i bought a thread tensioner from mudhole, made by flexcoat, i havent tried it yet so does the thread wrap all the way around it? 360 or does it go say at a 90 degree? do i have to mount it so it wont turn? i would have to drill a tight hole for it not to turn. thanks

You are better to put tension on the spool and not the thread

Bill - willierods.com

The thread goes between the 2 washers at a 90, and you should have it tight enough in the fixture so the whole thing does not turn.

Best wishes,
Ron Schneider
Schneider's Rod Shop
Mountain Home, Arkansas
[www.schneidersrods.com]
mtnron40@yahoo.com
870-424-3381

The tension device is the same as the ones used on sewing machines.
If you have a friend who sews, they can help you get it right...

I agree with Bill B Tension the Spool NOT the thread, those washers are tough on Metallics

Mike,
I have built many many rods using the flex coat style thread tension device.
I don't run metallics through the tension device because they don't work.
But for any of the standard nylons, this is a simple easy to use device that virtually never fails.

Just drill a slightly undersized hole in the mouting material and press the tension device into the hole.

it works very very well and never a hassle and it doesn't matter about thread spool size or anything else.

Typically the thread will be lower then run up through a thread guide to the tension device and back out at pretty much the same angle.

Many many thousands of rods are built every year using this device.

Basically all of the sewing in the world is done every day using essentially the same device on every sewing machine in the world. So, it works well and easily.

This is the tension device that I built many years ago and I still use today for building rods. I use a thicker piece of nylon to support the device because it is nice and slippery and slides nicely along the bench top when wrapping.
The tension device base simply rests against the back of the wrapper base and as needed is slid up and down the rod bench while wrapping. Simple, reliable and works very well.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Be safe



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/10/2014 11:16AM by roger wilson.

I don't run metallics through the tension device because they don't work.

That is why if you can where ever the spools go if you can change the holder to a small threaded rod and put the tension on there
Even the magnets will work Then use matallics also

Bill - willierods.com

The nice thing about the spring tension device is that you drop the spool on the spool holder, pull the thread through the tension device and start wrapping.

Be safe

Yea

But it eats up metallics ?? Not good

Bill - willierods.com

I have never had a problem with that tensioning device on metallic threads. Ever. Ever. Ever. If you have a problem you either have it way too tight, or there is something foreign on the "washers." Most likely, way too tight.

And I've never had a problem on nylons either.

I like it because I can have multiple spools on pegs, and easily switch between them without remounting a spool on a "spool tensioning device" when I change colors. And trying to find the same tension I had before.

I have made my own and it works very well
Old picture i now have aluminum instead of the yellow plastic
The plastic did work very well And I can use ant type of thread

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Bill - willierods.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/10/2014 07:50PM by bill boettcher.

I'm sure it works well, but it also looks like it's sort of cumbersome to change spools compared to the flex coat style. Whatever works for each person is what they should use, but to argue that the Flex Coat tensioner doesn't work with metallics is just not true.