Lost guide insert - can I just coat it? (no replacement)

[Ned Poulos-Boggis]

Hello,

 

It's my first post so I have to say hello. I recently lost an insert on a rod guide (not the tip) and it's 100% gone. Not exactly sure when I lost it. Gluing it back in is not an option, and I know that replacement is recommended.

 

My question is, since it's one guide in the middle, can i just coat the metal eye with some epoxy or something to smooth it out? I imagine it won't be as slick as ceramic, and I do use braid so it could wear over time, but I imagine it would solve the abrasion issue. Has anyone tried doing something like this? I've found lots of information on replacement, but I travel with 3-8 fishing rods (spinning and fly) and this isn't my first time losing an eye insert. I'm wondering if there's an easier method. I once repaired a pair of glasses with some JB weld (popular in aquaculture, which is my realm of profession) and it had a ceramic-insert-like texture when hard. I imagine there's something out there that can make this simpler. Thanks!

[MN Fisher]

Replacing a guide isn't as hard as some would make it out to be - and is infinitely preferable to trying a 'jury-rig' solution.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Replacing the guide is a must. 

[craww]

2 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Replacing a guide isn't as hard as some would make it out to be - and is infinitely preferable to trying a 'jury-rig' solution.

This is very true. I had a few nice rods that had been sitting around for a few years after losing inserts. Got cabin fever a couple years back and found it was a very easy process to replace a guide...you dont even need speciality equipment. 
 

Now you likely wont be laying down thread as aesthetically as a pro. But its easy to get them structurally sound and fishable....Fwiw, permanent marker covers a multitude of sins lol.

[Gary_Snyder]

Replacing a guide is the normal course of action. It's $10. Call a custom rod shop or independent tackle store in your area for details. You have to do this.

[tander]

Have a shop replace it or do it yourself. Look on youtube for how to. You will be disappointed if you try to epoxy it.

[optimator]

What kind of rod is it? Is it even worth fixing? 

[Ned Poulos-Boggis]

Hi guys,

 

Thanks for all of the input. I realize that is recommended, but if I have to toss the old eye out then I figure I might as well experiment. That's what brought me here.

 

I have tons of experience replacing the tip guides, but the ones in the middle are new to me. I've watched videos and I'm not intimidated at all though. I fly fish too, so I have plenty of thread, bobbins, and various adhesives.

 

I figured that there might be a better way to lifehack this issue though. Despite your recommendations (which I may still follow) I'm going to experiment a bit. If I buy a $10 adhesive and can fix 20 rods with it, I'll let you guys know.

 

5 hours ago, optimator said:

What kind of rod is it? Is it even worth fixing? 

 

It's an Abu Garcia Vigilante. It's a $30 rod, but I do like the action of it a lot. I mostly buy throw-away rods, but I shop very hard for them when I do. I won't order them online. I need to feel them in person. I'd prefer to fix it, but is it worth the $10 to replace the guide?....definitely a good question!

Forgive me, I'm a marine/aquatic biologist and experimentation has it's own allure.

[Gary_Snyder]

Good luck reinventing the wheel!

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

You’ll risk breaking line and losing fish. If that doesn’t matter to you, have at it. The only fathomable fix would be JB Weld, drilled and polished. The cost and time will far exceed the proper repair. 

[Linewinder]

Cost effective?  No. Replace it.  Even on the budget rods.  Pinched for time, like on a packing trip, yeah I’d like to see if swirling JB Weld around the guide would work to get the rod fishing the next day.  

[Fishlegs]

Do you have any unused, or broken rods that you could pull a guide off of? I always take the guides off of broken rods before throwing the blank away. I use those guides when I lose an insert on other rods. Replacing a guide is not that hard. If you can tie flies you won’t have any trouble replacing a guide. Good luck whatever you do.

[BlakeMolone]

So I actually tried this and the epoxy came out after like an hour of fishing ? 

[iabass8]

I actually had this on an old dobyns champ. What I did was take very fine sandpaper and smooth out the entire ring to make sure there was no nicks or cracks. And then took polish with a Dremel and polish the insert smooth. It’s been like that for two years. 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

2 hours ago, iabass8 said:

I actually had this on an old dobyns champ. What I did was take very fine sandpaper and smooth out the entire ring to make sure there was no nicks or cracks. And then took polish with a Dremel and polish the insert smooth. It’s been like that for two years. 

This is probably the second best idea. Touching up what’s there makes more sense than trying to reconstruct a guide. 

[Ned Poulos-Boggis]

Great suggestions! And thanks for the first-hand report on the epoxy. I was wondering if that would happen. I'll probably give the Dremel method a try first.

[garroyo130]

You said its a middle guide. If all you want is to get as much fishing out of it as possible with minimal repair, why not just kill the guide altogether? If its just a running guide I can't see it having too drastic an impact in the short term.