hey guys i was just looking through old posts when i thought id ask some of you a question while waiting for the garage to settle down before i can finish my wraps i just did.

how many of you guys use a wrapper on your builds, most of you do it for money etc etc but do any of the people on this forum wrap by hand like i do. i have the thread spool running through a steel pipe thingy and place it on a clean surface and apply tension through pushing down with my feet and turning the rod with my hands while resting on my chair and the end of the couch (i do my wrapping in the lounge room)

should i consider building myself a wrapper? i have only made 2 rods which have been for me but there are gonna be more and my mates and relitives that are fisherman have expressed interest in me building one for them. would it be worth making a wrapper? and also do all you guys use a dryer becasue i use a cordless drill set to the slowest it can possibly go which is about 10 rotations a minute it may not be ideal but it works pretty good.

Tom

Tom,

I think you will be surprised at how many wrap by hand on home made wrappers and turn by hand to dry. I have been building about 20 years and I have a power wrapper that has never been used for wrapping. I always wrap from my homemade wrapper [www.rodbuilding.org] I also have a homemade dryer [www.rodbuilding.org] although I often turn by hand

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

I built quite a few rods at my coffee table using bent clothes hangers for rod supports and
running my thread through a book for tension with the spool in a small cup.
Worked fine! Building yourself a hand wrapper though will make things a bit easier and
quicker to setup & take down in a small living space. If you live with a women she will
be happier too! lol

I turn by hand for a bit then use a dryer motor

Raymond Adams
Eventually, all things merge, and a river runs through it..



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/19/2007 11:47PM by Raymond_Adams.

Coming up on 30 years and still hand wrap. Have collected the parts to build a power wrapper, but still haven't found the need or much desire to make it happen. Not long ago I started using a drying motor for about a year and went back to hand turning because the end result just wasn't as good as manual work. While motors do have their place and can come in handy for some applications, they certainly are not a requirement unless you are working on several rods a day, and even then you have to decide for yourself if it is worth the expense and a new learning curve. Speed is not a requirement for me.

cheers for the responses guys. i can only say im suprised that many of you wrap by hand im only 16 and have only made a few rods but i love it so much, my dad has been making rods since he was 12 he is now 50 and he has never used any type of wrapper or dryer.

Tom
Since I am a latent tinkerer - I have enjoyed building the many different power wrappers and dryers that I have made as much or more than the rods that I have wrapped with them.

I have built lots and lots of rods and have never hand wrapped a single rod. I did my first rod on a power wrapper, and really wouldn't like to start using a hand wrapper.

I typically use a pretty long butt wrap on most of my rods, and I would have a broken wrist by the time that I get through with the butt wraps. I do agree that a power wrapper is not such a big deal on the tip wraps because there are so few wraps.
One of the big advantages that I like with my bi directional dc power wrapper is the ability of the wrapper to stop anywhere and keep the winding thread tight. If I stop in midwrap - and hav e to answer the phone or go to bed - I do it. Then, when I have the time or interest, I go back to the rod and pick up where I left off. The rod tension doesn't change and I am good to go.

The power wrapper has a dc gear motor on it that will turn a max of 300 rpm. After I make my initial wraps, this is the speed that I typically do my butt wraps. I think that I could wrap at about 400 rpm and still have nice wraps, but the 300 rpm is a nice point for easy wrapping with a nice tight and consistent wrap.

I also use the power wrapper for applying the finish. I trypically will be applying the finish at about 100 rpm - but it has the ability to stop instantly and take care of the tiny spots around the base of the guides that need more attention.
Once the finish is on the rod, I will move it over to my 6 rpm dryer station for its overnight drying run.
Take it off in the morning and the rod is ready to ship.

If you are only building small or short rods- there is less need for a power wrapper. But, if you ar building large long rods - the power wrapper saves the wrists and saves a huge amount of time. When you are running production, I would guess that the power wrapper cuts the wrapping time by about 2/3rds for the large long rods. ( Not a lot of difference for short small rods.)

Take care
REW

Roger & Tom,

I much prefer my power wrapper for a lot of things as well. However, I do a lot
of work by hand turning without power too. Depending on the design of the thread
tension device that is used on a hand built hand wrapper one can stop & answer the
phone or anything else without worry of the thread unwrapping. Also, adding a feature
like a velcro strap or rubber band that you can just flip over the blank to lock it from
moving while your away from it is an easy thing to add to any wrapper.

Raymond Adams
Eventually, all things merge, and a river runs through it..

I wrap by hand and have a dryer that I no longer use. I just turn the blank by hand for drying.

I wrap by hand also and dry with a 4rpm drier. I can also stop wrapping and not lose tension. I am not running production so I'm not in a hurry most of the time.

I do all my Guide wrapping by hand using desk rollers long under wraps for butt wtaps i use a home made power mach. Photos of desk roller on photo page (Equipt)
[www.rodbuilding.org]



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 10/20/2007 06:00PM by Barry D. Thomas Sr..

i have never even seen a power wrapper in person....i use a drier though(made out of a 4 block, microwave plate turning motor and the homemade pvc chuck that was in an issue of rodmaker)

We still use an original Clemens manual wrapper with the slide-out extensions. Gary has a Flex Coat manual wrapper, and then we have the PacBay motorized usit that we use for finishing grips and handles, and other cork work. We also use the motorizzed unit for production underwraps or barber-pole style butt wraps. Everything else is hand-done.

Uncle Russ
CalicoCreek Rods

I will put my 2 cents in here. I have a manual wrapper that received as a Christmas present a couple of years ago. This past Christmas I asked for the matching Power wrapper and have really enjoyed using this on getting several more inches for the butt wraps. I have received feedback lately though that the extra thread work makes the rod heavier than the identical rod that I had made without the extra wrapping. I haven't used the power wrapper in a while now, as I'm trying to lighten the load. So I suppose it would be a matter of your personal preference, But I would encourage you to order one if you can. And try it yourself. I wouldn't sell mine.

Brad Hetzel