Not a build, but replacing guides on an old rod.

Started by The Rooster, February 10, 2024, 03:08:33 PM

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The Rooster

Years ago I posted on here about having an old rod with a cracked guide, and I was interested in replacing that guide. I was also considering just removing all the existing guides and replacing them with new ones so they'd all match. That project never got done but I still have the rod and now I think I'd like to do this, for the experience if nothing else, because I have a casual interest in getting into custom builds and this could be a jumping off point.

This is just an old IM6 graphite rod that is about 25 years old so it's no great loss if I mess it up good. It is a Quantum Dance Class (Bill Dance signature) IM6 spinning rod. I haven't used it in about 8 years because of the guide damage, but I just hated to throw it away.

I suppose I could just remove all the guides and put back the same amount in equal sizes, but I'm wondering if I could add more and maybe change the size and spacing and possibly improve the casting performance of the rod? But I understand very little about the guide spacing and sizes as it is, the how and why part. I know that the first few guides on some spinning rods are designed to taper out the flow of line off of the reel, so that by the end of the cast the line flows up and out without any "slap" for lack of a better term. For guide size and spacing, I believe the concept is that there is a trajectory of an imaginary line from the shaft of the spinning reel spool (in the center) that continues in a straight path through the center of the first 3 or 4 guides, until it reaches the blank, at which point all of the line coils should be smoothed out and reduced, and afterwards the line flows through the last 3 or 4 guides in a straight line, similar to a baitcast rod.

The guides on the rod now are not really like that. There are just 7 guides on this 6'6" rod, and first guide is a 25mm size, and the rest of the guides just get progressively smaller until reaching the tip top guide. Spacing from the first to the second is about 10", and gets less and less until from the tip top to the guide behind it there is only about 4". It looks like the size and spacing of these guides was designed to just gradually reduce line coils all the way to the end of the rod.

I have a few questions I'd like to ask about this, as a beginner. Does this type of guide set up have a name? Are there different names for different guide arrangements? How do you know what spacing to use?

Also, I have read some about what I'd need to do. My previous post about 8 years ago, someone gave me detailed instructions on how to remove the existing guides (except for the tip top) and how to rewrap the thread and apply epoxy. I didn't attempt that at the time but now I think I'd like to. It'll either be a success and open me up to the world of custom rod building, or it'll be a failure and I only just lose a rod I haven't used in so long it might as well have already been gone. Does anyone have any thoughts?

Once more, the rod is now a one piece spinning, IM6 graphite 6'6" M/F with 7 guides. It was rated for lures 1/8 - 5/8 and for 8 - 14 pound line. If usage or technique matters, the only use I'm thinking of for the rod is shore fishing the river for whitebass and hybrids using inline spinners. I have a Pflueger Trion 30 size reel I would use on it, with 8 pound mono.

Nuke Powered Bassin

When replacing guides on existing rod, I never change locations of the guides. It is next to impossible to remove all the old epoxy marks to look clean when relocating. Best bet especially if first go at this is putting new guides on in same location. When taking off old ones I use a razor utility knife and score the epoxy and thread down the center of the foot. This will prevent accidental damage to blank. Then it is just a matter of the tedious process of using fingers to pull off the wrapped thread from the guides.

The Rooster

Good advice. So I'll just put them back in the same places. Any thoughts on changing the guide sizes?

Nuke Powered Bassin


Nuke Powered Bassin

I am partial to the Fugi KLHs for new builds but those take take using different spacing than you will be stuck with. Mud hole LZR light spinning kit would be your best bang for buck on your project.

spoonplugger1

Guide height is the important part and there are like 4 or 5 different heights of the same rind size out there. So just measure the height of your guides you remove and match them as close as you can with the new guides, don't worry about ring size, look at the heights especially if you use braid.

Pferox

Replacing guides, rebuilding old rods is a good way to start.  I found an old ugly stick spinning rod that had the guides rotted out from use in salt water.  After a lot of research, and sizing what I wanted out of the MH rod, I added some stainless guides and wrapped with sewing thread and coated with nail polish.

I put a 6,000 sized reel and some 30 lb line on line on it and it catches some pretty large species.

It is still going strong, and is one of my favorite pier rods to this day. 
"If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in bed with a mosquito" - African Proverb.  Jim