I just finished my first butt wrap. It’s a traditional diamond wrap on an ultra light spinning rod (it’s only the second rod I’ve built). I’ve read a bunch of posting on tying off wraps which contain under wraps (including a good step-by-step article posted by Billy Vivona) but I didn’t come across any which discussed tying off without an under wrap. Will the same technique work for both? Do I need to make more than one pass when tying off?

- Sam

Most of my open wraps do not have underwraps. What works for me, and I hope I can explain it decently, is to start my tie off with moderate tension for a couple of turns, then increase the tension a bit as I go. Trim the threads at angles a bit before the center of the tie off, feather them, and back off the tension just a hair for the rest.

There may be an easier way, but this is what works for me and what I'm used to. I have better luck with my thread not moving if I start with lighter tension and gradually increase it. Never used more than a single layer.

Mick, thank you for the information. Where do you normally start the wrap? It looks like threw the center of a diamond would be a good starting point.

Sam,
Where you start the tie off is strictly a matter of taste and what kind of a patter you have. But if I do a diamond I would do what you described, start the tie off in the center of a diamond.

You tie off an open diamond or a chevron wrap pretty much the same as you tie off a closed wrap or a wrap with an undrwrap.

Sam,
After I finish a butt wrap I will coat it with color preserver to a point where my tie off will start. After the CP dries, I will unravel the extra thread and cut it off leaving about a 1/4 inch of thread which I will comb out. The end of these threads are cut at an angle. Then I start my tie off in front of the wrap and tie towards the butt wrap. I get a much tighter wrap that way and the thread will not want to roll down the clipped ends and leave a separation between the threads. Do a wrap on a piece of rod blank and close it off using my method and see if you like it. Becareful though, some types of thread will tend to loosen with CP but it will work fine with regular thread.

Ellis,
Thank you for the information. It sounds like a good technique. I used NCP thread. Do you know if CP will cause this type of thread to loosen? Also which CP do you use and how many coats do you apply?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/27/2005 08:28PM by Sam Schalley.

Scott,
I agree. Starting off in the middle of the diamond looks like it will give the overall wrap the best look. Thank you.

Sam,
I think NCP thread would loosen some. What I have done with NCP is to finish the wrap using Flex Coat lite as I would color preserver. After it dries I trim the ends, make my tie-off bands, then put on a second coat of FC lite covering the end wraps this time. I use either FC CP or Gudebrod 811. And I have had problems with both. The 811 is syrupy and I thin it with isopropyl alcohol and use one coat only. I have tried a second coat but the alcohol turns the first coat to mush. The FC is ok but sometimes you get little white flakes in the finish. When you put it on, inspect your wrap very closely and remove any specks with a needle before the CP dries.

Ellis,
Thank you. I'll try using Flex Coat lite.