The strippers are going to be tied on over a thread base rather that right onto the blank.

The continuing saga is that the second coat of epoxy is not dry today and will have to wait to have those guides put on until tomorrow. The hook keeper and decorative threads at the winding check can wait until then. A couple of guides fell off because they weren't on tightly enough and the threads and guides got bumped out of alignment in transport to class. Another was on too tight and the guide couldn't be moved at all and was out of line.

I really want this rod to be done, but I really want it done right, too.

Are you at the point that you know exactly how long a rod will take to build? Or do you sometimes get stuck in a time warp?