From time to time there are posts about how to tie off a decorative wrap and make it smooth. I have posted a pictorial collage of how I do it and it might help some. If you cant read the captions or have any questions please email me so to save space on the forum.

The collage is on the photo page here. Thanks to Doc for posting it.

Doc,

You could also put the captions in the comments section under the photo if you want.

.........

Hey Doc,

You're becoming a regular computer geek LOL!! Thanks! Looks Good! Should make things a lot easier for folks. For those of you that don't know, you can click on the pic to view the larger size then right click on it and Save picture to your computer so that you will have it for future
reference.

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!!

James,
Just looked at your work and its just amazing. My question is that when doing cross wraps or lets just say wrapping in general as one goes thru the learning the curve how much waste is generated. With the simple stuff I have been trying when I spot some poor technique I can usually unwind and redo and not loose my thread. A little annoying but worth the effort when I get the error corrected but at your skill level could you estimate from all the thread you have wrapped / woven the percentage of thread that has been lost? I know thats kind of a dumb question with lots of variables that make a difference.
At the level you are working at I would guess that the planning parallels the degree of success. How soon into a complex cross wrap would a noticable error be detected? Do you have those "OH NO!!!" moments?
Tom

Are you using the back side of a knife to fray the thread? How does your fraying technique work if you don't mind me asking?

very cool Doc. thought full

Tom and Leon,
Email Doc directly he's always happy to help.

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

Hi Leon and Tom D. I tried emailing you direct but the addy is hidden so I will answer here.

Leon - I either use the back side of a knife or the blunt side of my sizzors. I start at the top of the tie off area and slowly and purposefully run it to the ends of the thread several times til about 1/8" of the end is fuzzed out. I then wet my finger (secret solution) and rub down the thread til it is nice and flat and now broken thread ends hanging around. Then start a tie off and wrap off the ends. It makes a very tight and even ramp and I can then do an overwrap if I want. Works great for me this way but I have seen others use CP and other means to accomplish an nice ramp too.

Tom D. - There is a lot of waste in weaving. Each thread in my pattern is about 20" long after anchoring and securing in the jig. When I am done only about 2" of it is left on the rod. I guess you could save the ends and do a spiral wrap but I usually just throw it away. With crosswraps there is little waste, maybe 4 to 6" of thread at most. As to the OH NO's; in weaving I dont make very many because I work from a Left list and check my numbers frequently but on the rare occasion it has happened I am usually only a couple turns away. With Crosswraps, unless I am duplicating a specific wrap for a customer, I usually have a type of design in mind but frequently end up ad libbing because I see something else I want to try. Not too many OH NO's here either. I use the old I did it that way on purpose, works most of the time. And finally Planning at any level is the key the the degree of success. Hope I helped.

Feel free to email me anytime directly.

Sorry for the delay in answering but I had log on problems( I screwed up again) and just now (with Toms help) got it figured out.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/22/2005 11:41AM by James(Doc) Labanowski.

James
Tried your email but an undeliverable. Would you send it to Tomd@dtccom.net or TomsGunsmithing_Dealership@yahoo.com. Will you be doing anything at the show?