Being pretty new at this I have a problem. I use an American rod wrapper and being on the Gulf Coast I wrap almost exclusively one peice 6'6'' to 8"0"" long "popping " rods. I have no problem with the first few guides (from butt end). But, when I am 4-5 feet up the rod and get a thread overlap I have trouble going in reverse. The rods are thin at this point and I can't hold thread tension with one hand and reach all the way (4-5') to the butt or chuck to manually reverse enough to undo overlap. The rods are pretty thin at this point and I can not get a good enough grip, further I am afraid of the excessive torque put on the rod. How do you guys handle this problem? Thanks in advance for all suggestions.
Doug Casey

I would diengage the chuck and wrap them by hand.

Mike

Make a bushing from masking tape up near the tip. That will give you a better purchase for your fingers on the blank so you can easily spin the rod backwards a few turns when needed. Just wrap enough tape around the blank up there somewhere so you have a 3/8 to 1/2 inch bushing. That makes it easy.

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I do as Mike suggested, but I use to cut a piece of eva 3 - 4 inches long and split it down one side. Slip it over the blank and tape it on. Now you have a larger diameter to ease in your grip, making it easier to back up the rod as needed.

Regards......Doug@
TCRds

I have power wrappers and hand wrappers and when doing those type of rods (popping) i always use my Flex Coat speed wrapper. I find that i can go as fast and sometimes faster using a manual wrapper. I don't have to worry about overruns then having to back off and start over.
Power wrappers are great for wrapping larger saltwater and freshwater rods and underwraps and i use them for that purpose all the time but when it comes to light saltwater and bass rods i always use the manual wrapper.