Biulding a new wrapper and have the option of 4 1/2" or 6" inches from base. Some times I get a kink in my upper back when holding my arms up for a while on my old jig. What is comfortable for most of you?

Built mine with pac bay's duluxe chuck it's about 4 1/2 @ center .I like it. It works great for me

A lot depends upon the height of the base your placing it on. I find I like mine about even with the middle of my chest just below arm pit level.

I made mine adjustable. About 7 - 10" from base. [www.rodbuilding.org]
I also found that if I pull the chair close and sat with my back resting on the back of the chair the pain in the back went away.

Bill - willierods.com

I made mine 8.5" from table. This height puts blank at almost eye level, and elbows can rest comfortably on table top.

It is most comfortable for me to stand in place, moving rod, height with no hunching over, in front of my face at eye focal point, plenty hand clearance under rod, blank restrained for proper tension during release. Fresh water and inshore rods to eight feet, no underwraps - manual guide wrapping. I can refer you to a sitting "huncher" who wraps plenty plenty rods who can provide a reference listing of back surgeons, chiroparctors and pain specialists.

My base is 3/4. I think I will go for the higher position base on your great responces. Thanks

Tom,
The height of the wrapper isn't the important point.
As Bill pointed out, it is the height of the rod, while you wrap, whether, lying, kneeling, sitting or standing.
As has been pointed out, you need to have your rod at a location that is about chest high so that you can get at a nice focal distance from the rod while wrapping.
If you are sitting, you want to be able to have perfect posture for long term lack of fatigue and long term lack of back problems.
i.e. if you use a chair when wrapping, you really should not be hunched over your rod. You should have your back straight.
Also, the table and rod should be such that you have a comfortable position for your arms when wrapping.

My suggestion is as follows:

Put yourself in the position that you would like to be in for long term wrapping. This may be sitting, standing or something else.
Then, be sure that you have perfect posture in the position that you Ase. i.e.back straight, arms at elbows at 90 degrees.

Then, take a rod or a broom handle and use books or other object to change the height of the or or broom handle until you have the rod at the height where you can work on it, without hunching over, so that you can work on it for house on end without fatigue.
Then, build your wrapper accordingly.

------------------------------
Also, don't discount the possibility that you might be better off if you have your table or bench at a different height. Maybe- for ease of tool pick up etc. it is best to have the rod 3-4 inches off the table - quite a common height.
But, then, you might find that the actual table surface height needs to be changed. i.e. either higher or lower to allow your body to achieve perfect posture.
For example, you might find that if you are simply sitting at your table or bench right now - without the wrapper in front of you; your body is sitting in a hunched over position. This would imply that you need to raise the height of your base working surface.

Also, when considering all of these facts, consider the chair or stool on which you sit. If you use a chair, you should be able to sit with your feet flat on the floor. i.e. your knees should make a 90 degree angle with your legs.
If you like to sit on a stool, the height of the stool and foot rest on the stool should be such that you can make the 90 degree angle of your lower leg with your upper leg.

Bottom line - look at the overall ergonomics of your rod building station. Start with the floor, work up from the floor to first establish your body position. Then, when your body position is in the best position, arrange to have your table or bench surface at its optimum level.

Then, with the chair correct, the table surface height correct, you then adjust the height of the rod, so its height is correct.

I will go along with the idea of using a stand up bench to wrap rods. Then, if you have such a stand up table and wrapper, have a matching stool, so that if you decide to sit, you will still be at the correct height with correct body posture.
A big advantage of having a stand up wrapping position, is that you now have the luxury of either sitting down, or standing up, when you need to move body positions to ease the body positions.

Also, if you happen to be in a location that requires you to have frequent interruptions, it is much less tiring to be working from a standing up bench/table or associated stool. It is much easier to move from one location at the stand up bench, to take care of another task, without going through the work of standing up and sitting down.

If you commonly go from a dryer, to a wrapping station, to somewhere else to take care of other tasks, the stand up bench is a great way to go.

Summary -
When setting rod height, start from the floor, insure that your body is in perfect ergonomic position, then go from your feet to the top of your head insuring that chair, table surface, and rod height are all at the optimum position for your wrapping style and specific needs.

Take care
Roger

Do you wrap standing up or sitting down??

I wrap sitting down peter. Thanks roger for your in depth responce. Building this wooden jig with wheels and adjustable sliding uprights and thread holder. Will post pic when done.

i'm 6ft 4" and this height works well for me

If your are wrapping on free wheeling rollers - high thread tension - wrapping away - 1/2 way throught a guide wrap - need to place tie off loop - cut loose a guide retainer - or stop and answer the phone - want to release your hands for any reason - how do you keep the thing from spinning backwards - you may find a restrained V block more user friendly.

Bill,
Good point.
That is one of the reasons that I like my power wrapper. If I get part way through a wrap, I take my foot off the power pedal and go do my errand for a minute or several days.
I come back, put the pedal to the metal and pick up from where I left off.
Take care
REW