How to fix a bent guide and cracked epoxy

[Fishydishy]

Received a brand new rod. The main guide is bent, a small piece of epoxy is cracked. Got a partial refund, so now I have to fix it myself. How should I do it? Thanks!

 

 

 

[Michigander]

Bend it back by hand and seal up the cracked epoxy with some 5 min epoxy?

 

To do it "right" would be to totally remove and fully replace with a new  guide.

[Fishydishy]

1 hour ago, Michigander said:

Bend it back by hand and seal up the cracked epoxy with some 5 min epoxy?

 

To do it "right" would be to totally remove and fully replace with a new  guide.

Does it affect anything like making a cast if I don’t replace the guide?

 

or I am fine with bending it back and seal it up?

[Michigander]

28 minutes ago, Fishydishy said:

Does it affect anything like making a cast if I don’t replace the guide?

 

or I am fine with bending it back and seal it up?

Yeah, you'll lose about an inch of casting distance. ?

 

Seriously though, as long as you don't crack the metal, you won't notice a difference. I bend guides back all the time when I step on them. And the epoxy isn't doing anything other than protecting the thread which is actually holding the guide on.

[Deleted account]

2 hours ago, Michigander said:

Bend it back by hand and seal up the cracked epoxy with some 5 min epoxy?

 

To do it "right" would be to totally remove and fully replace with a new  guide.

Yes bend it back, no on epoxy. 

[Fishydishy]

1 hour ago, BassWhole! said:

Yes bend it back, no on epoxy. 

What do you mean by no on epoxy?

[Deleted account]

1 minute ago, Fishydishy said:

What do you mean by no on epoxy?

Epoxy like the 5 minute one mentioned will be near to impossible to remove if a repair ever needs to be done. There are one and two part finishes specifically made for wrapping guides. Nail polish will work in a pinch.

[Michigander]

2 hours ago, BassWhole! said:

Epoxy like the 5 minute one mentioned will be near to impossible to remove if a repair ever needs to be done. There are one and two part finishes specifically made for wrapping guides. Nail polish will work in a pinch.

I was just thinking a wee bit to fill the little cracks, but nail polish is a good suggestion!

[Fishydishy]

Do you think I am better off taking it to a local tackle for a repair? I don’t have none of the epoxy or nail polish. How much do you think is a fair charge for complete repair?

[thunderblack]

If you have a rod repair guy in the area $15-$25 is all it will cost. Sally's hard as nails works good for repairs too. Dries clear and fast and you just need a little. If your OCD like me just have a local guy wrap it new and call it a day. That way you can enjoy the new rod like intended. 

[MickD]

You don't need to to take it anywhere.  Bend it back into shape.  It and you will never know the difference.  It will cast as well as it ever would have.

 

The comment on epoxy making it hard to repair later is in my opinion wrong.  Epoxy is on the wrap now.  A little more won't hurt anything.  If we were talking using epoxy on fastening a tiptop to the rod then I'd have another opinion.

 

Another option to seal the crack is Sally Henson "hard as nails" clear, UV resistant, nail finish.  I have used it many times and had no problems.  I would seal the crack so water doesn't get in and fog the existing epoxy.  

[HaydenS]

Ain't nothin super glue won't fix ?

Bend it back and super glue it up (just a little bit) !

[MickD]

No, super glue is not the right material to use here.  

[S Hovanec]

I'd be leery bending that back while it is attached to the blank. That is a very stout guide and takes a lot of force to bend that. I'd be concerned with crushing the blank while you're trying to bend that back.

[MickD]

3 hours ago, S Hovanec said:

I'd be leery bending that back while it is attached to the blank. That is a very stout guide and takes a lot of force to bend that. I'd be concerned with crushing the blank while you're trying to bend that back.

While I respect all the great work as a builder than you have shown here, I don't think there is any chance of that guide crushing the blank by bending it back while attached. 

 

But Fishy, if the force seems pretty high, then back off and take the guide off.  If you do that then you might as well replace it with new.  I think you'll find that it takes very little force to bend it back into it original position.  

[S Hovanec]

1 hour ago, MickD said:

While I respect all the great work as a builder than you have shown here, I don't think there is any chance of that guide crushing the blank by bending it back while attached. 

 

But Fishy, if the force seems pretty high, then back off and take the guide off.  If you do that then you might as well replace it with new.  I think you'll find that it takes very little force to bend it back into it original position.  

 

Regardless of what it would take to bend it back,  the wrap is also torn.  Bending and applying epoxy is just a bandaid fix 

[MickD]

If I wanted to fish it this year I'd use the band aid.  Fix it right in the winter.  It will fish just fine.

[Fishydishy]

thanks guys! I already had a tackle shop re-wrapped it. It's good as new I guess.

[Michigander]

9 hours ago, Fishydishy said:

thanks guys! I already had a tackle shop re-wrapped it. It's good as new I guess.

That is the correct way to fix the issue.

[zeth]

shoot now that you got your partial refund send it back to the manufacturer and get a new one. or just gently heat up, scrape off epoxy with utility knife xacto etc. put a new guide on, wrap it and epoxy it. good to go. next thing you know you'll be making your own rods.