What is the advantage of a power wrapper over a hand wrapper for building and wrapping a fly rod?
Just wondering if I should a power wrapper or is my hand wrapper just fine for building an occasional fly rod now and then. Thank Bill

Power wrappers shine when you have underwraps or long overwraps to make. And, of course, with many many power wrappers you have the option of doing light turning chores as well.

If you only build a rod now and then, and they're most fly rods with short wraps, I doubt you'd realize much benefit from a power wrapper unless you just want another tool in the shop.

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Bill...i agree with Tom, i have had a power wrapper for years and rarely do i ever use the motor / power feature. i find wrapping by hand to be more accurate. Just a personal observation...Cheers!!....Wayne

But one thing to keep in mind has to do with the stability and features that many power wrappers offer over basic hand wrappers. Sometimes you can buy a power wrapper without the motor and that ends up making the BEST possible hand wrapper system.

I don't use a hand wrapper and I don't have a power wrapper. I remove the belt from my drying motor and mount the rod between the motor and one of the stands. This gives me lots of room to work. I do all my butt wraps and guide wraps using a hand held bobbin which provides just the right amount of spool tension.

Then I remount the belt, apply the epoxy and let it dry.

I have a limited work area so this takes up very little space and I can easily move it out of the way when needed.

Thanks,
Chad Huderle

Huderle Custom Rods
Prior Lake, MN

I have both and have never used the power wrapper for wrapping(I don't do underwaraps) as I much prefer my home made hand wrapper [www.rodbuilding.org] I only use the power wrapper to clean/sand grips on repairs or sand poor finish jobs (by me) smooth to re-coat. With my hand wrapper, I can sit in one spot and move the blank as needed. being 2' instead of 8' fits my needs/preferences much better met. Anyone wants info on making the wrapper, holler!

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!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/2011 11:49AM by Mike Barkley.

The vast majority of my wrapping is done by hand. 99% would be a safe number.

I love having a power head and it gets used for other things. Wrapping is just the smallest percentage of its usage.




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Better to have and not need than to need and not have.

Bill,
I agree with the other posts with respect to the use of the power wrappers that are currently on the market.
The bottom line is that most of the commercial wrappers on the market don't give a builder the precision and control that one can get with hand wrapping.

When I started wrapping, I built about one rod with a hand wrapper and decided that there must be a better way. As a result, I began my quest for a better wrapper. I made many different wrappers over the years, using quite a variety of motors.

I have finally settled on a 1000 rpm DC gear motor that is controlled by a foot pedal with a convenient reversing switch mounted right next to my wrapping station. This allows me do do everything that I want with respec to wrapping. Excellent control, the ability to correct mistakes, the ability to walk away from a wrap if 1/2 completed. etc. I never use the power wrapper for any thing except wrapping and applying finish.

Incidentally, if you haven't tried it before, a power wrapper does an excellent job of spinning the rod for finish application.

I have wheels mounted under my wrapper bed that allows me to move my wrapper past my work station, so that I and my tools and lights can stay in one place, and the rod can roll past me for various guides and butt wraps.

Every tool, whether it is a hand wrapper or any variation of power wrapper has advantages and disadvantages. It is up to you as a builder to decide if a particular toos is right for you and your particular needs.

Take care
Roger

I have two hand wrappers and a power wrapper. As stated above I use the power wrapper to turn cork. I just have not mastered it as a wrapper. Actually I`m not sure how I was able to get along with out it. It seems like I use it alot.

Mike,
I`m hollerin man.! That is one nice wrapper and I would love some informatiom on how to build it.

Thanks,
bill.eshelman@yahoo.com.

Ohio Rod Builders

Canton, Ohio



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/2011 02:17PM by Bill Eshelman.

still learning on the power wrapper. just got it last month. I'd say i'm about even as far time-to-complete a rod on either at this point, hoping to get better with time. My primary beef right now is the thread tension device doesn't get tight enough for how i like it. On my hand wrapper, i could make it good and tight, but on this one (forecast) i cinch it all the way down and its still a little loose for my taste. i will probably make a new thread station to fit the track with a more tradition spring-tension system on it like my hand wrapper has.

Regards,
-Justin



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/2011 02:50PM by justin keithley.

On the way, Bill

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 use my power wrapper for everything, guides, decorative wraps, turning cork and applying finish. I never turn anything by hand, other than to back up once in awhile. After turning rods by hand for 30 something years, once I got the power wrapper I was bound and determined to learn how to use it. If I had to go back to turning by hand, I'd quit. I'm too lazy to turn by hand any more. But that's just me........

I agree that most power wrappers are a little hard to use. I have the luxury of a complete machine shop at work and have made what I feel is the ultimate wrapper. I have a reversing DC motor that runs from less than one RPM to about 60. I bought a quad dryer and threw most of it away and used the motors and chucks. I bought a Bosch Unistrut electric table at an @#$%& for a song compared to its true value. It rases up and down so I can shange positions during the day to help the old back. and raise it up to waste high to apply finishs. If I knew how to post pictures I would put some on here. Its kind of a proud Papa thing. I have been turning for 30 years now I guess and it works well on all tasks. I don't turn cork on it because I have a Shop Smith for woodworking in the garage. I turn all of the cork and wood inserts and handles on it. One great thing on a power wrapper I can get up and away for any lenght of time with no problems.

Wow, that sounds like a nice rig. The best part about using a power wrapper is having that other hand free for untangling snarls, placing pull back loops, adding thread bands, etc.

Rich Gorden Wrote:
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> Wow, that sounds like a nice rig. The best part
> about using a power wrapper is having that other
> hand free for untangling snarls, placing pull back
> loops, adding thread bands, etc.

You can do all of that with a Sully Hand Wrapper as well. My preference is use of a hand wrapper UNLESS there are long underwraps involved on offshore rods.

My advice would be to skip the power wrapper for the "occasional fly rod or two". IMO, it will be more expensive and trouble than it is worth. Save the $$$ and buy yourself a few nice sets of components instead.

Bill Giokas Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What is the advantage of a power wrapper over a
> hand wrapper for building and wrapping a fly rod?
>
> Just wondering if I should a power wrapper or is
> my hand wrapper just fine for building an
> occasional fly rod now and then. Thank Bill

Bill

I have been outwrapping for about twenty years and I would not be able to make a living without my power wrapper. The only real advantage of a power wrapper is speed. My wrapper is v-block supports and my chuck is mounted directly to the motor, no pulley and no tension device, I use a bobbin. There is a learning curve but once you have mastered it you can do as good a job as a hand wrapper, just a lot faster.