I am in the process of learning how to wrap intricate patterns, but the
problem that I am having is I dont know what to use to make my marks for the centers on the blank. I used to use a scribe but this blank that I am wrapping is
graphite and I dont want to create fractures in the blank. So scribing is out.
I tried using a marker but it bleed through the thread. I am wrapping without an under wrap because this pattern will be closed.
Can any one provide some advise or suggestions about what to use?

Thanks,
Bill

Bill

I use a white china marker. You can make a small dot on the blank and wrap right over it with no trouble.

Thomas F. Thornhill

The bst thing you can use to mark teh blank is a White Out Pen from Pentel.

Thanks for your help , I am going nuts trying to get this rod done.
I had the rod completed but the butt wrap didnt complement the rest of the rod, so I stripped
off the butt wrap and decided to get fancy with the butt wrap.
I am truly greatfull and appreciate your help .

Thanks,
Bill
P.S. I am off to the arts n crafts store.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Here are other threads on this same topic with other ideas. In teh picture I attached, the Blue Pen is the one I'm referring to - it's laying backside up.

I use a silver Sharpie, works great for marking centers!!

When using a white china marker I've had small chunks of it end up on the threads, which is very easy to see when finish is applied. Maybe the marks I am making are too heavy.

Does this happen when using a white out pen?

Does the white out pen and/or Sharpie bleed?

- Sam

Thanks for all of your replies and helpfull info . I Have given Billy 40s
suggestion a try and drove over to Staples to pick up a Pentel fine point correction pen.
The pen was inexpensive for I think 4bucks I recieved 2 in a pack. I am having really
good results with the pen it makes a nice small dot which is perfect for what I need it for.

Many Thanks,
Bill

Don't mess with measuring and marking blanks. It is much easier to mark white NCP thread, a lot at a time, and simply tape the marked thread to the axis on the blank. You will get used to using a projected light beam on the blank for alignment. Wrap the first thread or two then cut and remove the pieces of tape.

The has been described many times on this board by Tom Kirkman and really is simple to do.

Gon

The other advantage you'll get from the White put pen over teh NCP thread - when you place teh guides on teh blank, all you have to do is make that small dot on teh front of the guide foot and you know where teh guide has to be placed - assuming you use an underwrap, this dot will never be seen. On spiral wrapped rods with underwraps - you can mark teh axis of the blank 1 inch away from teh underwrap, just line the guide feet up with the light from above, or use a straightedge to mark the blank in line with teh feet. I remmeber the first few I did I got the guide placement, but not the position on teh blank of the trans guides (for those still using trans guides.

For grips, you can mark teh length of the butt grip, reel seat, and foregrip - if you want to do a butt wrap before installing the foregrip, you'll know where to start (opbviously you can do this many ways, I'm just listing the uses other than marking a dot on the blank for the white out pen). On blanks which do not have paper labels, like GUSA's - I mark teh blank with teh pen so I can see what model it is 1-2-3.

When cutting EVA for some of my grips, I will mark teh grip where I want to cut it, so when it spins the white mark stands out & everythign is perfect. MY son made a mistake with his homework, ran down and grabbed my white out pen and fixed it. Let's see NCP do that, lol.

Only thing I advise is to NOT try to force the ink to come out. Shake it, press teh tip on a scrap surface to get the ink flowing. If you try to force the ink out you may put a tiny scratch in teh blank which the white out will fill, and it will be a little hard to remove. Even so, denatured alcohol with a paper towel will take the white out off, as will a few scrapes with my thumbnail.

To the guy who asked if he makes too big a dot - the answer is YES - do not make a big sloppy dot. THE thing I liked about the Pentel is I was better able to control the amount o fwhite out which comes out. Some of hte other pen nothing would come out, then all of a sudden a big glob. If the white out clogs in teh tip, it may come out and seem like a small dot - you can easily see if it is a small boulder on teh blank - obviously you need to wipe this off and make another dot, or yo run the risk of it gettin gin between the threads.

Billy 40 , I am having great success with the correction pen .
I would like to thank you for your advise which I have used.
The Rod I am building is a St.Croix sc11 - 3srs100m.
I think that due to the correction pen advise , I feel that the
butt wrap that I put on this rod is one of the nicest that I have done
in a while. Thankyou very much for your expertise and time .

Regards,
Bill