New guy here, thinking about trying a build. Have some old rods that I need to disassemble first. And make or buy holders/supports for working on the rods.
Is it a personal preference for making vs buying supports? Being its my first time, don't want to invest alot if it doesn't work out. Read somewhere that a BBQ rotisserie can be used for a dryer? Have one, it only spins @ 2 rpm, is that sufficient?

If you want to minimize your costs you can always use a box or two with a "V" cut into either side, run your thread through a book to provide tension. If you have scrap wood, small stands are easy to make. I use automotive grade felt padding on my home made stands and wrapper. That being said, take a look at the photo page (link above) and go to the "tools and equipment" section. Scroll through them. There are many true craftsmen on this site who have made their own wrapping station. There are lots of theories and ideas, mine ended up being a blend of a couple that I saw there. Good luck.

Gary,

I built my own rod wrapper over 10 years ago and it's still going strong. I bought a portable sewing machine at a second hand store for $25 and salvaged the motor and foot pedal from it. I added a rheostat for speed control and built the rod supports from hardwood with sliding window bearings for rollers. I added rubber grommets to the sliding window rolls to protect the rod blank. It was going to me my interim rod wrapper until I could afford a commercial wrapper. As of yet, I haven't justified the additional investment for the upgraded wrapper! I guess I spent less than $100 on building the wrapper and it still works great.

Don Campbell
don@sensorfishingrods.com

Gary here is a simple set up that will make it easy and cheap for your first builds. To start with you can turn everything by hand and decide if this is a craft you want to pursue.
I turned every thing by hand for the first 20 or so years before investing in power equipment

[www.mudhole.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/28/2015 05:48PM by Steve Gardner.

I still wrap rods by hand, been doing it for 46 years. Tried a power wrapper but never liked it so I sold it! I could wrap faster and easier by hand and I liked sitting in one place and moving the blank as I wrap rather than vise versa. I also dried my rods early on by suspending them between two folding chairs and rotating them a 1/4 turn every 10-15 minutes for about 2 hrs. Worked great. Have to admit a power rod Dryer is wonderful been using the same 4 for over 30 yrs. You do not need high tech or expensive equipment to build rods. The setup shown by Steve looks quite functional.
Norm

Hello Gary.

I like Steve's idea.

Tight Wraps & Tighter Lines.

Bob,

New Bern, NC.

if you go to the photo page Here -- [www.rodbuilding.org] You can find many ideas of how others have built there wrapper
I did like Don and just update it once in a while Don't look pretty but works great

Bill - willierods.com