This post is to serve two purposes; 1.) Offer my rod wrapper powerhead for sale to someone in need, and 2.) Admittedly show off a bit with my new powerhead, chuck and live center fabricated to fit my existing self-built rod wrapper of which I am quite proud. Please find photos under Equipment and Tools, Mark’s Wrapper Upgrade.
The old powerhead has served me well since I started wrapping 4 years ago. I designed it to be as small and light as possible (3.5 X 4 X 6in / 2.1lbs) including the .25in thick aluminum mounting plate. The small, 12VDC gearmotor is adjustable from 0-150 RPM, reversible and is widely available on the internet. While the speed controller is admittedly a bit touchy, to get a perfect speed controller, one needs to spend $150.00 as I found out building my upgraded system. There is a small, switchable cooling fan although I discovered it is not required. Included is the power supply from 110VAC to 12VDC and an adaptor on the output shaft to accept any .25in ID accessory such as a FlexCoat slip-clutch. The unit is perfect for thread wrapping as well as applying and curing finish. I have actually performed minor cork shaping with it because I had nothing else, but that is expecting an awful lot from the motor.
I have been building my own grips for a couple years and am wearing-out-my-welcome using my buddy’s metal and wood lathes. The time had come to upgrade my wrapper to also be a lathe. Many may argue that turning/sanding operations should be kept away from wrapping operations and I will certainly not disagree for obvious reasons. However, while I have limited shop space, I have an abundance of compressed air, vacuum ability and I am not a volume rod builder. I decided what was expected from the upgrade and while comfortable with my fabrication abilities, realized I needed help with the electronic aspect/design; enter Roger Wilson. Besides being a retired Electrical Engineer, he possesses a passion for it and “making machines” as he terms it as well. His passion and knowledge produced the perfect electrical circuitry; all I had to do was mount it all in my enclosure. By combining our attributes, the end product is a very efficient power wrapper/lathe; variable speed from 0-2500 RPM for turning/sanding, variable speed for wrapping/epoxy finishing from 0-300 RPM, direction reversibility, and choice of controlling the speed from the panel (turning/finishing) or the foot petal (thread wrapping). While Roger’s expertise is by design and hidden inside the box, I made certain his contribution and name appeared on the outside as well. Roger came through with flying colors and I could not be happier. You are the best, Roger, and thanks a million!!!
From the get-go, I insisted on the ability to pass the tip-end of the blank through the chuck and headstock, chucking it just forward of the grip and utilizing a live-center in the butt of the blank while shaping the grip (as seen in the photo); this is the most accurate method of producing concentric grips. The easily removable blank support/roller brace to the left of the headstock was fabricated to accommodate the need to eliminate rod-whip while turning at 2500 RPM.
Being a self-inflicted fabricator, I get as much enjoyment and satisfaction from fabricating things for my rod building (and other) endeavors as building the actual rods themselves. While some may view the text and photos here to be as egotistical, I would rather hope it sparks the imagination of many of you to consider the endless avenues available to make our rod building efforts more proficient, pleasing and possibly even more profitable.

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

Very impressive Mark!!!! You are very talented. And your right about Roger he is a great guy as he has helped me out several times this year with some ice rods.
Rick

You are very talented, Mark. Everything looks outstanding.

Rick and Bruce,
Thank you for, and I appreciate, the compliments. I hope someone out there can use and adapt my old powerhead to their hand wrapper. As stated earlier, it has served me well, especially when used in conjunction with a slip clutch. With the adjustable tension/drag of a slip clutch, I utilize the benefits for not only applying finish but thread wrapping as well.

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

I LOVE your "electronics box" with the "Forward / Reverse" and "Panel or Pedal" option! The very first time I started wrapping, those were the 2 things I wish my unit had.

Excellent work!

Tony,
Thank you for, and I appreciate, your compliment as well. I could not agree with you more concerning the reversibility and switching between speed control from either the panel or petal; both are very important yet overlooked by most rod builders and manufacturers of power wrappers as well. Reversibility not only affords thread wrapping in either direction (my wraps dictate wrapping from down in front to over the top and back, opposite of many) but I also discovered long ago how much better the sanded finish is if performed in both directions (which has been verified by Morris Schlesinger). While the petal (mine is spring loaded because I stand while wrapping) is required for thread wrapping, it is of little use and even down-right awkward while turning/ shaping/sanding. Roger Wilson performed a brilliant job of adjusting the panel/petal circuits with appropriate resistors and potentiometers to produce an absolutely perfect speed controller; admittedly over my head and hence his employment. The end-product is wrapper which can thread wrap or apply/cure finish at 0-300 RPM or turn/ shape/ sand grips at 0-2500 RPM WITHOUT THE NEED TO CHANGE THE BELT!!! I was prepared to employ a step pulley, but Roger’s design eliminated the need to do so. I could not be happier!
I am surprised more rod builders fail to recognize (or do not insist of) the benefits of the ability to reverse the direction of their power wrappers. It may simply be due to the main-stream manufacturers only employing single-direction, AC motors. As a novice rod builder 4 years ago, I noticed the benefits and built my power wrapper to conform and take advantage.
I think I will start a new topic/survey on the preferred wrapping direction employed by all of you, but, additionally, WHY. I have a curious mind and would like to know, especially as to why.

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