I been gettign beter on my rod finish last one I did turned out really good. the problem I am having is that when I wrap my guides on and finish them out I have a small spot that sticks up. This is were I cut the tag end of my thread. How do you elimate this problem



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/24/2008 04:37PM by matthew smoot.

If your using two coats of epoxy, after you apply the first coat and it dries, just cut the bump off flush with a razor knife. Becareful not to cut too deep. When you apply your second coat of epoxy it covers everything and no one would ever know it was there.

Matthew....Harold is spot on on his advise but I might suggest after you have wrapped your guides to run over the thread tag ends lightly with a alcohol lamp or a cigarette lighter and this should get rid of alot of the thread tags sticking up, then apply cp and / or finish.

Tight Lines
Tight Wraps
Fishin'Stix by Fred

This is hard to explain without the photos used in RodMaker to explain the process - you need to pull the tag end back enough to slightly stretch the thread and create a small opening in the wrap. When you snip the tag end it will retreat back a hair and the opening will close. No nub. Nothing. It disappears.

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Yep! Also a sharp blade is essential. Some find that using good cuticle cutters is their favorite
tool for cutting tag ends. I'm still on the fence with that one though.

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

I push directly into the blank with the blade between two wraps with my X-Acto knife to cut the tag. Then there's absolutely no nub to contend with.

Tom has the best solution and I go with that method myself. The other thing you can do is burn off the flag with a match but you must be very careful. Never try to burn metalic thread . Cutting the bump after the first coat hardens and then applying a second coat is not the way I would go but that is my opinion

Tom - isn't there an illustration of this technique in your book?

Uncle Russ
Calico Creek Rods

The solution is to eliminate the tag altogether. Try putting your loop into the wrap a few wraps sooner than normal. Then wrap to your ending point, clip the wrap thread as usual and insert into the loop. Pull the loop slowly as if you were going to pull the tag end all the way through and under the wraps but stop when the loop is just starting to go under the wraps. At this point pull the wrap thread slightly taught and cut it off around an eighth of an inch from the loop. This assumes your loop is under the wraps for greater than 1/8th inch.

For the next step it is important that you press your finger (I use my thumbnail) against the final wrap right above the loop and hold it in place as you pull the thread loop out. This is necessary so that you only bury the 1/8th inch tag under the wraps. If you don't hold the final wrap in place next to the loop more than 1/8th inch of thread will be pulled under which might result in the tag emerging where the loop is pulled through. If done properly you'll have no tag to deal with.

When I get a chance I'll do a tutorial for Raymond's site.

Jeff Shafer

Try inserting your tie off loop earlier than usual. I usually insert mine about 10 turns before the end. Then, instead of pulling the thread all the way out with your tie off loop, just pull it up snug to the end of the wrap and maybe even under the last wind. Use your fingernail to hold down your last wind, snip it close and then continue pulling the tie off loop through while holding that last wind in place with your fingernail. Before the thread comes through, the loop will drop it underneath the wrap and voila, no tag end comes out with the loop. No razor blades to deal with and cause fuzzies and looks really sharp when you've had a little practice. All you need is a good fingernail to anchor the line and hold on to it. Works well on guide wraps but for trim bands you have to use a method similar to what Tom mentions above. Good instructions on this in Advanced Custom Rod Building by Dale Clemens.

thanks guys

Sorry Matthew,
What Jeff said. I guess I was typing mine in while he was typing his in and they've come out about the same. Oh well. I think you get the point.

I do mine exactly as Jeff and Greg for years and never had to contend with using the sharp blade on thread. Try to lay the tie off loop earlier, 10 to 12 turns at least.

Merry Christmas,

Anthony Lee

Yes, I think there is a step by step photo sequence in the Amato book, "Rod Building Guide."

Any sponsor will have it and your local library may well have a copy too.

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I have tried Jeff's and Greg's method but had been missing the all important step of pinning down that last wrap with the thumbnail. My cut short tag was still finding it's way to where I pulled through and I could not figure out why. Trying to stretch the tag before cutting would usually result in several filaments breaking before I got cut all the way through-that didn't work either. I was probably using more tension than necessary. This is like an extra present under the tree for me. Thanks....

Chris

If you use a razor blade and don't push the blade through the thread but pull the thread against the blade being held flat against the blank helps. Where the thread is a bit springy it will pull down under the wraps and never be seen. But I have found that using a dull blade is the number one cause of me having it fray and point up in the finish.

Good tip, Jeff and Greg. I've used Tom's method from the get go, and it usually works great, BUT there is the odd time a tag is left showing. Thus my point of cutting it off after the first coat of epoxy.

Cheers.