Hey guys, long time lurker and reader. Have gained a tremendous amount of information from this forum. I had to create an account so that I could ask this specific question as I can not seem to find a direct answer. Yes, I used the search. When wrapping a butt wrap, how tight are you wrapping the threads. On my setup threads I am making them tight enough where they will not move. On the follow-on passes I am wrapping them with quite a bit less tension but still am having issues packing the threads tight enough when doing patters like stars. I started packing after every pass but that is way too time consuming. Are you guys leaving the thread pretty loose so that they can be easily manipulated? It is hard to describe the tension that you are using so I guess I should ask, are your thread wraps loose enough where you could move thread around the blank (I hear a lot about slippage when tying off the wrap, something which I never have which makes me think I may be wrapping too tight). When I make them too tight the thread on the bottom will start to bulge which is obviously a situation that needs to be avoided. Thanks guys.

Frank Tropepe
SSgt USMC
2004-2013



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/10/2018 12:15PM by Frank Tropepe.

Frank,
When I wrap, I wrap with enough tension on the butt wraps such that if there were a guide under the wrap I would be unable to move the guide at all. In other words, I wrap the butt wraps very very tight.

Good luck

Not too tight, not too loose. Not much of answer I suppose. But, it's accurate. If your wrap is very elongated, a good deal of tension can make it hard to keep the threads to the centers and hard to tightly pack. They'll keep wanting to pull away and down the blank. Too loose and you are apt to have problems with threads bunching or swelling if you use CP.

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

This is exactly what I am dealing with. Attempting to find that middle ground.

Hello Frank.

The main problem Frank is that all threads stretch a little differently so tension is going to be a little different with each thread, even threads from the same MFR or sizes, or even types of thread.

I put enough tension on the first threads that they don't move hardly at all, then put a drop of superglue on them so they don't move from the cross points then I just snug the next ones up against the first ones.


Hope this is helpful.


Tight Wraps & Tighter Lines.

Bob,

New Bern, NC.

what I have done in the past is to do it so to say backwards from top to butt reverse from butt to tip as the blank is tapered and the threads will want to slide forward and you will have issues as you wrap with the threads wanting to slide forward because of the taper and you will have packing issues. again keep in mind that the taper is larger at the bottom and smaller at the top and doing it top to butt will help you get a consistent lay of the threads with less gaps and minimal packing needed. give it a try.

The best day to be alive is always tomorrow !!
Think out side the box when all else fails !!!
Wi.

Robert A. Guist Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hello Frank.
>
> The main problem Frank is that all threads stretch
> a little differently so tension is going to be a
> little different with each thread, even threads
> from the same MFR or sizes, or even types of
> thread.
>
> I put enough tension on the first threads that
> they don't move hardly at all, then put a drop of
> superglue on them so they don't move from the
> cross points then I just snug the next ones up
> against the first ones.
>
>
> Hope this is helpful.
>
>
> Tight Wraps & Tighter Lines.

Bob,
I like that superglue idea. I am going to try that tonight. I also know what you mean by stretch factor. Some threads are just more pliable than others. I am assuming that has to due to the pigmenting process and or the machine that wound the threads?

Hello Frank.

Yes and more, such as what machine wrapped them and what the tension was set at, at the time, the type of thread, the thread diameter ...


Tight Wraps & Tighter Lines.

Bob,

New Bern, NC.

Matthew Paul Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> what I have done in the past is to do it so to say
> backwards from top to butt reverse from butt to
> tip as the blank is tapered and the threads will
> want to slide forward and you will have issues as
> you wrap with the threads wanting to slide forward
> because of the taper and you will have packing
> issues. again keep in mind that the taper is
> larger at the bottom and smaller at the top and
> doing it top to butt will help you get a
> consistent lay of the threads with less gaps and
> minimal packing needed. give it a try.


Great points Matthew , i don't have anywhere remotely close to the experience of the majority of people on here with wrapping but i have found that painted or blanks with a gloss coating help you pack threads much much easier as well . I had a much much harder time with unpainted blanks.

After four or five passes, or when you change a color in your wrap, try doing another pass with a larger size thread. It's easier to pack firmly against the bigger diameter. Pack all the points and then remove the larger thread. If your threads are still moving, use more tension in your pattern threads.

I adjust the tension using a small plasic bag with 3ozs of shot in and the tension should hold the weight.

There are several issues you need to address before you wrap. If you are going to underwrap the butt section, then you will need less tension since the underwrap thread will provide more friction than the blank's slick surface. Second is what size thread you are using. The right tension is a matter of trial and error, with great emphasis on the error. I recommend you do a few trial runs on a spare piece of blank with the intent of making errors from which to learn. Yes, it's frustrating as is any learning curve. Next I recommend you only make 4 or 5 passes at the most to allow packing the threads. Less than this tends to shift the existing pattern off center and more tends to be too difficult to move. I like Grand Darby's method of using the larger thread to pack and then remove. I'll have to try it on my next wrap. Good luck.