I have fished for many years but am now setting down to build my own rods this winter. As a new builder would you buy a wrappping /drying machine or wrap by hand with just a dryer.
Have a couple of sons now hooked on fly fishing so I asume this is just a start. Any input would help!

I, like yourself, have just started building rods myself. I initially got the wrapping Kit from Cabela's for just over $100. This is a good start. Your do need a drying motor. (4-12 rpm) for application of epoxy/color preserver. I have found most of this stuff is also avaliable on @#$%&. There are several other suppliers. Check out Flexcoat online sales for a list of suppliers. They are generally lower cost than Cabela's. I have really enjoyed making the three rods I have completed. I would also recommend get a book or two with instruction of each step in Rod Making. Check out your public library as a book source.

Dan , if you are just starting out, I don't think that getting a machine will help you out very much . In my oppinion start wrapping by hand, and dry by hand. A simple hand wrapper can be fashoned with a minimal cost . You can get some great ideas as to what they look like by going to the photo link at the top of the page, then look under equippment . You can also do a search on that page for "wrappers".
I built my first 6 rods on awrapper made out of plywood with felt as a pad to protect the blank from scratching. Drying by hand is done in the same jig by just turning the rod every so often after an epoxy coat .
Get a book , search this site for tips, look at the glossary on the top of the page, read the library at the top , and read the FAQs on the top . There is a wealth of info in this site for the taking. If searching dosen't help....... ask , someone will give you a push in the right direction. Good luck......... use the sponsors on the left for supplies , and parts .
John

In my opinion you need that dryer, things happen Phones ring,as do door bells ,Kids fight, the TV's on! Sometimes we just forget to turn that rod at the right time. I have 3-4 of them just in case one stops(happened Twice) To much work to do twice

You do want a good hand wrapper just to make your wrapping go more smoothly and easily. Flex Coat makes several good ones for way under $100. There are plans in the current RodMaker for making what appears to be a pretty good unit. If you're handy with wood scraps you could make it on a Saturday and for very little money.

I wouldn't even worry about a power wrapper until I'd been at this for a year and know that I'm going to stick with it.

I agree with the posts above. You are much better off starting with a basic hand wrapper. A power wrapper sets you back $300.00 or more, and handwrapping on a power wrapper is tricky. Learning to build rods on a power wrapper is darned frustrating. Although I do some finishing work without a motorized set up, I prefer to power finish. BTW, I do have a power wrapper, but I do 90 percent of my wrapping on a hand wrapper made out of particle board shelving, pegs, and a couple of tensioners. I think the whole setup cost me 30 bucks.

Not on the Above post, but I mainly use a set of rollers attached to a set of C-Clamps(4)that that do on the front edge of my Desk To do my wraps by hand. Power wrap my under wraps when needed

patrick,

I have to say thank you for the input. I looked a the $300 cost for the wrapper as minor compaired to some of the cost of fishing and hunting. Up to this year I was the only fly fisher - now have 2 boys and my wife hooked and will be outfitting all. Thought I would buy just once. Censes seems to be though, start by hand and then move up.
Most rods will be fly and some spinning. Spending time on this site it would appear that this could be come addictive. Will have help building the first rod at a fly fishing club I belong to. The gentleman
there I believe has only wrapped by hand.

thanks again
dan

Since you are just starting out you could use the plans in the last Rod Maker magazine and build the manual rod wrapper for around $20 to $25 dollars. Then you can add a drying motor from Cabelas or others, by bolting the motor to a sheet metal strap bent into a "C" shape that slides into one of the "V" notchs, to it and you have a very good starting setup with out a lot of expense. I am sure later you and your sons would move on to more equipment. However I built one of these in 1990 and still am using it. Know you would enjoy builing rods with this.

Good Luck

There are a lot of builders that do a fairly large number of rods without a power wrapper. I wouldn't invest in one until you are sure that you want one, All power wrappers are not the same so make sure that you know for sure which one you want.

I don't know what, if any, advantage that a power wrapper would give you when building fly & spinning tackle

Mike

I manually wrap most of my rods. I like using a power wrapper for long, one piece baitcasting rods. I can wrap 10 double-footed guides fairly quick, without much rework. I've been wrapping rods since 1995. I bought my power wrapper in 2002 mainly to shape cork handles at home instead of a rod shop, and I like the convenience of a finishing and shaping motor built into one unit. I don't have a lathe. I probably will someday, when I get the rest of my bench tools organized. I have also watched some builders use a power wrapper effectively to turn out a number of rods in one day.
Patrick Vernacchio

Dan,
You have just begun what could become a life-long addiction. All the above comments are excellent. I too like many others began wrapping everything by hand - and those fancy wraps can only be done by hand. If I were starting all over again I would still opt for the "let's try this out" hand-wrapping beginning. That may be because when it comes to myself I have a difficult time justifying large dollar purchases. As such some 25 years ago I cobbled together some large casters (rollers) for chairs and attached them to 2x6's on edge which I screwed to 8"x10" plywood bases... The next step was another 10"x12" plywood base with pairs of three different sized 90 degree angle braces and three lengths of 1/4" all thread; large diameter washers and beehive springs for tensioners and a guides secured to the base to run the threads through that allowed me to apply different tensions on each thread. I wrapped with that set up for 10 years before I bought my first power wrapper. For a dryer set up I scavenged a rotisserie motor from an outdoor barbeque grill... I still have those primitive tools - and I still use the dryer when I need to - and I've leant out the hand wrapper to several people just getting started. The first power wrapper I bought was the original Pac Bay wrapper - and I still have it and use it regularly (as well as an American Tackle power wrapper - both of which will be retrofitted with the new Pac Bay chuck and supports). Add to that a 6" grinder with fine ceramic wheels, a drill press, a band saw, a table saw, a small wood lathe with center bore, parts scavenged from a Renzetti wrapper three dremel motor tools various hand tools ... Now, having said all that ... If I were less frugal (aka stingy) and knew I was going to get hooked, and knew that I would suddenly find out that all my fishing buddies had broken rods and most wanted "something different and special" I'd drop the money on a nice new (or used) Renzetti power set up - which could replace most of the above power tools and call it a day or 1/3 of a lifetime (and counting).

Dan,
I tried to reply to your off-board email but it "bounced back" as unknown. To answer your question here - Yes, you can use either the Pacific Bay or American Tackle wrapper as a hand unit - I do it all the time. Contact MudHole as I believe they offer (or can get) either of them. The only thing I would try to do is find out if you can purchase the upgraded chuck and support included in the package. You will be MUCH happier with the new Pacific Bay chuck and more stable support.

Ken,

I guess one reason for considering a power wrapper at this time is I have me wife's blessing right from the start. As a past cub master of a pack we give the leaving scouts a career arrow which reflects their time spent in scouting. Now she will not have to spin the arrow while I paint. Plus she wants a new fly rod! I am amazed by the info on this site and the willingness to share. Looking forward to what I hope will be a new hobby that will also include two boys. Both love fishing!

Dan

Hey Dan,

If the wife gives her blessing, Go for it!! You can always choose to hand wrap with it!

Where do you live. I've helped out with a few local Cub Scout projects!

Mike

Mt Clemens , Michigan

Dan