My thread finish work (both epoxy and varnish) has gotten really good over the last several years, thanks to the great folks on this board who share their knowledge willingly and selflessly. Special thanks go to Tom K. whose fantastic magazine and forum provide us with the medium to improve both our basic skills and provide us with advance techniques and seeds of ideas to continually improve our craft.

I know that I can do a search of the archives to glean this information, but I don't recall a thread in the recent past devoted especially to perfect wraps, and particularly to trimming the thread to prevent those pesky tag ends from popping up through that "oh so perfect" epoxy.

So, I would appreciate the benefit of your expertise on this topic. I have tried a number of methods, some of which work to a degree, and it may well be that I just need to spend more focused effort at perfecting my skills in this area. But I would like to have as much proverbial "ammunition in my belt" to attack this and come out well on the other side. Any techniques that you might be willing to share that will alleviate the end result of thread ends showing through the epoxy would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Walt Natzke
Ripon, CA

SLice them off with a razor after the first coat, next coat comes out perfect. MAgic

We did a photo article in RodMaker on this very thing - if you open the gap with the tag end, and lay a sharp razor blade flat on the wrap, pulling the tag end back into the blade, the thread will cut cleanly and the tag end will disappear into the quickly closing gap. This is better shown than explained, thus the photo article.

..............

I just knock 'em down like Billy. Although I normally lay down two thin coats of epoxy, brushing them lengthways down the wrap. After they dry for a day I use a gray 3M pad and lightly sand lengthways and that pretty well knocks any strays down before the final coat.

Thanks,
Chad Huderle

Huderle Custom Rods
Prior Lake, MN

I love the cuticle nippers. Best thing ever made![www.rodbuilding.org] Lifetime guarantee and free sharpening. I have two and alternate sending them in for sharpening every year or two, Less than $20 at Walgreen's Bill Stevens showed them to me at the big show a few years ago. I consider them indispensable. Slide them right down the thread to the wrap and nip

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 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/19/2011 11:46PM by Mike Barkley.

When I first started rod building, I always used a razor blade to trim the wraps.
From time to time, I would nip a thread, and have to retie a guide.

I was chatting with another rod builder one day, who used a pair of fine tipped fly tying scissors.

I bought such a pair of scissors some years ago, and that is all I have used for the last many years.
It is easy to get a flush cut of the thread, without having to worry about nipping a thread and having to retie a guide.

Take care
REW

Don't pull the thread all the way out. Most people insert the tie off loop about 5 or 10 winds before they reach the end. Instead, insert it about halfway through the wrap. I've inserted it as much as 1/4 inch from the end. Then, when you reach the end of the wrap, just pull the tie-off loop up snug and under the last wind of thread. This will hold the thread temporarily. Now, cut the tag really close to the end of the wrap with a pair of fine scissors. Next, with your thumb/fingernail, pinch the last wind just below the tag end you just cut and then pull your tie off loop the rest of the way out. The tag will drop off underneath the wraps and you'll have no thread to trim. This is explained better in both Dale Clemens' Advanced Custom Rod Building and a past issue of RodMaker, I believe. So, don't create the stick up to begin with and you'll be better off. Keep your threads packed and your tension moderate and this is absolutely the best and easiest method for preventing those stick ups. The only time I pull the thead all the way through is when I'm making narrow trim bands. Then, I use Tom's method mentioned above.

I ditto Greg's method - foolproof. But you must put pressure on the visible part of the tag end as you pull through - forming a "hinge" of sort. Otherwise the tag end might peek through.
Herb

Greg's method works well, but depending on what you use for a tie off loop and how much tension you wrap with, and if you use metallics - it might not work. The tie off loop might get stuck, teh metallic thread might unravel and the outer layer might peel off and not go through, or the tie off might break. In case you have an accident, like missing the tie off loop and pulling through without the tag end, you won't have enough left to unwind and rewind back over the tag end. The other thing that I do not like about insertting th etie off halfway through, is that you often can see the tag end under the wrap - againdepends on the type of thread, how you finish, and if you end with a trim band.

With the scissors mike B mentoned, make sure you clean them wiht DNA. I used those for a while, and kept getting fisheyes where the blade touched the threads. COmmon sense is to clean ANY cutting tool with DNA, but most people do not do that >guilty as charged<

I just lay in my pull thread 10 wraps back where I can and when I start the pull I use my normal fly tying sissors and cut the thread. WHen I pull I do so at an angle and the thread end just gets lost under the wraps without leaving a tag end visable. Too easy. When I cannot do that I do the seperate the wraps and cut with a razor and then push back together.

Best of luck.