"BlackOtter" wrote in message
ups.com...
Is there another newsgroup for rod building?

I'm building my first rod and having the darndest time getting the
guides straight. Are there any suggestions for getting them on
straight?

In my limited experience- after fooling with string, and misc others
methods- I've found that you can't beat your eyes. I line them up as good
as I can when I place them in position- I generally wrap them on using
temporary thread wraps rather than rubber bands or tape ( too lazy to find
dinky rubber bands- tape always seems to fall off at just the wrong moment-
or it sticks too well). Line the guides by eye (watch your spline!), wrap
the guides - not too tight- not too loose. Final adjust by eye (If you need
to move a wrapped guide - lay the blank on a flat surface so that only the
one guide is in contact with the surface- corner of a table for instance -
and gently roll the blank). I try to look at the blank with the guides down
and, by eye, make sure that the blank splits the guide evenly- turn it over
with guides up and do the same thing. eventually it'll be right to the eye.

jh