I'm looking at my first rod I made several months ago. It doesn't have much flair so I thought I would add a tiger wrap to dress it up. I've never done one, heck, I've never seen one other than on the web so I'm not sure what type of sequence I should use.The guides are wrapped with Prowrap royal blue NCP with black and metallic silver trim so I'll use those colors for the tiger. Not sure what would look best. My instinct is to do black and silver for the under wrap and blue for the top wrap unless someone has a better idea.
Am I better off doing 2 sacrificial threads or just one. I think I will do 2 coats of epoxy (TM standard build) between layers since this is just a small 4 wt fly rod. Should I do more? I guess I'm just asking how would you do this wrap? (the blank is matte charcoal color)

In my mind, you're on the right track. Personally, I've never been happy with the results when I've used 2 sacrificial threads but that's just me.
You can always get your base wrap laid down, 2+ coats of finish and see how it looks with 2 and if it's not what you have in mind, redo it. No harm no foul.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/26/2011 04:24PM by matthew jacobs.

Tons of information on the web about tiger wraps. In the photo gallery Doc Ski has tested out just about every option possible, different size threads, multiple colors, multiple layers etc. Great wealth of information just on his testing photos. I'd start there for clues.

I'm sure someone will refute this but I have found my best movement on these to be when I wrapped the underwrap crooked. You will read that you want a nice straight wrap and to burnish your movement. Thats true as evident by the tons of tiger wrap pics online, but, I dont wrap that way and I still get some pretty good movement. On this one, I didnt burnish the tiger wrap once.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

For the colors you described. I would be cautious about doing dark colors together on the underwrap. In my experience it kills the pattern as you have 2 colors too close in color. Most unders are done with black and white. Id go, royal blue, white, metallic and then royal blue over with 2 sacraficials.

There are so many combinations.

Please keep in mind I'm just giving my experience here. I'm not a guru and there are probably better sources than I.

How would it look if I used all 3 colors (black, blue and silver in the base wrap and then just the blue on the top wrap? Does this intensify or diminish the effect?

Again, I'm new but I think it will diminish the look of the tiger pattern somewhat. One way to avoid this is to wrap the silver between the blue and black. If you wrap the blue and black side by side I dont think you will get the pattern you desire with a blue overwrap. You could do a silver overwrap. Then it should be ok..

I've cut off my share of wraps that are too subtle to be cool and these are the things that have stuck.

This is close to what your asking about. Dark pink, purple and metallic fuscia underwrap. Metallic fuscia overwrap with 2 sacrificials.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

The illusion is created when same colors (tints, lightness, darkness) intercept. If you have too much of the same color it reduces the illusion. For example -

On this one. bright orange, orange and blue under - orange over - see how orange it is. The first photo I linked in the previous post was the exact same under but with a blue over. Dramatic difference.

[www.rodbuilding.org]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/26/2011 06:02PM by Adam Curtis.

I have done a lot of Tiger Wraps and experimented with many combos. Key points I have evolved to: Bottom Wrap... contrasting colors (I like Black and NCP White)...wrapped loosly and burnished a little after the wrap. Two coats of clear on that underwrap. Over wrap in the opposite direction with the color you want the wrap to be and a sacrificial thread. Pull out the sacrificial and put another two coats on it. If the top thread color is one you want to maintain very close to its original shade, then you need to put a CP on it before you do the finish. I've got a couple pics up right now showing stages of Tigers. They are a beautiful, classy addition to a custom rod and you don't have to make them real complicated to get a great result. They do take a little time but are well worth the look. Try a few on a spare blank and get the feel. Enjoy!

Instead of 2 sacrificial threads why not try wrapping your dominant thread colour (if it's size A) with a size C or D sacrificial?

Thanks for the feedback guys. I laid down the base with silver and black only, burnished in several directions and first coat of epoxy is on now. Now I'm thinking about the topwrap. I don't have larger sized thread (only size A). Would some monofilament be an option? I have some 10lb Trilene or 3-7x tippet. Does it look better with a bit more separation than a single size A sacrificial?

After doing several of these I found that I like white on the base wrap It brings up the colors of the wrap and makes it POP Black in the base makes it tone down and kind of dull

You are going to have to experiment with several on scrap to find the combo that you like

Bill - willierods.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/2011 07:48AM by bill boettcher.

Must be my micro brain - these are not dull!

Sometimes black is defined as CLASS!

[www.rodbuilding.org]

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Bill, I call that "subtle bling".

Nice looking wraps!

Chuck

_________________________________________
"Angling is extremely time consuming.
That's sort of the whole point." - Thomas McGuane

What ever the builder or customer likes many options

Bill - willierods.com