# Guide wrap finish chipping



## NoMoSurf (Oct 2, 2007)

I just bought 4 used Star trolling rods that are in almost perfect condition. Still have the price barcoades on them. :yes: But there is one slight problem with one of them. The epoxy finish on the main stripper guide had a crack in it in between the guide feet and a chunk about the size of a fingernail has chipped off exposing the thread. It appears that the epoxy did not penetrate the thread at all. There is also another crack under the second guide as well. But it has not chipped out.

I have taken rod building classes and have some supplies. I've just not had the time to get fully involved in building. Of course the classes covered building, but not repair.

What would you guys do? Dab some epoxy over it and hope for the best? Chip the rest off and hope that I dont damage the treads and then re-epoxy? Or clear the whole thing off and start over? I'm hoping to not have to start over. I dont have thread to match the red and gold accent wraps. LOL


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## Big E Nuff (Oct 4, 2007)

If you don't want to start over Electrical Tape is your friend...........:no:


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

Personally, I would remove the guide and start over.


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## NoMoSurf (Oct 2, 2007)

Big E Nuff said:


> If you don't want to start over Electrical Tape is your friend...........:no:


ummm. no. LOL


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## Tegin1 (Oct 24, 2016)

I have replaced a lot of guides and the epoxy resin topcoat typically does not penetrate the thread wrap. If you think you can get a satisfactory finish by applying more topcoat then that is what I would do. If it turns out your unhappy with it, then remove the guide and re wrap it. If you want the resin to penetrate the threads you will need to find a way to thin it and then come back with a normal topcoat, but penetration isn't really necessary as it is just a protective coating.


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## NoMoSurf (Oct 2, 2007)

10-4. Thanks.

I think I am going to try a quick fix to get me through my next trip or two. Then, I'll redo the whole guide in the off-season


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## fairpoint (May 9, 2013)

finger nail polish...touch it up with a couple of coats and fish with it....


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## fairpoint (May 9, 2013)

clear fingernail polish....put on a couple of coats....fish


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## Spoonplugger1 (Jun 5, 2018)

Your problem is poor rod construction technique and component selection.
First they put to big and stiff a guide on the rod for the flexibility the blank exhibits, secondly they didn't put enough thread tension on the guide wraps, thirdly they should have narrowed/thinned the ends of the guide feet before they wrapped the guide on.


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## NoMoSurf (Oct 2, 2007)

I have never heard that about Star rods before. I have owned about a dozen of them over the last 5 years and have had zero problems with them other than me reeling a swivel into the tip and knocking the ring out of a couple.

This chipping is due to an impact with something. You can see where something hit it.


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## Spoonplugger1 (Jun 5, 2018)

I was using generalities, I have seen many guides where the crack in the epoxy is over the guide feet, between the guide feet under the guide ring, etc. After investigating, talking to people who rod wrap for a living over decades, and talking with other rod builders there was a pretty solid agreement on what the major reasons for cracked epoxy. Can't say I've ever seen epoxy chip out due to being dropped, stepped on, etc. unless the end reason was some form of movement of the guide under the wrap and epoxy. All rods can have these problems, no matter who made them. 
Guides are greatly over engineered as far as strength goes and frankly there is little need for some of the heavy guides you see on some of the saltwater rods, other than many customers expect to see them there, like powered swimbait and musky rods survive quite nicely with a much lighter and smaller guide set. A "F" style ceramic ringed fly guide, will not deflect let alone bend with a 16 lb. down rigger ball hanging from it, and the frame construction is fine enough that it will not lift off the blank, or move the thread enough to pull a bubble of lifted epoxy off the thread, or damage the epoxy in any way unless you did a seriously poor job of thread tension while wrapping the guide.
If you leave your rods out in the sun to the point where they yellow, or brown out, well than all bets are off, the epoxy will get brittle and fail from many things at any time. Time to rewrap.


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## Solace (Apr 23, 2009)

You probably already stated that you are not ready to completely replace the guide. Echo finger nail polish, or kudos to Gorilla Glue. They have 1 dispenser that offers a brush on or standard dispenser..use the brush. The nice aspect as opposed to most super glue is that it really is reusable and doesn't dry immediately after you open the container. That should be more than adequate until you want to redo. Also I still have one rod eyelet secured only by electrical tape. My son stuck it back on and it worked fine last weekend.


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