Hello,

Did my first scale wrap and when I got to the end I noticed my spacing was off. Where I had enough room to fit 3-4 threads in some places on the wrap, it would taper to no room it other places. I went with a 1/2" between cross points for the base cross. I packed after every layer. Still I had some variances in space on the wrap.

Do I just need to sit with it and push all the threads until I get uniformity or is there a spacing rule I didnt follow? I used the scale tutorial on rodbuildingtutorials.com - 1,1-1,2-1,3 and so on. After 1,8 is where I rant into trouble.

Any help on spacing for certain wraps would be appreciated.

Thank you!

Oh, performed a search for "wrap spacing" and didnt find anything. Sorry if this is a redundant question.

Adam,

We have all run into the same issues at the beginning. The only suggestion I can give is lay out your pattern and double and tripple check your spacing measurements. It seems that the smaller in diameter the blank the more precise you have to be. Trust me it only get better with time.

tight lines,

john

When you say to check spacing measurements are you taking the diameter of the thread and finding out how many threads you can fit into the space between cross points?

For instance 1/2" between cross points - thread size .008" = 62.5 threads.

I naively thought it would just come together.....

Adam try doing a search here for "Taper Off Set" and 'all dates' . There are a couple of good strings that may help you

Thank you!

Reviewed the links in the search quarry. Still a little confused. I'm laying down my passes with multiple threads. Except for the 1 (scale color thread). Even the 8 pass of filler I did with (2) passes of 4 threads.

Quite possibly my layout of the 1/2" markers was off?

I also did not pay attention the spacing as I was wrapping. I focused 100% on packing the threads tightly.

In my frustration I wrapped over on some areas. I read in one link Billy V talks about doing this.


Anything else? Other than time, time, and more time?

Thank you!

Overall the best "tool" for spacing and off sets is contained in the Visual Wrap program. If you're planning to do a lot of wraps - especially closed wraps it's worth the $$

I understand.

One last question.

I know spacing helps to make a pattern look uniform but is it the "closed" part of certain wraps that makes the spacing so much more important? Sounds like anything past a chevron calls for this?

Adam-

Yes, your initial layout was "off" a little - how much depends on the taper of the blank from butt towards the tip. One thing you can try is to NOT wrap 4 threads at a time. Multiple threads certainly closes the pattern faster but also means packing becomes "looser" (potential for gaps at the cross-over points). One other thing you can try if you are wrapping 2, 3, 4 threads at a time (which is a little "tricky" ) is to drop a thread when the pattern gets too tight to pack in additional threads. That is take the outside thread and wrap it back underneath the inner threads. Be forewarned that there is an inherent danger that the outside thread will loosen if you don't drop and under wrap it sufficiently "deep" under what will be the overlocking threads - so you have to plan in advance for the "drop". In effect you are taking a trim band technique and adapting it to completing a cross wrap.

Yes - on Closed wraps the spacing is important. Cross wraps, chevrons, diamonds can all be kept "open" and will look fine. I think the common term for this look is "compressed" spacing.

Thank you Ken!

You've helped greatly! Filled in the blanks for me!

Glad it helped you. Now GET BACK TO WORK!

Ha!

I'd hate to admit how much time I spend at the photo gallery of this website........

As you're packing make sure you check the alignment of your crossover points; they should run straight along the long axis of the blank. I have a tendancy to push the crossover points to the right and doing this on one pattern leaves a bigger gap on one side than the other. Even if you could be consistent with always pushing the same amount to one side you would end up with more gap on the up-wrap than the down-wrap or visa versa. I'll periodically stretch a thread across the patterns to check that they're straight and will eyeball the un-wrapped gaps to ensure uniformity.

Thank you James!

I'll take note to check as I go.