My solution to having tape readily available while wrapping guides is so simple, many of you may already employ it. Although simple, it has been an immense help to me without the need to grow another hand.
For starting simple guide wraps, many rod builders simply hold the initial end of thread after a few rotations, cross the first rotation over the second and make a few turns to lock it in place, no tape required. It is quick, easy and very effective. However, my wraps tend to be a bit more involved with starting and dropping threads within the wrap, often within the span of a micro guide foot, where taping the ends are a necessity. While tape holding machines are convenient, there are times when even 1/8in tape is too wide and then finding the end which is stuck down on the blank to remove it is cumbersome if not downright aggravating. Inspect my solution to see if it might assist you as well.
You will need a piece of plastic approximately 2 X 6in, mine is 1/2in thick for a bit of weight stability but thinner will suffice, 1in wide common masking tape and a razor blade. Fold a 6in length of tape over on itself lengthwise to produce an approximately 1/8in edge which has no sticky exposed. This will end up being an easy, loose end to grasp. You will find attempting to use a strip of tape longer than 6in will make it difficult to fold over the edge thinly. Stick the strip of tape on the piece of plastic with the folded over edge toward the edge of plastic. Use the razor blade to cut across the tape strip from the single layer side to the doubled over edge to whatever width desired. I do not concern myself with cutting the strips precisely as varying widths can actually be beneficial at different times while wrapping. Being the cheap sort I am, I reuse the strips by sticking them on the edge of my thread tray which is even easier than plucking them from the plastic. You may find folding the edge of the tape over a bit difficult at first but it can be quickly mastered with a little patience and practice.
The end result is quite a few, precut strips of tape which are easily plucked from the plastic with one hand and just as easily removed from holding a tag end of thread on the blank with one hand as well due to the folded-over end. This is simply a humble attempt to repay all of those who have assisted me so much. I hope it will help many of you as much as it has helped me.
If you care to do so, see “Mark’s thread fixture” under “Tread art” in the photo section.

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

Sorry, the caption in the photo section should read “Tape fixture” rather than “Thread fixture”, but then you probably figured it out.

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

Mark,
Your system works.

I also have a very simple system.
I normally use 1/4 and 1/8th inch wide tape to mark guide locations and to tape guides in place.

I just take my roll of tape and pull off sections of tape of a suitable length for each application and then, just stick the end of the tape to the metal base of my power wrapper. I make a point to not get any skin oil from my fingers on the tape after the first piece of tape.

i.e. I take the end of the tape, touch it to the base and then snip off an appropriate amount of tape. I use this system so that if I grab the free end of the tape off of the base and then use the end of the tape that was stuck to the metal base down to the blank at first. there will be no skin oil on the end of the tape that is first used to adhere the tape to the blank.

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If a person grabs the end of the tape and then puts that end that you had just grabbed down on the blank, there is a 50:50 chance that the tape will not stick due to skin oil on the end of the tape.

But, use the system that works for you and your building needs.

I have a weighted stand behind my power wrapper on which I drop the tape roll when not using it. This keeps the tape rolls close and convenient to use.

Be safe

Roger, thank you for your veteran input. I agree with your comment regarding skin oil but will add dirt as well, both of which can also introduce smudges on the thread. By always grabbing the folded over end of my precut tape strips, oil and dirt contamination is vastly reduced.

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

Mark

I have adopted this method.

[www.youtube.com]

go to ~5:30

Seems to work well for me

Steve

Steve,
Thank you for the input. I have not seen that method of holding the initial loose end of the thread. It appears to work well, at least for a single thread wrap. I wonder how effective it would be when adding and dropping threads where multiple tags require taping at the same time and at different places around the blank. I may give it a shot.

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.