Just curious! When you put trim wraps on a fly rod do you trim every guide the entire length of the rod? I realize this is subject to taste, but I'm really not sure. Most fly rods I've seen have trim wraps at the top of handle, hookkeeper and stripping guide. What's the norm? Thanks, Bruce

I assume you're talking about short trim wraps, 5-10 turns, that contrast with the thread used for the guide wraps. This is something you don't see on factory fly rods. If you're going to use these, if will look better if each guide has them as well as the ferrule wraps.

Hi Bruce,
All my rods get trim wraps on all of the guides. The purpose here is to set myself and craft apart from the "factory" look. To me doing trim wraps all the way up the rods is one more way to conote that I've taken my time and care for my work and the product is hence, worth more the money paid.

good wrapping,
David A. Fuller
Great Basin Fishing Rods

Bruce,
I think that there are a couple of reasons why many factory fly rods do not have trim wraps.
1. The trim wraps require a little more labor that drives their cost up slightly.
2. If trim wraps extend the wrap very far it will result in a little additional weight and even a small amount of additional added weight can have a significant effect on the rods performance.

Dave, Yep, you're right. That is the idea. I didn't know if that would make it look bad or not! Also, this is only my second rod and it's tough putting on the trim. Also, can one use a butane lighter to burn off some fuzz or whatever from the wraps? Thanks, Bruce

P.S. You mean that little bit of weight can change the performance of the rod! Wow! How can you tell?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/04/2005 12:50PM by Bruce A. Tomaselli.

If I decide to use trim wraps (I usually do), I will put them on all the guides and the hookkeeper. I don't put any on the ferrule wraps because I don't want to call attention to the ferrules.

I tried the butane lighter trick just once and then re-wrapped the guide. I got a nice black ball of melted nylon that was fused to the guide wrap. The trick to trimming the end of the thread is trim it just as you start to pull it under the wraps. I learned that on this forum and it works really well.

If you have a copy of Dale Clemens "New Advanced" book, he shows a really good way to do trim wraps. The first time I tried it, it took a while to set it up, but now it seems easy and doesn't add that much time.

Bruce,
The best way to tell the difference in performance is to measure the resonant frequency. Mount the handle end of the rod down firmly, then deflect the tip and release it, now count the number of cycles or oscillations for a period of time determined by a stop watch, count at least 20 cycles. Now devide the number of cycles by the time and you have the resonant frequency. Do this without the trim wraps and then with the trim wraps and you will see a difference. The difference will be much smaller until you add the epoxy. The epoxy on the wraps adds more weight than the thread does. It sounds more difficult than it is. It is actually easy to do with most fly rods because the frequency is low. Other types of rods that have higher resonant frequencies often oscillate too fast to count by eye and require test equipment.

Bruce,
Don't get me wrong. I am not arguing that you should not put trim wraps on your rod. I agree completely with those that feel that they dress the rod up improving it's appearance. I am just agruing that when you do the trim wraps try to keep the wraps as short as possible.

I understand, Emory! I appreciate the knowledge you guys are sharing with me. I'm a 50 year old rod building rookie and have a ton of questions. I think my mentor showed me once how to cut the wrap off while pulling it under as Gerry said, but I can't remember the technique. I have between 5 and 10 trim bands on the guides I've done so far and they look okay. I have a feeling though, my buddy may not be satisfied. He lives about 1 1/2 hrs. away but I'd like to spend a day with him just to learn. Thanks for all the help, Bruce

I don't even put a 10 wrap trim band on my saltwater rods. Normally I turn 3-5 wraps. On light tackle & fly rods I put as few as 2-3 wraps for trim. This gives the desired effect without overpowering the rest of the wrap or the guide itself and helps keep the weight down.

I pretty much have stopped worrying about the thread end left after completing a wrap. I have tried the torch method also and screwed up more than I helped. I now wait until my first coat of epoxy has set then trim any 'bumps' or 'stickers' off with a single edge razor. After applying subsequent coats of epoxy it's like they were never there.

Jay

Hi Jay
Those trim bands are loose when completed, right? My trim bands are loose after they're completed or am I doing it wrong? How do you get 2 or 3 to stay on the rod?

Bruce, Trim wraps should not be so loose that they move easily or stick up noticeably. If done right, trim wraps, even a single wrap, should be pretty tight.
I don't recommend using a butane lighter to eliminate your fuzzies. The flame is just too hard to control. I trim them as close as possible to the wrap, and then use my alcohol torch lamp, or do what Jay suggested.
Patrick Vernacchio

I put my trim bands in the center of each wrap to split it; this doesn't add any weight to the rod (except the two tag ends of the trim band that are under the guide wraps). They don't have to be on the edges and extend the length of the wrap...

Putter

single trim wrap??? egads! i'm having hard enough time with 3 wraps!

i just finished a fly rod where i didn't not bother with any minute pieces of thread sticking out. there were perhaps 2-3 altogether on the 9 foot 4 piece. like jay, i slice them off.

after i laid down the first coat of flex coat lite (and dried for 24 hours) i took an x-acto type knife and carefully sliced off any tiny bumps or strand of thread. actually, they were smaller than strands. they ASPIRED to be strands when they grew up , very hard to see ;-) just bought the knife, used to use a single edged razor blade.

after the second coat, everything looked great.

eric
fresno, ca.

My guess is that you're adding the trim band after you've completed the guide wrap, correct? I tried that several times and failed every single time. The only way I could do it was the method described in Clemens' book and then I had to learn to keep fairly tight tension on the thread as I rotated the rod the desired number of times. The trim wraps should be as tight as the guide wraps.

I intentionally use trim bands or thread inlays so that my rods do not look like factory rods. I use the nail knot method after wrapping the guide. Ive found the nail knot approach to be fast and secure. Usually 2-3 turns. Never more than 5. More than 5 looks more to me like a color change rather than a trim band.

Similiar to Rob M and when possible given the blank color, I've started using a color of thread on the ferrules that blends with the blank (e.g., charcol on a matte gray blank). I do this so that the pattern of spacing between wraps is not effected by the ferrules and as Rob points out, attention drawn to the ferrule. It's just a matter of taste.

On super small, 1-3 wrap trim bands, I always lay the trim thread down and wrap over it with the regular wrap. This way I only have the tag end to worry about.

No I can't go & wrap a standing 1-turn trim band. Well I can and it holds...until I let go of the thread anyway.

Jay

For those of you going to Charlotte, make sure you stop by and see Bill Stevens and ask him to show you how he does trim wraps. After the main wrap is done, anywhere on the rod you want, from one wrap to as many as you want. Really slick. This was a big head scratcher to me until he showed me one day.

But then he may not want to give up his secret......

Larry

Ken Preston does a very good explanation of 1-4 thread trim bands, and alternating colr changes, in his DVD. It'll be the best money you ever spend.

Bill in WV