OK, I don't do many closed wraps. The reason is two fold. Number one, and the biggest reason is I not very good at it. Number two is the time involved and my customers unwillingness to pay for them. So I stick to the open wraps.

With that said, I am working on a gift rod for my son and would like to do a closed wrap. My question and problem is this, what do you guys do to keep your threads from loosening up?

Everything goes great for awhile, then once several passes have been made, the once tight threads are starting to loosen up. By the time I'm ready to start closing the wrap, some of the threads are so loose the pattern is starting to distort.

This is going to be my THIRD stab at it! Any and all help will be appreciated.

Regards......Doug@
TCRds

Wahtever you use to hold the threads at teh end is not holding the threads tight enough. Also, if you are coming down off teh grip you tend to lose tension towards that part of teh wrap. If you are wrapping threads under tight tension, and are doing a lot of packing, this tends to loosen up teh first threads you laid down.

I think it is pretty much the nature of the beast Doug. Things you might try: alter your normal wrapping pressure. Try either more or less. I frequently press the threads together during the wrap so I dont have so much tightening to do at one time.

I try to lay the threads as tight as I can against the previous ones so when packing, I don't have to move them too much. I use a new piece of tape for each pass of thread. I also use good tape. If you use the blue masking tape, you have to be careful what "level" of adhesive you get. They aren't all the same. Look on the plastic wrapping and there will be a range of stickiness marked on it. One roll might be real sticky and the next will be next to useless for anything at all. I didn't pay attention to this the last time I bought tape and got a low rated one. I can tape on guides, sit back, and literally watch the tape unroll itself until the tape and guides fall off the rod. Trying to use it to hold buttwraps is impossible. It sticks and then within minutes it comes undone.

Thanks guys. I just cut the darn thing off and am getting ready to start over. I think maybe I'm using to much tension trying to get things to tight. I'll let off a little and see what happens.

Billy, Mick you may be right. I was using masking tape, but I have some double sided tape and think I'll try that this time around.

Again guys, thanks for your help! If I could get this darn thing to look half as good as the work I've seen y'all do, I'd be happier than a two petered puppy.

Like they say: "Third times a charm"... Well we'll see.

Regards......Doug@
TCRds

Two sided carpet tape will help you. Make sure that you are not pulling your tape bands at either end of the wrap towards each other by applying too much thread tension. They have to be well attached to the blank at the top and the foregrip or reel seat at the bottom. You can get a bunch of passes out of one wrap of the carpet tape.

I usually can do an entire closed wrap using only 3 layers of double sided tape, and I only use it on one side of the wrap. I wrap with a TON of tension, more than most people. I don't worry to much about laying threads close ot teh previous pass, I do my best and pack it all tight later in one shot (after 5 or 6 or 7 passes)

Everyone does things differently, I have been fortunate enough to figure out a method which works well for me, but after seeing others wrap, I see there are many, many ways to skin a cat. Practice practice practice.

I use 1 1/2 " masking tape to hold the thread ends. Add tape often. When there is so much on the tape it does not stick and the thread loosens up. The wider tape gives me more sticky surface.

I usually only have a problem with threads coming loose when I am wrapping with bands of thread and since I am just starting to wrap with bands of thread at one time I am still trying to work out a complete solution. I just try to make sure that when I am starting or finishing I press the threads firmly into the tape, that seems to help a lot. I use double sided carpet tape and I wrap pretty tight too. I have dug out a loose thread and got enough of a grip on it to pull it tight and re-anchor it to salvage a couple hours work.

OK, OK, OK, I'll give out my last secret for the day - Scott. Don't bother pressing it into the tape. You know how you start a guide wrap and wrap over teh tag end? Do the same on the tape, the threads will break before pulling loose.

Hey thanks Billy!! Every little tip helps:-)

Great tip Billy! Thanks!

Regards......Doug@
TCRds

Billy,I caught you doing that(although you did not say you were doing it when you did it) in Charlotte but figured the trick was yours and did not let the cat out the bag.The credit was your to be taken.It pays to be real observant...



Freddwhy (Rapt-Ryte)