I was watching a video with Artie Hubert? on wrapping guides.
He did one wrap with metallic gold then the over wrap with plain red,once the epxoy was applied it transitioned and gave it a candy apple red look. He did not apply color preserver to the thread and this gave it that look.

I was wondering if anyone has experimented with thread in this manner to achieve different shades/blends etc.


Thanks
Fernando

Yes - all the time. Regular thread over metallic (gold, silver, gunsmoke, aluminium) and no color preserver is a very nice effect. What you will find is that different manufacturer's threads and threads of different diameters also appear different without color preserver. Another "different look" is to use a bright color underwrap, treat it with CP and allow it to dry then overwrap with white regular thread to hold he guide in place and finish with no CP. The guide foot is visible and the guide appears to be floating on the underwrap.. Lots and lots of 'games to be played' with thread, thread combinations with/without color preserver. Just keep a record of your results (and a wrapping stick is a good idea too)

Fernando,

I just did a trim wrap and a matching 20" mark at the base of a fly rod this way. I did a silver underwrap (w/one coat of finish), and then wrapped garnet over the silver sans a 3 turn trim of silver showing through. When Epoxy was applied the garnet still darkened a bit (matching the regular wraps with no CP), and allowed the silver to show through. It's very subtle, but in the sunlight you really see it glow.

For light fly rods, it seems it might add too much weight for regular guide wraps, but it should be good for the butt area.

Nice effect.

Barret

Thanks for the info, I was looking at and old rod I have in the attic which I will strip and will be using to make a wrapping stick.

I have already started to look at mt small inventory of threads to see what combinations I will be using and will keep a log of them.


Fernando

Fernando,
If you use a gold or silver as a base coat and then use the straight nylon Gudebrod thread, you will get the candy effect. If you use an NCP thread, you will not get the same effect. I have use the scarlet, forest green, lime green and more. They really turn out nice.

Rick
RodsByRick

Look on the Photo Page under guide wraps. There are a bunch I've done in this manne. Matter of fact, I don't wrap guides any other way.

For those that have tried this to create this effect; do you have any problems getting the overwrap threads packed tight? I do, but maybe it is my limited skills that is the problem.

I was wondering if anyone has tried a strip of aluminum foil as the underwrap?

Put a coat of epoxy on the underwrap & let it get nice and hard before doing the overwrap. I use all size A thread, but if you use a larger thread of reh overwrap than you did for teh underwrap, you can skip the coat of epoxy on the underwrap.

I haven't, but I do know people use Mylar tubing for underwrap, and underwraps on butt wraps. I think Merrick sels it. I just use metallic, or Holographic. I think Putter uses some foil-ish type of stuff for his underwraps.

If you are worried about extra weight being added on light flyrods with this nylon over metallic thread method,why not try switching the underwrap of metallic thread for something like flashabou(fly tying material).That would be easier to use than say aluminum foil,and weigh less too.

Fly tying material like flashabou is VERY thin,weighs almost nothing,and comes in all kinds of flashy colors(silver or gold would work well) that are brighter than any thread.I use it all the time to wrap underbodies on chironimids and other fly patterns,then overwrap the flashabou with other materials(colored wire for ribbing,frostbite,midge tubing,etc) for depth.The flashabou underbody gives the pattern more depth and makes the material over top very translucent.It almost "glows".

On some patterns like the "Chromie" I use the flashabou for the main body(just use 3 or 4 strands instead of one so you get better coverage when wrapping) and just add another colored material as a ribbing like wire,another color of flashabou,etc.The problem with these is the fragile nature of the thin flashabou so these flies get coated with something like Sally Hanson's Hard As Nails clear finger polish,or even better,a thin layer of brushable super glue.This doesn't change the look or shine at all but makes for a very hard,tough coating over them(if they can take the abuse of dozens of fish chewing on them then they will certainly hold up while thread is wrapped over them).

I've done a few practice wraps like this and really liked the results with some thread colors,but haven't actually done a rod like this yet.I don't see why one couldn't do the underbody of a guide wrap like this,using silver flashabou or something,coat it with fast drying brushable super glue to secure it,and then wrap over the top with nylon or silk.The effect should be the same(or close to it) and the weight of the thread underbody would be cut down considerably.