Well, the overwhelming majority use Mike’s method and that is certainly fine; use what you are comfortable with and gets the job done. I suppose that I am so used to adding and dropping threads in the middle of wraps it just seems second-nature to use it for the trim band as well. None the less, I am surprised NO ONE ELSE does it that way.

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

Glad that helped out - it does take a bit more time (maybe 20 seconds?) to get the trim thread and loop positioned, etc., small strips of 1/4" masking tape work well. I also try to position the pull-through loop so the trim thread passes around the rod beyond a full revolution (maybe 1/8" or so), then gently tighten and pull back by hand until it looks good. Two separate trim bands/colors can also be pulled through using the same loop too, same method, just easy does it.

Happy Easter everyone!

Mark, I probably didn't understand it the first time through, will go back and figure it out.

Michael,
It is always easier to understand one’s own description than from someone else. Sorry if I was confusing. The method is simply adding and dropping threads just as if inserting an inlay thread and/or changing colors in the middle of a base wrap. But then, there may be other methods for that as well. The only difference is adding the second color (or base color) after only a few rotations of the first color (or trim color). Hopefully this helps you and possibly others as well. I understand it perfectly LOL.
Inserting an inlay thread is less confusing than changing thread colors due to which side the thread being dropped is on in relation to the other standing (main) thread. All of the following is assuming we are wrapping from left to right. THE THREAD BEING DROPPED MUST BE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE STANDING THREAD, CUT AND SLIPPED UNDER THE STANDING THREAD AND POINTING TO THE RIGHT TO BE WRAPPED OVER AND SECURED. When inserting an inlay thread, it is slid under the standing thread from left to right; this leaves the tag to the right to be wrapped over and secured with the working end to the left. After the desired number of rotations have been made and because the working end of the thread being dropped is already on the left of the standing (main) thread, cut the working thread (the one being dropped), slide it under and to the right of the standing thread and wrap over with a few rotations to secure it and then trim.
When changing colors, as with a trim band to the main wrap, the thread to be dropped is on the RIGHT. Not to worry, there is a simple fix. Let us assume we want a white, two thread trim band with a blue main wrap. You will probably notice the need of taping the tags to the blank. Start the white (trim) thread in the usual crossover fashion and stop after two rotations. Insert the blue (main) thread from left to right under the white trim standing thread while keeping it side by side with the white tag. It is immediately obvious the thread to be dropped (white) is on the right rather than on the left. To correct this and get the white thread on the left side of the blue is very easy. Simply turn the blank one rotation, secure the wrap with one finger, cut the white trim thread, unwind it one turn (it will now be on the left of the main blue thread), slide under the blue thread, secure with a few turns and trim. While it may sound confusing and complicated, it is very easy and straight forward. My attempt to explain may be more confusing than actually doing it.
These are not methods I personally derived but rather quite dominate in all the videos I have watched while learning the craft. I may have tweaked them a bit but fundamentally they are unchanged. That is why I find it so odd no one else does it this way. But then, I suppose it should be equally as odd to have not personally seen the method Mike described either. To each his own, whatever turns your crank!

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

I don't know if it's ok to post a link to a Youtube video. My apologies if it isn't, and of course I'd expect it to be deleted. But this is the video I learned how to do trim bands. I wrap the trim band by hand. I tried the method shown in the video, but I start my main wraps pretty close to the end of the guide foot, and paying attention to the main wrap thread and the trim band thread was just too much for me.

Micheal, I completely get what you're saying about inlays being tougher on the shorter feet of running guides. I've only done them on two of the rods I've built. Both of those rods have 4.5 Fuji L guides as running guides. Man were they a pain.. lol

It was worth it on those particular builds though. They were both on Immortal blanks. I used black for the main wrap, silver metallic for the trim band, and gold metallic for the inlay. The guides have a chrome finish. It really looks sweet with the color of the Immortal blanks.

[www.youtube.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/13/2020 10:49AM by David Baylor.