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JimRed
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Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2017 9:18 am • # 1 |
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Joined: 08/31/15 Posts: 1043 Location: Coppell, TX
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I am considering sanding the guides on a fly rod. If the guides are closely inspected they show tiny groves likely (I'm guessing) caused by the backing running through the guides. Can anyone suggest a grit size?
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hipshot
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Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2017 10:09 am • # 2 |
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Joined: 02/07/14 Posts: 383 Location: The southern tip o' Texas
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I'm no expert, but I'd be inclined to use a cratex bit in a Dremel tool. It's a rubber bit impregnated with a fine abrasive. I'm assuming they are snake guides? Also, you can finish them off with Simichrome polish, which provides a bit more corrosion resistance than bare metal. I use it to polish the smooth face of the triggers on my DA revolvers; never had one rust yet.
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JimRed
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Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2017 7:08 pm • # 3 |
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Joined: 08/31/15 Posts: 1043 Location: Coppell, TX
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wheezeburnt
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Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2017 5:53 am • # 4 |
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Joined: 12/29/12 Posts: 1839 Location: Rusagonis, New Brunswick, Canada
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What I got out of this post: Here's a guy who is into his backing often enough that it is taking a toll on his guides! YES!!!!!! Well done, pal. brent
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JimRed
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Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2017 10:55 pm • # 5 |
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Joined: 08/31/15 Posts: 1043 Location: Coppell, TX
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wheezeburnt wrote: What I got out of this post: Here's a guy who is into his backing often enough that it is taking a toll on his guides! YES!!!!!! Well done, pal. brent Thanks Brent. Doesn't happen often anymore. I worked in Virginia for two years and this was my only rod. I fished swift rivers for SMB and a 12 inch or greater would take me to my backing. Since using this rod in Texas I've had two LMB and one 10lb catfish take me into my backing on this rod....that's it.
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Iasgair
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Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2017 8:39 pm • # 6 |
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Joined: 04/02/17 Posts: 221 Location: Colorado
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I agree with hipshot. The cratex should work well for what you are intending to do.
Wish I could get into may backing just once. Maybe next year.
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JimRed
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Posted: Tue Oct 03, 2017 9:29 pm • # 7 |
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Joined: 08/31/15 Posts: 1043 Location: Coppell, TX
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Iasgair wrote: I agree with hipshot. The cratex should work well for what you are intending to do.
Wish I could get into may backing just once. Maybe next year. Thanks for the confirmation. I'll have to check with Harbor Freight
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hipshot
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Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2017 5:39 pm • # 8 |
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Joined: 02/07/14 Posts: 383 Location: The southern tip o' Texas
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Y'all come on down to the coast with me. You'll get into your backing.
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TXH2Oman
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Posted: Fri Oct 06, 2017 10:55 pm • # 9 |
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Joined: 02/14/17 Posts: 380 Location: Georgetown, Texas and Corpus Christi, Texas
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JimRed wrote: wheezeburnt wrote: What I got out of this post: Here's a guy who is into his backing often enough that it is taking a toll on his guides! YES!!!!!! Well done, pal. brent Thanks Brent. Doesn't happen often anymore. I worked in Virginia for two years and this was my only rod. I fished swift rivers for SMB and a 12 inch or greater would take me to my backing. Since using this rod in Texas I've had two LMB and one 10lb catfish take me into my backing on this rod....that's it. Hahaha ... that was my first response too! I thought that was a very, very well-played "humble brag!"
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JimRed
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Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2017 11:48 pm • # 10 |
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Joined: 08/31/15 Posts: 1043 Location: Coppell, TX
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TXH2Oman wrote: JimRed wrote: wheezeburnt wrote: What I got out of this post: Here's a guy who is into his backing often enough that it is taking a toll on his guides! YES!!!!!! Well done, pal. brent Thanks Brent. Doesn't happen often anymore. I worked in Virginia for two years and this was my only rod. I fished swift rivers for SMB and a 12 inch or greater would take me to my backing. Since using this rod in Texas I've had two LMB and one 10lb catfish take me into my backing on this rod....that's it. Hahaha ... that was my first response too! I thought that was a very, very well-played "humble brag!" Indeed, could have left the backing part out of the post; gave in to the temptation though. I am trying to solve a problem with the rod, or at least the perception of a problem. The rod seems to have lost it's "pop" and my cast's seem to "drag". Thinking it could be the tiny grooves on the guides but not sure.
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mmckenzie
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Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2017 12:23 pm • # 11 |
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Joined: 12/31/13 Posts: 309 Location: Magnolia, Texas
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Instead of trying to fix the guides, have you considered rewrapping the rod and putting new guides on?
The labor and expense may be more but it gives you brand new guides, and you can pick exactly the guides you want. A lot of guys on other flyfishing forums I participate in are moving away from snakes and going to single foot guides with inserts like you find on spinning reels. They say the inserts reduce friction and resist the grooves you are talking about. The trade off is a tab more weight per guide.
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JimRed
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Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2017 9:39 pm • # 12 |
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Joined: 08/31/15 Posts: 1043 Location: Coppell, TX
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Thanks for the suggestion Mac, especially the suggestion regarding the use of the guides with inserts. On line the cratex products look expensive although I haven't checked Harbor Freight yet (I don't own a Drummel tool so I have to figure that cost into the project).
I may be happier with new guides especially if they provide less friction and put that "pop" back into my cast with this rod.
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hipshot
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Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2017 10:42 pm • # 13 |
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Joined: 02/07/14 Posts: 383 Location: The southern tip o' Texas
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Home Depot (and many other outlets) sell Dremel starter kits pretty reasonably. I would imagine that for $20 to $30 you can get a kit with a number of bits. Most Dremel dealers carry the individual bits. I imagine that harbor Freight or Northern Tool sell a cheap knockoff that would work too. And you can always get just a Cratex bit and chuck it up in the old drill.......
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JimRed
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Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2017 11:03 pm • # 14 |
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Joined: 08/31/15 Posts: 1043 Location: Coppell, TX
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Thanks Hipshot. Information is helpful.
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JimRed
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Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2018 11:27 pm • # 15 |
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Joined: 08/31/15 Posts: 1043 Location: Coppell, TX
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Finally repaired/replaced the guides on this rod (instead of trying to smooth out the old guides). I used Snakebrand guides and wrapped them on this weekend. Went to my local BassPro a few miles from my house and picked up some nylon thread that was displayed as thread for tying flies. Next thing I need is to coat the wrapped thread. BassPro has some laquer for coating flies, I assume the laquer is for coating the thread on the flies. Any suggestions for coating the wraps, 5 min. epoxy, the BassPro laquer or something else?
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mbarker68x
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Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2018 11:51 pm • # 16 |
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Joined: 03/02/11 Posts: 1003 Location: Vinton, Va
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Jim, don’t use 5 min epoxy, it yellows. I also wouldn’t use head cement for flies either. Of course that s just my opinion. I use FlexCoat lite build rod finishing epoxy. You have to put it on a drying motor for several hours before it sets up enough to no longer drip. I normally just leave it on my drying motor overnight or a good 12 hours. For emergency on stream rod repairs Bass Pro sells a kit that comes with the equivalent to Sally Hansen’s Hard as Nails in a blue bottle with a razor blade some tread, and a couple of guides. But like I said about the head cement I don’t recommend using it except to save a trip from ending when you have no other rod to use. Mudhole has some fad setting rod finish that only has to be in the drying motor for 5 mins, I used it a couple years back while I was in Honduras and it worked pretty good if I remember correctly, it is not the standard 2 part rod finish exoxy, comes pre mixed.
After a brief research of my previous post I found the name of it and it is a 15 minute cure time not 5. Gudebrod Ready-to-use rod finish
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JimRed
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Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2018 9:36 pm • # 17 |
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Joined: 08/31/15 Posts: 1043 Location: Coppell, TX
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JimRed
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Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2018 9:56 am • # 18 |
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Joined: 08/31/15 Posts: 1043 Location: Coppell, TX
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Took my finished rod out yesterday for a few test casts -- worked great, has that snap back I was looking to regain. Wound up putting Snakebrand guides, using some thread and lacquer from the basspro near my house. Put about five coats of lacquer. Skipped wrapping tape over the lacquer; hope that not a mistake.
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