How many rod supports do i need for a rod drier that will be used for applying the finish also.Rods from 5'6" to 7'.3kg to 15kg.building my first drier.also roughly how high is a drier?Cheers Scott

Most of the time, I only use one support.

On some very flexible tipped rods I might use two.

Good luck

I only use one moveable V support, even for rods up to 12’.
Norm

Two will work for most. Keep mind that the chuck end effectively serves as one, so two additional free-standing supports will usually be enough for rotating while the finish sets.

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Thankyou.2 it is.

One other tip is to try to keep the rod level at all points. There was an article in the magazine a few years ago that showed how to build a simple tool from aluminum to measure if the rod was level. A tilted rod may cause football shapes at one end of the wraps.

Ray Zarychta
Glastonbury, CT

Hello Ray.

That was "Jig/Lathe Height Adjustment Gauge" in Volume 8 Issue 2 Page 22. it was un-credited so I don't know who wrote it but I would think it was Tom or one of his staff members.
It's easy to do and the article has step by step photos to build one from 1/2" aluminum flat stock.



Tight Wraps & Tighter Lines.

Bob,

New Bern, NC.

Thanks Bob for the details, that's the one. It is so easy that I was even able to make one. Inexpensive, too.

Ray Zarychta
Glastonbury, CT

The number needed for drying and for wrapping will be different. For drying where there is no thread tension pulling short sections of blank, you can get by with just two. For wrapping most any rod of any type then three is better and four is more better.

Mike,
I use my power wrapper for both wrapping and applying finish. I commonly use at least 3 supports but on longer rods or rods with very soft tips I will use 4 or possibly 5 supports.

Since I don't want the blank jumping up and down when I apply finish, I also use the same power wrapper and number of supports when I do my initial finish application. After insuring the the finish has flowed out nicely and is perfect, I will transfer the rod to the dryer with only one or two rod rests for over night drying.

Good luck