, kids, neighbor, friend to sight along the guide train and check my work.

The tip is now installed and aligned by eye with the guide train..

The rod is now ready for thread finish.

Have fun

John



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/14/2021 12:15PM by John DeMartini.

Roger,
I glue the rear grip, reel seat and if a fore grip is used - glue it up as well.

As others have done, I use the reel foot from a discarded spinning reel and lock it into the reel seat.

I place the tip on the rod and glue in place - using the reel foot as an alignment point.

Then, I place, tape on, wrap and coat the guides to be aligned between the reel foot and the tip top.

When, I do the alignment of the guides before applying finish, I use a very bright room against a white wall or ceiling and sight down the rod for each guide to be aligned.

Simple and works every time.

Good luck

Before applying epoxy I flip the rod over and secure it to my build table with reel attached and spool removed . I then tie 10 pound braid to the end of the spools axle and thread it through the center of the choke guide keeping it taught . Once it's secured to the center of the choke I continue down the rod and secure it to the center of the tip top . Again the line must be kept taught . That's when I start to look over each section very very carefully to make sure the center of each guide is dead center of the taught piece of line above it .


Oh I see you were asking about the reel seat , i find that the easiest of all . As others said align with the tip top but make sure the tip top is set correctly of course . I also use a reel stem with a small level attached to it that I use to make sure the reel seat is aligned perfectly and isn't off a few degrees left of right . I don't use it at all to align the guides though .



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/14/2021 02:30PM by chris c nash.

Same as Roger, Roger, and Don. I have a shortened knitting needle inserted into stem of the cut off reel foot acting as a sight pin.

Thanks for all the suggestions. This is a very helpful place!

A simpler method - don't install the reel seat until static testing done. All you really need is a method to anchor the butt end like you anchor the tip end of the string.
You will eventually install seat according to spine later.
First install reel on seat pre-installation and make a grease pencil mark on the seat at the very top (looking down on the seat) this will orient the seat to the spine when you install it.
Herb

And we use the frame of an older "level wind" casting reel in the reel seat.
Just the reel foot and "skeleton".
Prep and mark where you want the working reel to be on the best axis,
and make the mark so it can be seen from the opposite side of where the reel will mount.
Then mount the "skeleton" in the reel seat, lay it on a flay table top, with the mark up,
and you now can align your seat and tip top before gluing both in place.
We use 2 part epoxy for the grips and seat, Flex Coat heat stick for the tip top.
Just makes the "sighting" a little easier, since it is "hands off" and can be viewed from more than one angle and distance.
After removing the skeleton and wrapping the guides as close as possible "by eye",
I use that same set-up to make them all straight with the reel seat and tip top.
Just makes it a little better for us, may work for you too.

Best wishes,
Ron Schneider
Schneider's Rod Shop
Mountain Home, Arkansas
[www.schneidersrods.com]
mtnron40@yahoo.com
870-424-3381

I pretty much do what Ron is suggesting. Perhaps some day I'll pick up a junk spinning reel just to cut the foot off.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Russel,
If you wish, you can use your $500 reel and cut the foot off if you wish to use it for an alignment piece.

Or, you can go to good will and pick up a 25 cent reel and cut the reel foot off to obtain the reel foot.

Just joshing - Russel.

However, a reel foot does make an excellent tool to use to help align guides on a rod blank.

I let gravity help me out.

I use a loop of line with a small bullet weight (1/16-1/8 oz) to use as a plumb bob for the tip top. When looped through the tip top and centered, the weight will pull the ring to the bottom of the rod, if the fit is not too snug. For a spinning rod or guides on top casting rod, I'll take the rotor and handle off of a spinning reel. When the reel is attached and placed in my wrapper or static testing jig, I know that the weight of the reel and the weight attached to the tip top will align the reel seat and tip top for me. For a spiral wrapped casting rod, I'll lay a small level across the top of the reel seat to ensure I have it aligned properly. From there, the weight attached to the tip top will pull the ring to 180 degrees from the reel seat.