I will soon embark on my 1st rod build and wonder how the proper tension of the winding thread is determined?

In general, once you wrap a guide you want it to take a bit of effort to move them (if it isn't in alignment with others). It is possible to wrap tight enough to harm a blank. The worst that can happen from wrapping too loose is the guides move. I'd rather re-wrap guides than re-buy a blank!

Rest assured you have a fair amount of leeway and common sense will guide you. If the blank is bending (because of excessive tension) it will be hard to wrap the guides neatly and that should be a clue.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Hi Matt,
I'll second what Russ has said but in addition do some test work before you start to build a rod.
Get a piece of scrap blank and bind some guides on with various tensions then try to move them. Should take a reasonable amount of force to get them to move.
Don't forget to document what you do and try to understand how much tension your using on each guides, eg count the number of turns you put on the thread tensioner. The thread spool diameter will also affect the tension.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

G'Day Matt I've just run a test on a wrap that I'm in the process of finishing . I hooked a strain gauge to my pull through & with 6 wraps over the pull through it took 1.6grams to pull the tag end through the wraps at right angle to the wrap. With that tension I can still move the guide under the wrap Hope this helps

Regards Baz

Bundeena
NSW Australia

Matt,
When wrapping, I make a point to adjust the tension so that I can JUST Barely move the guide.

You may also find that as you go from a larger diameter portion of the blank to a tip section of the blank, that you may have to slightly change the tension.

A good way to see what the tension should be is to take a large heavy phone book and open it about 2/3 of the way from the bottom. Put a small bowl behind it and drop in your thread spool. run the thread between the pages and close the book. draw on the thread and see what the tension is. you won't need much more tension than this for wrapping.

A good indication is to weigh out 75 gramms of lead shot, (or similar), into a plastic bag then tie the bag to your thread carrier.
If it just holds that's a good starting point for tension.
Philip