I have been weaving with the Renzetti wonder weaver for awhile.... I have been trying to do a colour weave on a fly rod--6wt., but am having a hard time manipulating the thread, so I don't have uneven bulges (I guess that's what you would call it.) I know there are many experts out there, and I'm not trying to get you to give away your secrets, but do many of you artists do colour weaves on fly rod blanks, or do you mostly do them on larger diameter boat rod blanks?

Not sure what you mean by bulges, sounds like maybe you aren't pulling the thread tight as you weave and at the end of the weave. Weaving on small blanks is no different than larger diameter blanks but will require a small pattern and the use of no larger than A size thread. Cam Clark, one of the weaving pioneers, used to do weaves of flys on his fly rods using OO thread to compensate for the small size diameter of fly rods.
As many of you know, I think all weaves should be done in no larger than A size thread, too me larger thread makes for blocky looking edges in the weaves. Size A thread provides much finer detail but then that statement applys to all thread work on a rod imo.
Post a pic of your bulges and I'm sure you'll get help.

Hi Jim D. I too am not sure what you mean but bulges. The more layers a pattern has the bulkier it will be but I frequently do patterns for 8 to 9 layers and have little problems hiding the thread. I only do about 4 to6 fly rods a year but have done a lot of weaving on 4 wt. There are NO secrets here but I need to know exactly what the problem is. Please send me a picture as close and clear as possible and so I can enlarge it so maybe I can give you a little better help. A thread is the thread of choice on smaller diameter rods, maybe even 60wt Madeira is better.

Sorry Jim K. I think my sample case speaks for itself and much of it is done with C/D and E for the wrap thread. Dont think of it as blocky edges. See you at FH. lol

docski377@aol.com

Maybe time to get your glasses checked Doc.........................I'll bet Luc could get you a discount on new specs if you asked him nicely.............

Ok, I tried pulling the thread--and that helps---the "buldges" are when I change to another colour thread--(sorry I know I'm not making myself clear) Ok--say I am weaving with a green thread (size A) and I now need to go to a red thread. In the wonder weaver I have these threads stacked on top of one another. The problem I seemed to be having is when I bring bring another colour from the bottom of the stack to the top to weave--it maybe I am not putting enough tension on it--but half-way through the weave--I am getting a bit cautious--don't want to break a thread! I'd send a picture--but I dropped my digital camera--and well that's just another story--guess I should have used a little more caution with the camera! Anyway thanks for the help---I'm going to get brave and pull the thread tighter!!!

A couple hints that might help, always try and do the color change the same way each time, that is, for ex, I pull the thread on the left side out and let it hand down loose, then I extract the next thread from the right loom and put it in the left slot, then return the hanging thread back to its correct slot on the right.
sometimes with many levels and therefore numerous threads in the same slot, i'll pull all the threads out of the right slot, pick out the one I need and , and make sure it doesn't have to go over or under one of its slotmates prior to going to the left loom.
take your time and keep the threads tight, not too tight cause you can always pull them tight when the weave is completed from both sides.
I'm sure there will be others suggestions also, practice makes perfect, you'll get better with each weave.

Jim; One thing you should be doing when color change weaving is to take all the threads out of the stack each time and be sure that the one you want isn't wound around another thread and be sure that it seats against the wrapping thread without trapping one of the other threads between it and the wrapping thread. You don't have to pull hard just snug it into place. If you do break one you can put a new thread in and go on but it is a pain and you are better off to be careful in the first place.

Jim give this a try. When you switch colors, grab the whole bundle of threads in a certain number and then take the one you need let it drop replace the others and make the switch after snugging it up a little. Dont get too frisky about tightening, just enought to be snug. Doing it this way should set up a good consistant way to rotate the threads out.