Just curious,
When wrapping with a lathe/powerwrapper, do most of you stand or sit? If you sit, is your bench high enough so that you can stand or sit?
I need to build a new workbench, and am looking for a little insight.
It will be used with a Renzetti, for wrapping only.

HI Bob,
We all mostly sit and yes you want to be comfortable when wrapping or sanding grips. I don't like being bent over a blank to much so my table is alittle higher than some.

Good Wraps,
Neal Cissel
Neals Fishing Products

I know some guys who stand, and it might not be a bad idea to build a standing height bench, but provide yourself with a higher stool or chair in case you do want to sit. I sit, but have often wondered if I might not enjoy wrapping while standing, more.

If you have a speed control for your lathe, this could be a problem with a higher chair of course. Buddy Owens constructed the very best bench mounted speed control I've ever seen. It's a foot board running the full 12' length of his bench. And, believe it or not, there is absolutely no play from end to end. It's the smoothest and most responsive speed control I've ever tried. I need to go over and take some photos and do a more detailed article on it in the magazine.

...........

I sit while wrapping. The blank sits at a level 40 inches above the floor. This way I don't bend over and I only slightly look down at the rod. I guess it would be safe to say I am working about shoulder height. You could mock up something and try different heights by shimming the lath with some blocks to get a feel for height and your comfort level.

Good luck,

Bruce Young
Landing Gear

Got to stand-it's how I was taught and old habits are hard to break,as Tom said the key is to have the lathe mounted on a high bench.Use a high adjustable bar stool if I want to sit doing butt wraps
john

What I did (I love it) is use inexpensive (unfinished) kitchen base cabinets (the narrow ones) on the ends and put a formica kitchen counter top on it. Perfect height for me. I use a bar type stool and I can sit or stand at it, although I generally sit while wrapping

Mike

Whatever you decide - make sure you have knee clearance just in case you want to sit. If I'm doing a butt wrap, I used to sit and do the whole thing. I'm still learning how to wrap multiple threads at once, so I'll stand when I do this portion of the wrap. Packing, I always sit.

Wrapping guides, 50-50. I used to sit 100% of the time, as doing inlays and trim rings is a lot easier if you can see what's going on. Lately, I started standing and find I can wrap a little quicker. But I do both, I stand a slong as I can, and when I get lazy, I sit.

I used base cabinets from Home Depot, and put the formica countertops on top. I have 15 foot of countertop for my wrapping lathe, and 5 feet for my wood lathe. There are pics of my set up, as well as others on the Photo Page.

I stand and built my bench higher than normal so I have good posture while I'm working. It has saved me a lot of neck and back aches. When I wrap, my elbows are at the level of the work surface and this feels very comfortable to me. If I don't knock over my beer while working, I usually have a very pleasant session.

My sessions don't usually last longer than 2-3 hours at a time and more typically 30-45 minutes. My bench is on a concrete slab basement floor but I stand on a rug which saves a little wear and tear on my legs. Learned that trick teaching high school - the difference between concrete or concrete/linoleum and a thin rug is a big difference.

Sit, and use a good adjustable height office chair with carpet casters so I can just roll from end to end. But I do have to drag the foot control with me. Let's see Buddy's setup Tom.

I sit while wrapping. I went to Office Warehouse and bought three2' x 4' folding tables for my wrapping area. I put a 2' x 8' piece (1/2 sheet cut length-wise) of off white formica in the center of the three 4' tables lined up along a 12' 8" wall (big room). I also use another 4' x 8' sheet of formica to protect the floor and let the adjustable office chair roll easily. My lathe & drillpress & grinder are in a separate workroom. I stand to operate them. Ralph

I do all wrapping including diamonds standing but I weave sitting down using a tall backed wheeled bar-type chair.

I do it about 50/50. My bench is high so that I can work comfortably while standing and I bought a special high pedestal chair so I can wrap that high. It also lowers enough to be able to ream handle components into the garbage without bending over so much. I don't have to worry about the foot control. Its wrapped up and put away for three years, now. I do all by hand. I guess I take it out once in a while for a second drying machine, though.
Putter

When I wrapped by hand [1976-1986] I always sat but since getting my Clemens Lathe in 1987 I have always stood and can't picture myself sitting and wrapping by power at the same time. My work bench positions the blank 45" from the floor which is perfect for me. Jesse

When I'm on the power, mainly for shaping and sanding, I stand. Workshop training always burns through there. However, when I wrap, I sit. I have to be comfortable to do this properly. In addition, my wrapping setup runs considerably slower than shaping lathe rpms.

tom; friend of mine rigged up a Cable system that works great over a 10 foot run, controlled by foot pedal is upside down on the bench top at the end by the motor

Thanks guys. I always though it odd that I stand at a wood lathe, but wrap sitting down. I have been hand wrapping so far, but half way through my last rod, I put the wrapper on my kitchen island. It's tall enough to stand comfortably, and has those high barstool seats as well. I did some standing and some sitting and found that being able to change and choose was nice. I think I'll go for a high bench that you can stand at and find a nice high chair. Since I'm pretty sure that my wife won't like the renzetti on the kitchen island, I'm moving to the garage.

Hi you all

I live in Patagonia Argentina and I´ve been building fly rods for a while.

I use the "throw away" nylon brushes for coating the epoxi and many times the brush hairs create air bubbles when you wet it with the epoxi.
Of course all of them go straight to thread wrappings.

Are the spatulas better or there´s any other tool that will avoid this problem.

Thanks

Bob

Good question. In my experience most rod builders using power wrappiong or hand jigs prefer to sit.

As I can't get on with thread tensioning devices I use a non powererd jig and actually prefer to stand to wrap. It is important to achive the right working height with either sitting or standing to avoid back injuries or problems to the kneck.

At one factory I know of not rod building it was found that the workers in a modern designed manufacturing cell actually prefered to work standing up. The Manufacturing Engineers gave them the option. So there could be something to be learned from that.
Ideally I would like two set ups that would allow me to do both so I then share the strain around a bit.

I actually set my wrapping jig on the tops of two old dining chairs which just happen to give me the right height. I always mean to replace them with a proper trestle but of course never got around to it.

I also use my teeth to hold tools and stuff whilst working freehand. My friend Stephne Barnes who also posts here thinks I am crackers and he is probably right.

Regards mike Oliver