Hi finally back after a long sickness. I'm ready to take the big jump to a rod lathe, I want to make cork handles and maybe do some fancy wraps. I am completely lost in all the late and grate wrappers and lathes and wonder if someone can help, Renzetti is just tooooo much and wonder what is best just below that. Nick R.

Nicholas,
Most folks find that although you may use a power wrapper for shaping grips, that really the best idea is to pick up a wood lathe for that purpose.

Then, keep your wrapper dedicated to doing wraps only.

But, as always, it is your choice.

Best wishes

roger wilson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Nicholas,
> Most folks find that although you may use a power
> wrapper for shaping grips, that really the best
> idea is to pick up a wood lathe for that purpose.
>
>
> Then, keep your wrapper dedicated to doing wraps
> only.
>
> But, as always, it is your choice.
>
> Best wishes
X2. Turning grips make a lot of dust and debris that is better done separate from your rod wrapping. You don't want a lot of dust or the potential for dust where you will be applying epoxy. I would look at a Pac Bay or Alps wrapper with the dryer motor next to the wrapper motor where you can change the belt from one pulley to another. The Alps upgrade chuck and pulleys are really nice so if you fork out a little extra now you won't have to do it later. [www.getbitoutdoors.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/04/2019 01:14AM by Lance Schreckenbach.

I built rods for many years in a single room and did all my handle shaping and sanding on the same lathe-wrapper I used for assembly, wrapping and finishing. Unless you are sanding at the same time you are finishing, dust isn't much of a problem. Airborne dust is the enemy, not simply dust or debris elsewhere. The reality is that many builders do not have space for separate areas or funds for separate lathe and wrapping machine. If you're one of those, don't worry - you can make it work with a single machine in a single space.

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

I do the sanding outside on my rod wrapping lathe then blow it clean with the air compressor before bringing it back inside.

As for the best lathe for the $ the Alps has the best headstock but I like the thread tensioner that puts pressure on the spool not the thread like my Pac Bay. The new CRB headstock upgrade from Mudhole looks promising.

David,
I read and understand your comment about the use of tension devices that put tension on the thread spool; however, this is one thing that I really don't like at all.

My main reason is that if there are labels on the thread and or as the size of the spool changes, the thread tension changes.

Rather, I have used a tension device that puts tension on the thread, that is identical t the millions of sewing machines around the world every day that make millions of articles of clothing. Thread, is thread, is thread.

However, I will also acknowledge that a tension device of this sort does not work for metallic thread. As a result, I never use any tension device when I am using metallic thread for wrapping. I just snip off a length of metallic thread that I will be using for a trim band and tension it by hand.

Just different strokes for different folks.

Good luck

Great topic.

Our tension devices are of the sort that Roger Wilson prefers, except we have recently added a set of teflon washers that work even with the metallic threads. This makes for a smooth consistent tension on any thread, without incident.

Also, we offer a top quality rod wrapper that features a top quality USA made direct drive motor that needs no belt drive and can be stopped and manually reversed instantly and with no adjustment. Our original Self Adjusting Chuck will hold and self adjust to various sizes with a simple twist. It also works as a great guide alignment tool. This is an OEM Power Wrapper that is built to last with ergonomics in mind.

We believe in a dust free wrapping and finishing area so we offer our Cork Lathe Setup that uses an inexpensive drill (which you may already have) and is easily set up and taken down and stored in a box or drawer. Take it outside on a picnic table to avoid a mess in your rod shop. Here is a link to the video with nearly 1 million views:
[flexcoat.com]

This equipment is manufactured and assembled by hand in the USA, infact much of it by me.

Thanks for the discussion.

Flex Coat Company
Professional Rod Building Supplies
www.flexcoat.com

Nicholas,
I do sand at my wrapping station on grips when I am finishing the rod. Usually just to detail sand the grip a little or after using filler. I have an old vacuum cleaner that the roller quit working on, but it still has suction for the hose and attachments. This is a good use for those old vacuums that the roller and belt finally gives out and arn't worth repairing. I clean up everything with that so it stays clean. There is just a lot of dust generated when turning grips and I think it is best done away from where you wrap, if you have the space. The motors on the rod wrappers have enough RPM to shape grips but they are weaker than the ones on a lathe.
Lance

I do all my grip work and sanding on my power wrapper as well. I just don't have the space to do otherwise. It's not that hard to clean up well enough to not have a problem with getting dust in any of my finishing.

Lance makes a great point about the power of a rod wrappers motor, versus that of a lathe. I've you're going to do any real heavy shaping, a lathe of some sort would be a good idea. If it's just going to be general shaping and not a LOT of it, then I would think a rod wrapper would be fine. Personally I have a Pac Bay wrapper with the upgraded Alps chuck. I love it. But the equipment John spoke of sounds pretty darn sweet as well.

As for a thread tensioner, I am going to be looking into the type that Roger and John spoke of. I'm currently using the Pac Bay carriage where the tension is on the spool. And I like it, but as Roger said, as the spool diameter goes down, the thread tension increases. It's not that big of a deal to adjust it, but it can be a little tricky. Before I look for a different type of tensioner, I'm going to be ordering some rare earth magnets from one of the sponsors on the left, and see if those may work a little better. If not I'll be looking at the flex coat tension device that John mentioned.

I think you're gonna like the magnets.

I agree with Roger on this. I turned a few cork grips on my Alps wrapper, then bought a small lathe. It works so much better, if you have the funds to get one.
Got this one on sale at Amazon, $325 with free shipping.
[www.amazon.com]

Beware though. I have more money in chucks, centers, mandrels, etc, that I have in the lathe. Look into pricing on all those items before making the decision. Know what you're getting into ahead of time.

As far as dust goes, my lathe is in the same small space as my wrapper. I have no choice in the matter. I use a shop vac with a variety of end pieces on the hose as a dust collector. I do not turn grips while wrapping a rod. I turn and fit the grips, glue them onto the blank and then clean up.

Vacuum everything, and then run a free standing hepa filter, large enough for four times the space I have, for 24 hours before doing any thread or epoxy work. That eliminates a dust problem.

Gary,
10-4 on the cost of lathe accessories that will be purchased to make it really functional for many different uses.

I am sure that I have more in chucks, tail stocks and accessories than I have in the rest of the lathe.

But, I am more than happy that I have every one of these tools to be able to do the job/s that I wish to do on and with the aid of the lathe.

Best wishes.

I have been kicking around a separate lathe then I realized I just don't have the real estate available so I picked up an Alps chuck and tailstock. I setup a shop vac while sanding to help collect the mess and that helps immensely. We all wish we had the facilities to have one of everything but in reality some of us have the room for just one thing. Good luck

I will have to try the new tensioner with Teflon washers