Looking to get a power wrapper.What is the best one to get?

The "best" is the Renzetti.

How much money do you want to Spend? Batson, PacBay, Renzetti, American tackle and Anglers Workshop even has a nice one. These are all great machines. You can start out at around 399.00 and go over a grand. Then there are the extras and up grades you may want. An if you are looking for a deal, most sponsors are locked in to the same price. You could look into one of the (@#$%& sites or Cregs list). Buyer beware on those sites. Me for one I want to see a item before I pay big bucks. Brett where are you located? It you are close to a sponsor or any rod building supply house see what they have and also see if they can find you a model they do not carry. If you are not close to a rod building supply house, try small independent sports shops like a shop that deals with fly guys, these guys always have some thing in a back room. Big Box stores are the last on my list, these guys a just sales men I do care what they say. You may want to call Batson and Pack Bay or American Tackle for the nearest dealer to you. These three sponsors are wholesale manufactures and do not sale to the general public. Some of the sponsors on the lift carry lathes check them out. The only reason I mentioned Batson, Pack Bay,American Tackle and Anglers Workshop is that I live near them and personally Know then. If these guys don't carry it they will help you find it

Good Wraps Bob

Bob
Thanks for the help.I am in Hillsborough NC. I am going to see what Fishsticks has.I am leaning towards a Batson.
I wish I could get a Renzetti but to much for me.
Brett

Check with if you have a hand wrapper the company and you may be able to - up grade - to a power wrapper in stead of geting another full machine.

Bill - willierods.com

Unless you are building offshore rods, you may find a power wrapper to be more than needed. A high quality hand wrapper can do great work, with minimal stress, on lighter stuff. IF you absolutely want/need a power wrapper - the AmTac, PacBay or Batson models will suffice. I do recommend the aluminum chuck upgrade - the plastic chuck isn't too sporty, IMO.

On light rods, I can wrap 4 guides before I wrap one with the power wrapper. To get a wrap that has no gaps, in my experience, you have to go very slowly and carefully with the power wrapper, negating its main benefit of speed and I find inlays on these light rods especially frustrating. For guide wraps on larger rods-offshore or heavier trolling rods, I use the power wrapper. I can go back and forth and fill in the gaps and therefore go faster. The guide epoxy hides the fact that all portions of the wrap are not quite level or even. I can wrap an entire heavy rod using the power wrapper before I could finish one roller guide by hand. I do a lot of repairs here at the coast and I need both. I have a Sully's hand wrapper to which I modified the thread carriage (the only part of the Sully's I found to be troublesome) and I have a PacBay power wrapper with the upgraded chuck and I really like it- I also use it as my dryer of choice.

Brett,
The "best" one is the one that does the job for you at the least cost.
I personally don't like any of the wrappers on the market simply because I don't like their power system.

The wrapper bed and rests are fine on many of the wrappers, but I simply don't care for the AC motors used on the typical wrapper.

Generally, don't have an excellent 1 rpm slow speed and typically don't have reverse.

In spite of the other comments about using a hand wrapper, I would never go back to a hand wrapper. I really don't care about the size of the rod or wraps. With a 1 rpm wrapper if needed, it is a non issue to get perfect, tight wraps.
Then for the long butt wraps on some rods, the 1000 rpm that I use for these wraps work equally well.
Then, if you happen to get an overwrap or mistake, a quick switch to reverse to unwrap the mistake, take up the slack thread, flip the reverse switch and move on.

If folks don't like a power wrapper, I am guessing it is more a function of the wrapper as opposed to whether it is a hand or power wrapper.

The other thing I like about the power wrapper is that if you get part way through the wrap, get a phone call or have to run an errand- simply take the foot off the foot pedal and go do your thing.
When the errands are finished, put your foot back on the foot pedal and continue the wrap. No issues about line tension or backing up etc.

Take care

Roger

Brett Make sure you get Batson's new up grades they have made great changes this year. I have all 3 laths. My next one will be one lake the manufactures use. I do not need a thread carriage because I hold the thread in my hand.

Good Wraps Bob

I'm a hand wrapper all the way!! IMO, the Eco Wrapper is one of the best available [www.therodshop.biz] I droll every year when I see it at the Expo

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!!

Bob,
You indicate that you hold the thread in your hand.

Why?
Do you have the thread in a fly wrapping holder?
Or, do you simply hold the spool of thread in your hand?

Roger

Roger The reason I hold my thread (NO BOBBIN) is because that was how I was taught by a old timer who at one time worked for a manufacture of rods. If yo ever have an opportunity to go to a rod plant take it these guys/women know how to wrap and do fancy tread work with out all the fancy stuff. The truth is I use my laths to turn cork. I have up graded all 3 motors to heavy industrial type sewing machine motors. The ones that come with any unit will not take long term cork turning abuse that I give them. If I had the space at the time I would have had a small wood lath to do my cork. With the completion of my new shop I am looking a a mini type lath

Good Wraps Bob

Bob,
Read and understood.
I can see where it would work fine.
The issue that I would have is that I would end up leaving too much of myself on my rod thread. i.e. skin oil, skin cells etc.

I wash my hands frequently, but even so, I still leave a bit of skin oil now and then. That is why I always do an alchol wipe down on the thread, before doing any finish work.

Roger

Bob,
I am sure that you will enjoy a mini lathe.
I didn't think that I would use one as much as I do.
With the mini lathe, I seldom use anything else for the handle work.
I have picked up all of the various chucks, tail stock pieces, jigs and accessories to make it all worth while.
I know that I have about doubled the price of the lathe with the addition of the various accessories, but without the accessories, it is very difficult to do the job that is easy with the accessories.

Roger

Roger I am constantly washing my hands. When I use heavy thread which is not often I ware latex gloves

Good Wraps Bob

That is where all the tool manufactures get you. They hook you with the basics then reel you in with the accessories

Good Wraps Bob

I have an American Tackle lathe . I purchased it from Mudhole last year on their package deal with the rod dryer and the upgrade aluminum chuck. Because I don't use the lathe to turn cork, I have still not installed that expensive chuck.
I suggest you take a look at this combination. It offered the best combination of features and price I could find.
For me, upgrading to a power wrapper was an easy decision. The arthritis in my hands has progressed to the point where I couldn't do a single wrap without considerable pain. Now I can wrap a rod quickly and in comfort. Best tool I ever bought. (This was driven home when I was doing the under wrap for a decorative butt wrap the other day, and realized how many hand revolutions that 6" wrap would require.)
The power wrapper has made moving from a "days per rod" mode to a "rods per day" operation. 8-9 guides wrapped on a light saltwater blank take plus an under wrap for a butt wrap take less than an hour. Best of all, no breaks waiting for the pain meds to kick in are required.
Here's the link to the set-up I bought a year ago: [www.mudhole.com] This wrapper now has over 200 rods to its credit.

Gary Power Wrapping is the fastest way to wrap. If you ever had a chance to watch a wrapper at a rod factory you would be astounded at how fast these wrappers can wrap a 9ft. rod. An just using there hand as a thread carriage. they can control the thread tention without any mechanical means

Good Wraps Bob