A friend just bought a bamboo blank and his wife wants me to help her wrap it for a birthday present. I've never done any bamboo. Was figuring on using varnish instead of epoxy over the wraps. Also am thinking about using silk for the wraps. Is there anything different about wrapping and finishing silk than regular rod wrapping thread?

Tim,

SIlk will go transparent when you apply the varnish, unless you use some kind of color preserver first. You will need multiple coats of varnish on the wraps. I typically put two coats of thinned varnish on the wraps first (I like the transparent look) then anywhere between 5 - 7 coats of slightly thinned varnish on top. You'll have to sand the varnish between coats once the varnish has built up enough to fill the gaps in the threads. I use 1500 grit sandpaper backed by a small machinists ruler to endure the wrap sands flat. If the rod isn't impregnated, you're also going to have to put varnish on the blank too.

Mark

Tim. Want to make this easy? First, put multiple coats of Polyurethane Wipe On finish from Miniwax on the blank with a coffee filter. You can put on about 3 coats a day. Use silk thread, but only in 3/0 or 4/0. Use a medium color with no CP. It will go translucent and the medium color thread will go much darker. Maroon is always a good choice. For the wraps, use the same polyurethane or spar varnish. The poly is easier to work with but requires more coats than the spar. No final dipping required. No sanding or buffing required. The reason epoxy is not used more is because it rounds out the 6 sided flats under the wraps. However, some 'boo guys do use very thin epoxy. Don

If you don't want the guides to have a transparent look, use Zinsser "Bull's Eye" Shellac as your color preserver, (I use 2 light coats). Let dry thoroughly and then varnish the wraps

Silk is more difficult to use than nylon. You can use either one as the old production houses used both.

Silk is tough to keep packed as it is oval rather then round.

You want to use a SPAR varnish rather than a Poly.

You can use any cp on the thread that you would normally use, cp is cp. I find Aero Gloss to be a good cp and can be found at hobby shops, I also use 811 . Lacquer and unwaxed shelac are two others that are used,, but all are used to obtain a certain effect using different thread.

I'd suggest you finish the blank 1st then wrap it, that way all you need to do is worry about the wrap.

I use a round toothpick or a bokin for applying the varnish on the wraps.

Hope this helps ya..

<*)))))><

Thanks everybody. The blank is already finished, so I won't have to worry about that. The rest sounds pretty straight forward.
Appreciate all the info.
Tim