After now using the Hitena nylon thread for a couple of months, here are my observations. My comparisons are with my old standby Gudebrod.

1.) It does stretch more,
2.) It is slightly thinner.
3.)It is much more opaque, not nearly as translucent.

This latter characteristic, can be good or bad, depending upon the look you want to achieve. This is especially apparent on a dark blank.

One of the uses of thread is to wrap decals/abolone/etc to be sure it's tight to the blank after many hours. A thread that stretches a lot, wrapped at high tension, is ideal for this function. Probably the D size would be best. But Hitena should be better than threads with less stretch.

Using the small spools I find that on my AmTak wrapper, with the spools being loaded axially by springs to generate tension, they don't generate an even, smooth, tension. This is not unique to Hitena, but it would be nice if this part of the total performance of the thread , were fixed. I can take the labels off, but then cannot identify the thread specs any more.

Michael,
This issue with uneven tension with axially loaded springs on the spools is exactly why I don't and will never use this sort of tension devices for my thread when building rods.

However, if you have a tension system that works for you and your building - then - by all means continue to use it.

A tool that works perfectly for the application is the perfect tool.

Best of luck

Maybe I'll try to cobble my old (Flex Coat ?) tensioner that develops tension by pinching the thread on to the wrapper. I never had uneven tension and never had thread damage. What do you use, Roger?

Michael,
This is the same tensioner that I have used over the years to build hundreds of rods.

I do not use metallic thread for main wraps and use metallic thread only for trim. As a result, when doing trim work, I just snip off a 2 foot piece of thread and use my hand as needed to supply tension for any necessary wraps.

The simple spring tension device uses the same design principle that has been used in sewing machines for as long as sewing machines have been in use and are currently used daily by millions of sewing machines every single day.

Thread drops onto a pin, runs through a guide, to and through the tensioner and then to the rod for wrapping. The rod building bench is a smooth laminate top and the base of the tensioner is nylon which slides smoothly and easily along the top of the bench
The front of the tensioner base simply rests against the back of the wrapper base and moves up and down the wrapper as needed with no interference from anything ever.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

I never use more than one main wrap thread color at a time, so never have had a need to have more than one thread tension device to feed thread to the rod.

The base of the tensioner is a piece of 3/4 inch thick nylon with steel pins inserted into holes drilled into the nylon. the tension leg is supported by a pair of simple right angle stainless steel right angle brackets with a bolt and wing nut to apply tension to the tension leg to set the height of the tension device. I like to have the thread at about the same height -- 5 inches -- as the height of the rod is above the rod bench top. The tension leg is a piece of oak trim cut to size.

I have run about every brand, and size thread through the tensioner with 0 problems with any of the non metallic thread. Just tweak the tension screw a touch if going form a thread diameter of a considerably different diameter than the previous thread.

Just use what is needed to do your job. Nothing more, and nothing less.

By the way, when I build rods, I use a wrapper base with roller bearings on the underside of the base. This allows me to keep my thread stand, motor controls, lights, tools and myself in one place. I stay in one spot and work and as needed just move the rod up and down the rod bench to build and wrap a rod. That way, only one work area, one lighting setup, and one spot to keep and hold all of the necessary tools used during a rod build.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Many years ago, I used 3 smaller tables with table saw board rollers in between the tables to allow me to roll the wrapper back and forth.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

I continued to use the smaller tables and rollers when I went to the current aluminum base before I went to the long rod bench and added the roller bearings to the underside of the aluminum bed. Also, to lock the wrapper bed in place, I also added brakes to stop the bed from moving when wrapping on a particular guide.

[www.rodbuilding.org]




Best of luck

Roger, your tensioner is the either the same flex coat tensioner I used to use or another brand based on the same principals. I only had trouble with metallics a couple times; most of the time it worked fine with metallic thread.