Free-Hand Wrapping

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Grashpr9	Free-Hand Wrapping	Lead	[-]
Sport Posts: 6 (10/27/09 21:17:07) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	One of my frustrations from my prior rod builds has come from wrapping the tip-top. It just bounces around on the outside of the wrapping jig, making tension control difficult. Today I tackled the tip-top of my Lamiglas guild. I did it free-hand. It was much easier. No problem keeping constant tension. I did have to perform some finger gymnsastics to secure and implement the tie off loop. All said, I'll stick with this procedure. Perhaps I'll try it on other wraps.
jgestar		#1	[-]
Posts: 4150 (10/27/09 21:33:38) ezOP Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Do you usually use a rod wrapping jig? I think I usually let the tip section hang out of the wrapping jig and support and turn it with my left hand and hold the thread with my right. I use LOTS of little slivers of 3M blue masking tape to hold tie off loops and other threads while I'm wrapping. Tom
taniwha2		#2	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 225 (10/28/09 03:14:44) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I seem to get along as well (or no worse) freehand with a flytying bobbin as with a wrapping jig
Grashpr9		#3	[-]
Sport Posts: 7 (10/28/09 09:26:25) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I have the three piece Cabela's clamp-on wrapping jig. I replaced the c-clamps with quick-grip spring clamps to make adjustments easier. I need to try the blue masking tape. I've only used the white stuff. I tried orthodonic rubber bands, but the single foot guides wiggled around too much.
Stonefly	Rod wrapping	#4	[-]
Guide Posts: 66 (10/28/09 11:39:49) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I've been wrapping rods freehand since I started building. I have a wrapping jig, but I find freehand wrapping easier.Especially the top three or four guides and the tiptop.I might try it with a flytying bobbin like Taniwha said.
mdwwhw		#5	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 678 (10/28/09 14:51:31) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Most of my tiptops and usually several of the guides just below are wrapped freehand with the thread in a fly tying bobbin. I've wrapped several complete rods that way but find that a jig gives me a bit better control and thread tension, especially if I'm including an inlay or small trim wraps. I also like being able to stop mid wrap and return. My fingers aren't the most nimble and aren't getting any better with age. "Everything's better when wet...." Steve Miller Band
corlay		#6	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 1113 (10/28/09 15:07:43) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	free-hand? he's a recent clip of Bob Taylor, catskill-region rod maker, demonstrating a "free-hand" wrap at the Catskill fly fishing museum: http://s79.photobucket.co...amp;current=P9110032.flv posted in another forum I frequent. awfully humbling... "From my observations I think that most of us spend too much time worrying about our tackle and too little time learning the intimate characteristics of the fish and streams we fish most." - Ray Bergman Trout, New York: Knopf 1938
Grashpr9		#7	[-]
Sport Posts: 9 (10/29/09 22:27:18) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	My wrapping jig is now officially a finishing stand. I completed wrapping the rod free-hand. I found it easier to keep the wraps together without overlapping. I should have paid better attention to Grandpa's wrapping - seem to remember him just using a clamp-on tensioner.
flyfishing4goldentrout		#8	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 2561 (10/29/09 23:53:38) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Grashpr9, Ive been freehand wrapping my rods for over 50 years, its slower and could be less accurate in thread lay down, but its just the way Ive done it almost forever. Take your time, lay it out with tape and center your guide feet and it becomes a very personal part of you once your finished. I only make a dozen or so rods a year, but each is wrapped by me in exactly this same way, and I enjoy each rods birth. I have a motorized rod wrapper dryer set up, but have only used it for more modern graphite rods in the Epoxy finish drying stages. Working with the old finishes and glass I prefer free hand and varnish. But then its up to the user to pick what they are comfortable with isnt it? Richard
pearow		#9	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 1785 (10/30/09 06:54:51) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I do it freehand; I've got a power wrapper but only use it for epoxy/varnish application and drying.-p-
Loudog99		#10	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 582 (10/30/09 08:48:48) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Hi Folks, I can't even imagine wrapping an entire rod by hand- much respect to those who have that kind of patience. Tip tops, yes I have done that and it does work well. I use a fly tying bobbin as my thread tensioner. Here's a pic of my wrapping stand (made from leftover hardwood flooring I found when we moved into our home). The small o-rings are used to hold the bobbin in place- stick the tube in and wrap away. I like the bobbin because I can easily adjust the tension by bending the arms. I also get no thread fraying with the use of a nice ceramic tipped bobbin. Lou
pearow		#11	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 1786 (10/30/09 10:59:27) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	well, maybe i don't understand freehand. Here's my high dollar winding thread tensioner; which consists of two cheap angle brackets, a couple of 1/4 inch bolts, some washers I made from milk cartons and a spring. Its a precision piece of equipment!! I call it my ....."NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME THREAD TENSIONER"!!!! I just stand over it, hold the rod, and wrap; and disregard the phone when it rings!!!-p-
archfly		#12	[-]
Sport Posts: 49 (10/30/09 11:14:04) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Being left-handed, I have trouble applying many of the great suggestions presented here. However, I have had good luck simply taking a foot or so of a scrap blank tip and running it through the loop of the tiptop then taping the scrap tip to the barrel of the tiptop so I can wind the top anywhere between my support stations. There is a little bit of tip flex involved (especially with honey lami blanks) but it is manageable.
Grashpr9		#13	[-]
Sport Posts: 10 (10/31/09 17:05:33) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Pearow, looks like you got what I meant by freehand - wrapping with the blank in hand rather than supported by hardware. Do you charge licensing fees for that tensioner design? Archfly, the scrap tip sounds like an interesting approach.
pearow		#14	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 1788 (10/31/09 17:17:45) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Nah! I let most people use all my inventions at no charge; all except Gypsy; we can't have him getting any better at wrapping!!!!!LOL-p-
gaddis		#15	[-]
Posts: 479 (10/31/09 19:50:34) Mr. Shakespeare Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I have wrapped pretty much all of my rods free hand, from 1-weight fly rods to 11' surfcasting rods. It's much easier to control the thread. It really doesn't take very long to make the wrap on a fly rod guide, which are generally pretty short wraps to begin with. I started rodbuilding years ago with the spool of thread in the coffee mug technique, with a phone book for tensioning. I still wrap the same way but use a Thompson thread holder/tensioner to hold the spool of thread.
gypsy		#16	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 674 (10/31/09 23:27:37) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	holding an unsupported blank in my hand while wrapping guides would drive me nuts. How do you reach for the cup of coffee? change NPR stations? shoo away the cat? Gypsy Rod Works
fango		#17	[-]
Guide Posts: 168 (11/01/09 00:18:31) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	gypsy wrote: holding an unsupported blank in my hand while wrapping guides would drive me nuts. How do you reach for the cup of coffee? change NPR stations? shoo away the cat? you got alot of stray cats in your neighborhood , Mark? [ fisheR ] - [ www.malaysianflyrodders.com ]
flyfishing4goldentrout		#18	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 2566 (11/01/09 00:23:35) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	hahaha Gypsy its a very slow yet soothing method, Ive wrapped all my rods in by hand. You can if you insist tension the thread in the same hand that holds the coffee mug, however why not just take a coffee break? Cat not allowed. Keep plenty of making take around and dont worry about wasting a little thread, cut it or set it aside while you do something fancy, again the tape, I know it sounds slow but it does work, once your used to it you can set on your porch with that rod in one hand, thread in the other and wrap in as many guides as you feel like doing. If your not in a hurry its fun. Relaxing and easy. Although a few times you will be looking for reasons you didnt use a motorized wrapper. I have one, never used it for that though, it works great for drying finishes on wraps and rods though. Richard

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