I have been using a small file to prep my guide feet like most do. Does anyone use a dremel? I feel like it would be faster but might be too agressive.

I have 2 Dremel power tools, one is the electric, very high RPM, variable speed, yes it can be used for that, but it is aggressive. With any other tool or procedure, you get a feel for it and when it can be useful.
The other one is a rechargeable model (wife bought it to trim my Lab’s nails, comical failure). This one has a much lower RPM, 2 speed motor. It’s just right with a stone that has a “bowl” shaped front. Works great on beveling the top of the feet on hook keepers and rounding some guides that may not have even side to side bevels on the feet. I get them close and then final prep with a file or sandpaper.

A better choice, IMO, would be a mini belt sander. You can pick them up for around $50.00.

Daryl Ferguson Wrote:
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> A better choice, IMO, would be a mini belt sander.
> You can pick them up for around $50.00.

I have a Work Sharp for my knives, which is essentially a mini belt sander. Has a few different grit belts, and is easy to work with. Never thought about that option before.

I use a dremel with stone grinding wheels. Works very well, and I find it much easier to use than my 1" belt sander. For small guides, I clamp onto the guide foot near the ring with a small hemostat for safety/access/grip. I've heard of people using the Work Sharp hand held mini belt sander with good results as well.

Yes, more care must be taken when using power tools. But, Any power tool that you are competent and comfortable with will work, the problem is holding the smaller guides, I got around that by making a tool similar to one Mudhole sells.

Have fun

Ditto on the use of a belt sander.
I generally use a belt with about a 180 to 220 grit.
The sander that I use is a 1x30 inch belt sander.

[www.rodbuilding.org]


[www.harborfreight.com]

[www.harborfreight.com]

I also use a tool to hold the guide on which I am dressing the foot. The tool is a short section of appropriate sized rod blank.
I then use a section of machine thread with a flat head and of the size that fits nicely into the ring of the guide that I am dressing. i.e. smaller guides, smaller sized machine screw. Larger sized machine screw.
If necessary, I also grind off material from the head of the machine screw to make it thinner and not be in the way of the sanding belt when holding the guide during prepping.

I use an appropriate sized wing nut to tighten the machine screw into the guide ring. I then, use a dremel and a cut off wheel to cut off the length of the machine screw so that I only have to spin on the wing nut about 3 times to make it tight in the guide ring and the length of rod blank. That means that it only takes about 3 seconds to move from one guide to the next when dressing a batch of guides.

By using this guide holder it is easy to hold the guide securely without having any part of the tool getting in the way of the spinning sanding belt as the guides foot is being dressed.

Of course, for large stripper and similar guides there is not need for a tool because one can easily hold the guide between the fingers for guide foot dressing.

Note:
When dressing a guide foot, I always sand at right angles, or perpendicular or at 90 degrees with respect to the guide foot.
The result is that there are micro scratches across the guide foot and these actually aid in wrapping and tend to keep the thread from sliding off the foot of the guide.

p.p.s
My final step is to always take a couple strokes of the underside of the guide foot parallel to the guide foot on a flat arkansas sharpening stone.
This step insures that there are no protruding pieces of guide foot protruding from the underside of the guide that could possibly scratch the rod blank during the rod build.

For example:
[jendeindustries.com]

or:
[www.nortonabrasives.com]


Best wishes



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/04/2023 09:17AM by roger wilson.

I think you'll find that the easiest way to prep guide feet is with the use of a sandpaper belt or disc, about 150 grit. If you have a motorized rod wrapper or lathe, you can buy a disc mounted on a mandrel for a few dollars and chuck it into your wrapper. The variable speed feature on most motorized rod wrappers gives you a great deal of control.

...........

I use Work Sharp. Awesome for knives and for prepping guides

I use a dremel and it works fine for me.

I should have noted that I do the same as Roger on the bottom of the guide feet. I use a diamond hone, but same concept. Making sure that are no burrs to scratch the rod blank.

I find the easiest way, for me anyway, is a 3 sided Arkansas stone. It really doesn’t take much to prep the feet. In fact, if you get too carried away, you can easily make as many burs as you clean up.

Last time I use a Dremel - heat melted the "weld" on an expensice Fuji guide
Herb

Bill Hickey Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have 2 Dremel power tools, one is the electric,
> very high RPM, variable speed, yes it can be used
> for that, but it is aggressive. With any other
> tool or procedure, you get a feel for it and when
> it can be useful.
> The other one is a rechargeable model (wife bought
> it to trim my Lab’s nails, comical failure).
> This one has a much lower RPM, 2 speed motor.
> It’s just right with a stone that has a
> “bowl” shaped front. Works great on beveling
> the top of the feet on hook keepers and rounding
> some guides that may not have even side to side
> bevels on the feet. I get them close and then
> final prep with a file or sandpaper.
Try using it on cats' nails, even more hilarious. LOL. Looks like it is about to be repurposed. Thanks!

Whether or not to dress a guide foot continues to be a debated topic. The late Jim Ising of Anglers Resource / Fuji was strongly opposed to any dressing of a guide foot. No one can really argue with his infinite reasoning; most SS guides go through some sort of passivation process which brings the non-rusting, non-ferrous elements such as chromium, nickel, molybdenum to the surface to enhance the corrosion resistance. But that “layer” is only fractions of a thousandths thick and even minimal dressing will remove that layer. I totally understand his point.
Nonetheless, I am a stickler for a much more gradual ramp on the toe of a guide foot to enhance the appearance and ease of winding the thread up the ramp of the guide foot of my wraps. I have not experienced any corrosion issues and have built quite a few saltwater rods which are used frequently even though Fuji employs 302 / 303 / 304 SS (18-8 in the fastener world) which is not as corrosion resistant as 316 SS.
If one DOES decide to dress the feet of their guides, a slow speed of higher grit with light pressure will produce the best results; certainly no sparks or red-hot metal! That being said, My 1in wide belt sander is probably too fast, but I use 400 grit with extremely light pressure. I attempt to stop just short of “knife-edging” the toe and always swipe the bottom over a ScotchBrite a few times to ensure there are no burrs.
Sorry Jim, RIP. We all miss you!!!

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

I find the Tiemco ceramic hook hone absolutely magic for quick and smooth guide preparation.

Thanks for all the replies and insight, looks like I have a few different options to try in the future.

I used to use a file but picked up a dremel knockoff from Amazon. It has various speeds but does tend to be a bit aggressive if I’m not careful. I still hold the guides in my fingers , sure they get a little hot sometimes and I sand the skin off the odd finger , if I’m not careful, but it works and I probably won’t change it.

I use a dremel variable speed, works well on low speed

Quick n easy using one of the sanding bits that comes with it, the course paper seems perfect for the job
It's like a cylinder shaped bit



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/06/2023 03:15AM by Josh Bryan.

I mount my Dremel in a vise with a cutoff wheel and grind away.