Fixing Rod Guide - Help Please

[Ersteman]

Good Morning Guys,

I read Bass Resource posts and watched about 10+ videos on how to repair rod guides before I felt I was ready to try and repair guides on my Veritas 2.0 micro rod.

I bent and broke the 3rd and 4th guides, so I wanted to replace them myself.

I ordered some micro guides from ebay that looked similar even though they didn't have the zirconium inserts. Mud Hole was out of the exact ones. 

Anyway, I used the Loctite Epoxy 5 min because it was available at the local hardware store and I didn't want to spend a lot on my first repair.  

http://www.loctiteproducts.com/p/13/6/epxy_qset_s/overview/Loctite-Epoxy-Quick-Set.htm

My first batch hardened before I could even use it, so I had to try again.

My 2nd batch was almost too thick to work with, but I managed to cover the wraps with the sticky gloop.

I went through 4 brushes due to them hardening so fast and my epoxy coating is a bit sloppy and uneven. 

For a first try it's not pretty, but I fixed the guides.

Due to the epoxy hardening so fast, my time window for working the epoxy was extremely small.

 

What epoxy do you guys use to fix guides?

How much work time do you have with your epoxy? 

And Based on the epoxy dry time, how much time do you spend turning the rod before you can just leave it sit un-turned.

 

Thanks.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

You used an adhesive instead of a finish. The epoxy helps but for the most part the thread secures the guide and the finish protects the thread. 

[spoonplugger1]

As Delaware said you used the wrong stuff, rod guide finish is in the potting resins family of epoxy resins, not the adhesives. You can use a varnish, or exterior urethane you get at your local hardware store too, it will just need multiple applications to build up a look like epoxy. Six is usually my average, but it don't need to be turned as long, doesn't droop or football, and dries faster between applications.

[MickD]

Get wrap epoxy instead of adhesive epoxy, as suggested. You will have to go to a rodbuilding supplier as hardware stores don't carry it.  The working time varies with the brand.  Prokote from Mudhole.com has what I think is the longest working time, which is way more than you need.  Finish the guides, and if you notice quite a bit of it drooping pretty fast, blot it off with a paper towel by just touching it with the towel.  Keep rotating every few minutes until it show no sign of drooping. You can check on it by touching the leftover in the mixing cup with the end of the brush, not the bristles (which youhave already cleaned with brush cleaner (also from Mudhole).  Don't touch the wrap until the next day-ProKote takes a LONG time to get fully cured.  For other brands that I am familiar with, like Flex Coat, the working time is not as long, but usually at least 20-30 minutes which should be plenty.  Treat it like I said for Pro Kote.