Please excuse a silly question from a newbie.....It's just that since I started re-doing rods, I have paid a lot more attention to how they are made. I seem to be seeing some trim bands that look more like some kind of tape than thread. Is this what I am seeing? I have even seen it on some custom rods. I'm not saying it don't look good. On the contrary, I'm not opposed to an occasional shortcut as long as it looks good. If this is indeed some kind of tape, where can I get it and what is it called?

Hi Steve. Not knowing what and where you have seen these bands I really cant tell you whether they are tape or thread. Some of the work I have seen on this site are so clean and perfect they might appear to be tape but may actually be thread, probably size A or smaller. That is not to say tape cannot be used as a band. I have seen it a lot out here in the west and it was extensively used on certain brands of commercial rods. So the answer is it could be either.

Some people actually use automotive pinstriping tape for their builds. It can be found at most any paint store that caters to the custom car crowd. It comes in a variety of widths and colors.

Derek

3 M Brand Automotive tape comes in a very wide range of colors and widths. This one particular brand of tape stays in place when finish is applied better than most others. Most who use it will take a metallic color that is 1/8 inch wide and apply a contrasting color of metallic in 1/16 over the center creating a three band color. This can save a lot of work on larger diameter rods and looks quite nice when done correctly. Jesse Buky is one of the larger builders who uses this tape and he can give you some advice that will help you keep the stuff in place when applying finish.

Gon Fishn

Yes, they are multiple strands of thread joined together in widths from about 1/8" to about 3/8" in various colors for use in buttwraps. I bought several from Angler's Workshop but have not used them yet. The ones I got are metallic "electra" in silver gold and blue. They are available in short lengths on a card or by the spool.

I have not used them as they seem a little gaudy.

I started using automotive pin stripping tape in 1990 and the only time I will make a thread trim band now is if I am having to duplicate a rod that has the thread bands. I have tried all brands and as Bill Stevens said 3-M tape is the only way to go as the other brands will unwind from the rod when you put the heat to it, for some reason the 3-M doesn't or not very often, even then you trim it like a "nubbie with a razor blade before the 2nd coat of finish. Using tape gives you many more choices and will save you over an hour of labor per rod. Back in the beginning when I first started with the tape my competition was bad mouthing me for "cheating" and using tape instead of thread. I had a few customers ask about the tape and I told them it saved me over an hour per rod and would save them $20.00 over thread trim bands, never had the first one who ordered thread for more money. Do not be afraid to try something different! Jesse

Thanks guys......guess I'll give it a go......I suppose you do need to put down a layer of flexcoat on the guide wrap first tho.....???



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/15/2005 12:28PM by Steve Buchanan.

I had to replace a guide on a small ugly stick and was shocked when the yellow 'band' came away when i picked the finish off the guide wrap.
It appeared to have been painted on top of the black underlayer of thread...add this and a fine one haired paint brush to the already growing inventory of marbleing colors/paints and tools and new process/ideas develop....oh boy

Steve, You can put the tape on the raw thread or blank, wrap at least half around again before pinching it off. Jesse