I apologize in advance for this long post on such a basic topic. I'm sure you are sick of talking about this, but this is about epoxy finish on wraps. I just can't seem to get it right.
I've read books, researched this board's library, tried different threads, different methods, different blanks, different finish products and practiced a lot (I mean a lot) .... I just can't do it right 90 percent of the time.
In the latest case, I wrapped a dark gray glossy blank with a light blue thread (Gudebrod size A nylon). I wrapped it tight (I don't mean the thread tension but packing each wrap so that the blank wouldn't show in between), put Flex Coat CP on, let it sit for a while and applied LS Supreme High Build.
When I was done, it looked great as it was turning on the dryer. In fact, it looked perfect, just like the ones in the pictures you pros post on the picture board here.
I went to bed with a satisfaction, but got up in the morning with a disappointment.
The finish is bumpy, and the thread is not wrapped as tight as I though I did. It doesn't look like the thread had turned translucent (and CP is supposed to prevent that, right?). It just seems like a sloppy wrap job - gaps in between each wrap in places and the blank showing. But I guarantee you it looked great before I went to bed!
My fix usually is putting additional coats to make them right, which often turn them into thicker-than-I-want finish, which makes me strip the whole thing and redo it all over.
What am I doing wrong? And, am I ever going to master this thing?!

How do you pack the threads? What is your current wrapping set up...I mean what is used to hold the blank & provide thread tension?

Billy:

I use Flex Coat Hand Rod Wrapper. So the thread tension is provided by these two metal rings that sandwich the thread, and the upper metal rings is pressured down by a spring, which is adjustable.
When I wrap from right to left, after a few turns of the blank I use the finger nail of my left thumb and push the thread to the right to make sure there's no gap left.

It almost sounds like the tension is too light. You say it looks good when you put the clear on -- then in the morning it has " gaps " in the wrap. This sounds like a loose wrap where the thread has and will move because of being too loose.

If when you addjust the guides and they move very easy - it is too loose and when you push the thread to pack it moves easy? I would say try a tighter tension on the thread. Happens with butt wraps when the tension is loose.

You need a burnishing tool. The cheap plastic one will do. Also some 2x reading glasses. This will allow you to pack the thread uniformly after wrapping. Don't use light thread over a dark blank. Don't use CP, although I did get some very good results recently with Gudebrod 811. I really like Klass Kote epoxy paint from a former sponsor, as it evaporates off and leaves a very thin finish, much like varnish. It has a pot life of hours.

I use a popsicle stick and pack my wraps with that, and never,oops once had a problem cause of threads moving because they were too loose. But only once !

The glasses or a magnifier lamp fly tying lamp, is a good idea so you can see the threads better.

This works really well when wrapping underwraps under power, although once you go up teh guide you really can't do it any other way than you are currently doing it. As you wrap, put your fingernail up against the thread as it goes onto teh blank. This will automatically pack as you go along.

How steep is teh taper of your guide feet after you grind them? A steep taper will be very, very difficult to get tight wraps on. Another thing - after the epoxy is applied, it acts as a Magnifying glass. Every teeny weeny gap is now blown up , and easy to see. This is common in butt wraps which look super tight, after 4 coats of epoxy, you are ashamed at what a poor job you've done packing. In time you figure it out and know how to pack better, and this problem is reduced, but still happens from time to time.

Another thing is you say you put CP on the threads. Then that when dry should hold the thread from moving. If you still are having gaps - you heed to see the thread better and pack better

With a burnishing tool you can pack from the ends, or slide it over the top of the wrap. I use a gentle back pressure to pack while the thread is going on, never touching the thread. I wear the magnifying glasses when doing anything (required in the past few years). While you should stick to medium to dark threads, it is hard to see the gaps in a black thread.

also i'd like to add, it's important to have the blank level while in the dryer turning. i use a small 8-10 inch bubble level before i start working on a blank. seems to help.

eric
fresno, ca.

Eijiro,
You have received a lot of good advice in the above posts. One additional thing that you might want to do until you have done a number of rods and are more confident with your wrapping is to use darker colors. I think that you will be surprized at how darker thread over a dark blank will hide a lot of gaps in your wrapping that will show up when using lighter thread colors on a dark blank.

Eijiro;
Yes, you can.
I am not nearly as experienced as the responses already posted. But...... nylon thread once wrapped down 'balances' itself over the length of the wrap.
Setting the tension of the thread is the thing ..... I find the break point of the particular spool / size / type thread that I am using at the moment; then back off on the tension about 20 percent. Make sure that the thread you are using is not 'untwisting' itself as you are wrapping with it. The twist of the filaments needs to kept close to uniform if at all possible. (the magnifier works for checking this). Pack as well as possible while wrapping. When wrapped rub the whole thing well (burnish) to help in getting the thread to even itself out and then pack it all again tightly trying to work in the direction around the rod that you originally wrapped it. When all guides are done take a break and grab a soda / beer --- whatever and give it a rest. Then go back and check the wraps for any gaps and if okay then apply the finish.
Some of this sounds rather silly as I read through it but after having the same problems and then trying it this way once and having it work I do it this way and have had a lot less problems with gaps in the windings and bumps in the epoxy.
Bear in mind that thread sizes above about a " C " can and do break rods if wrapped with to much tension.

David A.

Hmmm.... breaking point minus 20% sounds awful tight to me.

Regarding Thread Tensile Strength, TITLE: "Gudebrod Thread Table: Strength & Weight of Guide Wraps for Size 2/0 - E" KEYWORDS: GUDEBROD; THREAD; Strength; Weight . [www.rodbuilding.org]

Table of Wrap Strength & Wrap Weight per 1 cm Width of Guide Wrap around a 1 cm circumference section of rod blank (OD = 3.18 mm) for selected popular Styles & Sizes of Gudebrod Rod-Building Thread. (Calculated values, not direct "in-situ" measurements) -Cliff Hall +++

Just a thought, but the wooden stick may still have some chemicals in it that are transfering to the threads. Get a plactic burnishing tool. I may be off base