Hey guys, i've been reading some posts about guys coloring in an entire butt wrap in a matter of 2 hours on a 6 inch fill in. Now when i do these wraps, it takes me the majority of the day. Granted they come out nice, packed tight etc, but judging by these other guys' work so does theirs!! I was just wondering if you guys had some shortcuts or different way of doing things. Most of my time seems to be in cutting my lengths of thread before running the wrap. That and preparing the tape etc. My method is to cut the thread to length in the right quantity (ie if im running a 4 thread thick wrap, i cut 4 pieces of thread at the appropriate length). I start about one full wrap past where i've marked my blank. I tape the thread in place using 1/4 masking tape at the beginning, i then wrap, and tape it on the other end. Forward and back its the same process. I then wrap the ends, epoxy with light epoxy and then trim the excess thread when dry. it works really well but i was thinking that there must be a faster way. Does anybody use a small comb (maybe a lice comb, i know that's gross but they have tiny prongs) to keep the threads from twisting over themselves when pulling several threads? I've tried to come up with a faster way but haven't found one yet. Thanks!!!

Repitition means a lot. After you've done dozens and dozens of these you'll find that you can do them much quicker. If you can wrap multiple threads at the same time, without having to set up a comb or similar device, you can also save some time.

One thing that might help - I never taped down the threads in the way I think you're doing it. I wrapped a band of tape around the blank and then doubled it back over itself. That way, I just pressed the thread into it and wrapped away, making one wrap at the other end. The thread stuck to the sticky side of the tape which was facing up. Occasionally, you did have to replentish the tape with a new band, as the previous band tends to fill up if you're doing any pattern that entails more than a few threads.

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Double faced tape works great to stick thread to. I too am still taking 4 to 6 hours for a closed butt wrap. I need to figure out wrapping bands. Cutting thread to length in it self seems time consuming, and keeping consistent tension on cut thread doesn't seem too easy either.

Anyone got any tips on wrapping bands of thread?

Dont feel lonely about being slow Aaron. I am too and it is ok. The important thing is that you are happy with your end product. The key word is YOU. The speed will come when it comes.

After some number of wraps, you learn about how long the thread needs to be for the wrap you're doing. For wraps where I was wrapping 4 threads at a time, it was a simple matter to zip off enough thread to reach between my extended arms, snip it from the spool, double it, double it again, and the clip the dangling loops (you won't have much problem with twist if you cut the loops on the ends - each thread should have a free tag end). For 8 threads, I'd just double that initial pull and then double and double again and snip the loops. This takes about 5 or 6 seconds I'd guess. 8 was about the most I could comfortably wrap at one time without the threads getting tangled or twisted. I've done more, but found it was faster to wrap 8, another 8, another 8 or so on until I had the width I needed.

Everybody does these things differently. I wouldn't think of wrapping from the spool and always just worked with cut lengths of threads between my fingers. Others do it exactly the opposite and get similar results.

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Thanks for the help guys, also what size thread do you guys use? i always use size A thread. I think it looks good and packs nice and tight, but obviously a thicker thread would fill up the blank faster. Does say a size D thread look bad in a crosswrap pattern? thanks again

Looks bad to a camera on the photo page, but average Joe's sure don't see the diff.

Putter
Williston, ND

One little trick I do is I have two pieces of thin blank in holes standing up. I take my thread and wrap it around these, one full turn is two threads. Then I cut the thread off the spool grab the thread, slip it off the blanks and cut the loops. The thread has to be run though your thumb and first finger to get them streight

Bill, Great idea!! Thanks



Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

I like to wrap the thread around a piece of plexiglass then cut the thread & comb the thread strandswith a nit comb.

Stan

I like to wrap the thread around a piece of plexiglass then cut the thread & comb the thread strands with a nit comb.

Stan

Like Tom, I do up to 8 threads without too many problems. More threads just seems to increase the time and the twist factor. Instead of using a band to wrap one length of the wrap up the rod, I will cut enought to go up the road and back down again. This is where twist can affect your nicely laid bands. Use your thumb nail on your dominant hand to eliminate the twist as you go and once you have laid the band up the wrap, gently eliminate any twist prior to going back down the wrap. Also, I have personally found that the more tension you place on the band the more problems you sometimes get. Nice even pressure to lay the band suits my style of wrapping. If you go for smaller number bands 4-6 you can add a little more pressure without problems.

This works for me. Someone else may have a method that works for them. Pick something you are comfortable with and practise that until it becomes second nature.

Regards
Outback

[www.rodbuilding.org]

THere's an accurate pos tI made 1 1/2 years ago, predicting once I figured out how to use the box I'd be bangign the wraps out in no time. And here I am today, banging them out in no time. It took me about 15 wraps to get "good" at useing the box to wrap bands. Hardest part is setting it up, Xferrign thread from a main spool to 4 small wooden spools, then threadign them all through the box. Set up can take over an hour alone, but the next time I use those colors, set up time will take 10 minutes, just to thread all teh colors through the box.


You got a few ways to wrap bands, figure out which works for you/ I tried a bunch before I was introduced to teh box, and htat's the one I'm most comfy with and allows me to wrap bands of 8 with no twist, and no waste, no measuring - just pull teh colros out, run them tru my fingers, onto D-stick,a dn away I go. There are tricks & such, but you'll figure them out on your own.