Custom Rod Building - Micro Guides

[CiK]

4mm guides sure are hard on the peepers to line up.

Any of you guys that build have a better way than just "eyeballing" them? Eyeballing them works for me, but was wondering if there was another way to skin that cat.

Tony

[WTL]

When I skin cats, I normally start at the tip of the tail and work my way up. Remember to wear good quality gloves, as they often bite.

(I have always thought "skinning the cat" was a strange phrase, not sure how in this PETA obsessed world we still accept it. Unless it refers to taxidermy, in which case, who the hell mounts a cat?)

I use a china pencil to line the guides up, btw. Find the spine, and a straight edge, and go to it. Its still hard to get micros perfect.

[WaffleJaw]

I put a light over the blank..Once I get the first guide on and straight (stripper,butt guide)
The light will cast a perfectly straight line of sheen down the blank....I line the stripper guide foot on that shine and follow it down to my next placement...Line that foot on the the sheen...(I still double check it)..But usually its straight and after wrapping very little adjusting is needed.As you move up towards the tip,Try to kept the blank centered when looking through the guide..It helps.
Once all the guide are wrapped and lined up....I go outside and hold it up in the air to make my final check...The natural sunshine light will give your eyes a different view and flaws show up quickly.

[Jrob78]

I'm an eyeballer. I've tried a few other ways to line them up but looking down the blank works best for me.

I've seen a stuffed cat, it's creepy.

[bamabassman]

just an idea here..............what if you were to put it on a string? hard for me to put it another way. hope you understand what i am meaning.

[lilmule]

Try a cheap lazer line level from any construction store.Like one would use to put up ceiling tile gridwork.
While they look neat I prefer regular size sometimes oversized as use a roberts wrap or spiral wrap.
Try those micros out in cold water,much harder to keep the wee eyes open.

[hardhead]

I'm with posts #3 & #4, I wrap with fairly heavy tension and a Forhan lock and line up the best I can inside. then outside I make final adjustments. Usually its close enough so its only minor shifts. It is amazing what a trip outside in sunshine shows up as far as guide alignment goes. I've tried hi vis mono...laser...locking the blank in place..level in the reel seat..I think your eyes and real sunshine is as good as you can do. Wes

[CiK]

Thanks everybody! All good ways.

I think I will continue eyeballing it until it fails me. I did rig up a level on an old reel stem and use when placing the tip, stripper, and 1 guide in each direction. From there, I start eyeballing.

[Bubba_Bruiser]

I always get in my hallway and turn the lights out in the hall. I turn the light on in the bedroom at the other end and then look down rod. The light will reflect off of the tops and lines them up pretty good for me. Or option 2 is to look at it against something that is bright white.

[Bubba_Bruiser]

I never tried the above to line them up though. If I did, I imagine it would be crocked.