I looking a making my first fly rod an am a little concern about how tight to make the wraps on the guides I have heard that if to make them t tight it will damage the blank but I don’t want to make them to lose either I am making a wrapping jig I think I got the plans from this sight it says to use surgical tubing for the tension I don’t have surgical tubing so I am going to try and use a mix of rubber and nylon washers or maybe springs and nylon washers but it don’t want to make it to tight any suggestions would be helpful....

Surgical tubing is intended to hold the guides while test casting or wrapping - not for tension.

The guides should be wrapped snug. After wrapping, you should be able to shift them into alignment with moderate pressure from your thumb or forefinger. If you can't move them at all or they require a lot of pressure - they're too tight. If they shift extremely easily, they're too loose.

............

Bob , if you are making your jig out of wood cover the Vs cuy into the ends with felt from the craft store . The felt will protect the finish on the blank from scratches and it will create a bit of friction to hold the blank some what snug in the crotch of the stand end boards . When I used to wrap on a jig of that style I would only tension the thread and would have to be carefull to keep tension on the blank to prevent it from "un-winding" . Have Fun JHD

Got Fish ?

I usually test by after making 5-8 turns of wrap I push or pack it. If it moves real easy it's to loose. I try to get a ferm pressure to push it.

I wrapped my first rod by hand, taping the rings on, holding the blank between my legs, and turning the spool of thread around the blank. Over, and over, and over. Just snug, so the rings wiggle with a good side push. A guy still uses that rod, he loves it. (I hate it). Levi

Rob,

If I understand you correctly, you mean using a short piece of surgical tubing with washers and a wing nut, as a tensioner. I have done this, but have also used a small spring and washers. The spring was not wound real tight, so it did not create a great amount of tension. I was able to adjust it by tightening or loosening the wing nut.

I would go with the spring, instead of the mix of washers.

Chris

Ron,
If you put a spool of thread in a small glass and then run the thread through the middle of a standard 3" phone book
that will give you an idea on how much tension is used. You can even set the glass and phonebook across from you
and run the thread from the book thru the eye on your wrapper and wrap away!

Raymond Adams
Eventually, all things merge, and a river runs through it..

Rob,

If you are making a fly rod there is no reason in the world that you need to use an elaborate wrapping jig. A typical guide wrap an a fly rod is maybe a half inch or less. You should be able to hold the rod section in your hands and just turn it manually. By doing that, you will be able to feel the tension and instantaneously moderate it as required. You should have something to hold the thread to set the basic tension, but you should feel the tension in your hands. Most people are inclined to make the wraps too tight as opposed to too loose. If you can't move the guide sideways too easily after you have wrapped one foot, or if you have trouble pulling the tie-off loop through the wrap, then it is too tight.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/19/2005 04:59PM by Rob Matarazzo.

wow lots of good advice here thanks a bunch guys

wow lots of good advice here thanks a bunch guys