Need help repairing ceramic guides on fishing rod

[FM2]

Through all this fishing frenzy that has been going on I now have three rods that need repair. I would appreciate help on this as I have never repaired guides and don't currently have the fianances to have it done.

I have two rods that the ceramic has come out of the guides, one is the tip and the other is halfway down the rod. Another rod got the tip broken off during a chinese fire drill when we got a double going. Any help on how to repair this and where to get the pieces would be great !

[chuck 'n' duck]

You can buy new tip-tops at any fishing store. Simply hold a lighter under the old one (not too close) and slip it off. Use a glue stick to adhere the new tip. Instructions for this are included with the package. As far as your other guides, do a search of old topics. It has been discussed before (the process is quite a bit more involved than for the tip).

CnD

[garyk]

Don't fret about wrapping a single guide. Just take the rod section into the closest store that sells guides and find one that matches. You'll need a spool of wrapping thread and epoxy/laquer or some subsitute to seal the thread.

It's not difficult at all and will pass the time while sitting in the hog line.

[Lipripper]

Hey Keith. Wrapping an eye is quite similar to tying an egg loop. Same principal anyhow. Start wrapping at the base of the eye and work outwards. When you have wrapped past the end of the base of the metal shank? lay a loop of thread on the rod making sure it is long enough to extend past the eye and continue to wrap a few more turns over this loop of thread. Take the loose end of the wrap and feed it through the eye in the loop of the thread you laid on the rod. Now grasp both ends of the thread you laid on the rod and pull the loose end of the wrap up into the wrapping. Add a little epoxy to secure the wrap and go fishing. Did that make any sense?

[Krome Brite]

Say, I have a trout rod with a screwed up tip. The ceramic inside the metal guide ring is only partially busted off, but it frayed my line before I knew about it. Is there any way to salvage the tip and just keep it on. Some kind of filling? Tried superglue, but it really didn't do a very good job.

[Dogfish]

I have had tips replaced at sporting goods stores on two occasions. I never paid more than $5.00. It is very cheap!

Once the ceramic eye is loose or even slightly damaged, you are better off by getting a new tip rather than trying to jerry rig something. The last thing you want is for your home brewed repair to cost you a fish of a lifetime.

The directions for repairing the in-line guides are right on, so no repeating is necessary.

Andy

[Threemuch]

Tips are easy, take em off with a lighter, glue the new one on. I would use tip glue, which disolves under heat. Glue stick is water soluble. And epoxy is permanent, no lighter trick will remove it when the tip bites the dust in the future, and if you replace it with ceramic, it will..

The guides should not cost very much, and you may want to take the middle one to a rod shop after all, since having one guide replaced isn't too bad, and they will do a much nicer job than you can do on your own without rod wrapping gear or experience. I would guess $20ish bucks for the repair.

Or just cut the guide off, and now you have a rod with some character, and you can get it repaired when finances are more flush.

I won't use ceramic lined guides just for this reason. You usually find out the ceramic is gone when the line parts on a big fish.

[CHUMSALMON]

here is another tip, if you want to make a little rod wrapping machine, look for a rotisary (?sp) out of an old bbq, or an old electric motor that turns REAL slow, and from that you can make your own rod wrapping jig. they work great! and won't cost an arm and a leg like the ones in the catalogs, i've got the one my dad made 20+ years ago and it still works today, kind of crude but, very functional and cheeeeeeep to make! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[FM2]

Thanks for the ideas, the tip sounds pretty easy but the other guide is more of a challenge.

Hey lipripper, you sound really good at this, when is the next class in your boat !

Another question, the rod with the broken tip has a guide about 1" from the tip, if I put a new tip on will this guide cause any problem ? Also are tips readily available at Joe's ?

Now if I can only find the time to do it !!

[jet]

Keith

Is it on you Kenai King? Just take it back to Lamiglas they will replace the ceramic insert for FREE! Part of the lifetime warrenty, I just took Streamsides to Lamiglas and they took care of it no problem. I just love the service with a smile.

You have to quit catching so many fish and wearing out he guides, or poping them out.

Jet~~~

Removing and rewrapping rod guides is not that difficult. You can get replacements, adhesives and how to info at Anglers Workshop, next to Lamiglass in Woodland.

Once you see a picture on how to secure the ends, the job from start to finish should only take 20 minutes.

Be careful on how hot you get the tip, when using a lighter or match. It doesn't take a lot of heat to loosen the adhesive, use too much heat and the graphite will weaken and break next time you rip some lips.

[FM2]

Hey Jet, it is my Kenai Killer, I know a trip to Woodland would be the best bet so I probably will go up there soon as I need to get the killer warmed up [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Great tips, I bet many folks will benefit from this. Thanks guys [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[ 09-13-2001: Message edited by: FishinMishin2 ]

[Robert]

Threemuch, if you do not use ceramic insert guides what kind do you use? I have found steel guides are terrible. In the last two years my dad, sisters and I have messed up the guides in 6 rods. It happened in to 11 footers and 4 sturgeon boat rods. We were usingf 40 pound momo. The guides were worn down in different inside of it. There are fairly big grooves in the guides. Does anyone know how to avoid this? I am getting tired of it, it is getting expensive to fix because of all the poles are getting messed up.

[smilesforu]

Let me draw you a picture...







Some other basics...and beyond here
Rod building basics and beyond

[FM2]

Nice drawing smiles, I checked out the link and it is helpful for building new rods.

When repairing an existing rod with a bad guide, what do you or anyone else recommend on how to remove the varnish around the guide ?

Thanks

[will_e_fish]

Yes those repairs are easy and quick makes you wonder why you haven't done it before! I know there are poles that us non experts can fix as I have done on several myself but I have made a sad discovery the G-Loomis is in 2 Peices where it should not be. Question for you,where do you draw the line in home repair? Should I fix this one myself or have it done by G-Loomis can they have it back soon for the run that is making it up the rivers? Thanks for the advise and opinions.
will_e_fish

[smilesforu]

If you have a warranty on a rod ie... gloomis, lamiglass it may void it if you do home repair. If warranty concerns aren't a issue you can use a razor blade and carefully cut the threads off. When I cut the guides off I start on the guid foot and cut towards the guide ring. This will keep you from slicing the rod blank if you slip. Then I unwind as much thread as possible with out cutting. I will then use the the back of a knife to scrape off the excess varnish/epoxy. Replace guide with a new matching one and wrap to match rest of rod. If a rod breaks it is a more difficult repair. Usually you have to cut another piece of rod up to make a sleeve and slide over the other pieces. Not everybody has extra rod pieces laying around. You also need to use a fiber of lesser strenth on the joint to keep if from fracturing and allows the proper flex. The splintered portions of the rods also need to be trimmed so they don't continue to splinter. Small wraps on the splice are used to help keep the splice from splintering. (similar to a ferrule wrap)

BTW new rods are easier to do...no cleaning off the old work.

[FM2]

With all this great information one thing I have not read and am curious about. Is there anyway to just replace the ceramic? Does anyone make a repair kit like this? If not, this might make a new biz opportunity!

FM2 check your email.
Stew

[Robert]

For of the rods were sturgeon boat rods by Cunstom Made. They got trashed really bad fishing heavy weight, that could have been the problem. We used them a lot at Cascade Locks. The problem probaly came from using 48oz. for several months, even the 32oz. are big. I have not had a problem with ceramic guides even with a 48oz.The wear came from using 40 pound maxima. The rods with ceramic guise are the really cheap to got them for 15 on sale. they were shakespeare. The really weird part were the two master 11 footers that have crappy guides. We fished a lot for sturgeon and they just suck. There are groves in the guides. It may be because it is a really cheap rod and guides. We used 40 pound maxima anbd a max of 8 ounces. This never happened to my dads rod with cermic guides which gets used way more than the Master choice with steel guides.

[Threemuch]

Robert-
What kind of guides are those? I have had good luck with quality chromed steel guides using mono. Where you can run into trouble is with spectra braids, they can wear a groove in a steel guide, in which case I use roller guides for deep water applications, and yes, I have one rod with silicon carbide guides for shallow water braided line fishing. BUT, they have VERY beefy frames, I make sure I am way careful with that one, because these guides were like 12-20 bucks each.

[smilesforu]

There are different hardnesses of ceramic just like there are different types of metal.
Its really hard to tell on a premade rod what type they are unless you go with a high quality manufacturer.

[FM2]

Thank You Stew !