Hey Everyone,

I need some help. I'm building my first tuna rod and am doing a double over-wrap on the Aftco heavy duty guides. My primary wrap was with black NCP size D, my secondary wrap was with Metallic Electric Blue, size D as well. I put a thin coat of flexcoat on the black primary wrap but when I went to do the secondary wrap the blue would only lay in the grooves left by the black primary wrap and left unsightly gaps between each wrap as the metallic is obviously slightly smaller in diameter than the black D. Now I have read when doing a double over-wrap, the first wrap should be C and the second should be D. What is everyone's take on this ?

Thanks in advance for your help, Jeff

If you put a heavier coat of epoxy on teh first wrap, you woul dhave had a smooth base to wrap the second wrap adn this wouldn't have happened.

Thanks Billy, that's what I figured out last night. So I put another coat of epoxy on and it's curing as we speak, then I'll do the second over-wrap when I get home this evening. Just wondering how everyone else does it to see if there are some tricks I'm missing. I know many folks don't even put a coat of epoxy on the wraps until they are all done... how do they do it ?

Jeff,
If I were you I would use A for the base wrap and then D for the second wrap and then wrap the two wraps in opposite directions. Wrapping the two wraps in opposite directions results in the two wraps lapping over each at a slight angle rather than lining up with each other.

Hi Emory,

So the primary A wrap would start off the guide foot and work it's way up, then the second over-wrap of D would start on the guide foot and work its way down ?

Normally you'd use A for any underwrap you make, then coat that with CP or epoxy, then overwrap the guides in D. Then, a coat of either CP or epoxy and another overwrap of D, but as Emory said, make this wrap in the opposite direction of the first overwrap. That will help prevent the thread from traveling in the grooves left by the first (if the finish didn't fully cover them).


............

So each wrap starts at opposite ends of the guide ?? One off the foot and one on the foot ?

I've never seen a situation where I needed to lay down the guide wraps opposite each other, but I certainly see the logic. I fully agree with Billy and suggest a heavier coat of epoxy...like you've already done. Be sure you lay the top wrap of threads down tight as they will be hard to move around over the epoxy.

I've often used A over A over A with no problems...routinely use D over D over A with no problems. If the metallic is slightly smaller than the base, you can have problems. It sounds like you're on the right track. Best of luck.

Jay

Normally on heavy guides such as these I overwrap with two layers of D thread and apply the finish last. Wrap the thread ONTO the guide foot on up to the frame, then without cutting the thread wrap BACK DOWN away from the frame and off the guide foot.

Lou

I would go with Emory's suggestion. Hey Emory!! It looks like Billy is using the sme spelling book I use
Good Wraps Bob

Hey everyone,

Just an update. I went home for lunch and did the second over-wrap over the second layer of thread epoxy I put on last night and it worked perfect. You have all been a huge help to me. Interestingly enough, I got almost as many different answers as I got replies. Really goes to show that there's really not one right or one wrong way in this hobby (more obsession), just the way that works best for you. Thanks again for all the help. I will be posting up some pics of the finished product within the next two or three weeks. But first I have to head down to the Padre Island National Seashore (near Corpus Christi, Texas) this weekend for some shark fishing....

Thanks again everyone, Jeff