Hello.
First Rod Build
Bought Tom's great book.
Some Questions; When using concept guide rings, what is the proper way to line them up straight with the real seat?
if I have Nylon that needs to be preserved on the main guides and trim that is NCP should I preserve the main wrap before adding the trim or will it not make a difference if the NCP thread gets some preserver on it?

Also, the guide wraps themselves, ugh....The beginning part of the loop where we X it leaves a lumpy look. Some loops I thought were great, went to put trim wrap on and the primary loop started to unravel. Tom was right to have a newbie like me start with the biggest guide first....those little ones are a pain!

Lastly,

TOM, Great book for a complete beginner like me. Thank you.

Roger,

One of my newbie tips, since I still am one myself is to leave the tags until you have put on the trim wraps and aligned the guides. After you are satisfied trim all of your tags. Carefully close the gaps. Then use a rounded instrument, I use the shaft of my exacto knife, to flatten the threads a bit. This usually helps with the lump you get where the tag tucks under the wrap.

As far as CP, I would just apply it after I finished the full wrap. I don't think it should affect the NCP thread. But then again somebody more experienced may let me know otherwise.

Joe

cp on ncp thread wont do any damage all ncp thread is is nylon thats inpregnated with cp and chalk so you can safly be in the knoledge that you wont hurt anything . in fact if you are using a small trim say two or three threads then cp will actually "glue" the threads in place for you
(a little drop of cp then put the trim band on and pack it tight by pushing it up against the main wrap then it wont come unraveled when you trim the tags)

Allen

After all the guides are wrapped you can align them as
they will move under the wraps. That is of course if you
don't wrap them to tight. If your careful and your trims are
not to loosely wrapped your thread work should stay intact.

Dont worry about getting CP on the threads that don't require
it. It won't hurt a thing.

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

As a beginner myself I can imagine your frustration with trim bands. An easy to do, but hard to describe method is the nail knot trim band. I'm sold on this method, they're easy to do and they look great. No lumpy tag end under your main wrap either. They but up against your main wrap and actually help hold it In place. If you can't find it in the library, or by using the search button send me an e mail by clicking on my name, and I'll give you A step by step. Good luck and tight wraps.

Roger, If you unhide your e-mail address or e-mail me, I will send you some information mbarkley@wowway.com

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!!

Here is my 2¢.

[cabochonrods.com]

For the record, I CP everything....religiously. It holds my wraps together and I never have had any problems with thread blead after applying epoxy....well except rayon...avoid it like the plague.

CP works great for keeping butt-wraps together. Make your diamond wrap or whatever. Put 2 coats of CP on it. Trim the threads. The CP will hold everything together remarkably well. Then do the tie-down wraps over each end of the decorative wrap. Put 2 coats CP on each tie-down. Put your rod finish over the whole thing.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/25/2008 08:21PM by George Forster.

So what I'm hearing is the CP is fine (except on Rayon).
Basically I just need many more practice wraps?! (Still haven't read how to avoid the lumps)
Align the guides by eyeball as best as possible? There's no more accurate way to align these things?

CP works as advertised, but it cannot perform miracles. That part is up to you.

Eyeballing guides is stil the quickest way for most. Do a search here for other tips that some use and believe is beneficial.

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