I've decided to try adding crosswraps to my rod projects. I just purchased the butt wrap alignment tool from mudhole.

I'm a bit confused as to how I use it. Does anyone have a step-by-step set of instructions (ideally with pictures) ?

Put rod in slot, push metal L-bracket against rod where you want the centers of your layout threads. measure/align centers along the edge of L-braket

I think that tool also has a ruler or some sort of marking strip on it. Use that to make sure your starting centers are either evenly spaced (if there's not much taper where you're going to place the pattern) or progressively spaced (if the taper is more severe).

Just for giggles, we also use a stencil with the mechanical drawing holes of different sizes in it. These holes are marked at 12/3/6/and 9 o'clock so marking the other side of the rod so the centers are exactly opposite is easy. And just because Gary over-engineers just about everything, we use a caliper to check the distances between centers after we've done the first few wraps, too.

Oh, gee, I just took a simple question and made it a lot harder. Sorry.

Uncle Russ
Calico Creek Rods

thats cheating russ (the stencil) took me ages to find one though good tools takes the "gueswork" out of silly circumfrence measurments doesnt it

take a look here the pictures are there
[kensfishingrods.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/10/2007 05:33PM by allen forsdyke.

I've been using a butt wrap alignment tool for years. A couple years ago I found It a great aid in writing on blanks. It holds the blank steady and at a good height for me to comfortably write. You have to let the ink dry 1st if your going to do more than a couple lines and probably wouldn't work good on bigger blanks.