For some reason my wraps on the guides keep coming undone. I am locking them from the start with 4-6 wraps and then doing the same at the end, pulling it back through with pull string. They always come loose from the pull through end, I dont get it. Using Fuji thread, size D. I built recurve bowstrings and servings for years, never had any issues, this is a simple process but apparently I am not doing something right. Seems to happen more towards the tip end of the blank. Could too much tension cause this. I know it gets a little tighter when I get to the small end of the blank. Do you guy's readjust the tension on the thread as you move down the rod? Thank you.

Keith Langford

Keith, 4 to 6 wraps at the pull through may not be enough, especialy for D thread..i like to pull through and leave one inch of tag and apply CP before moving on to wrap the next guide and repeat..let CP dry ovenight and trim tags the next day..the long tags won,t get bumped loose as your working down the rod..

Where do you place your pull through loop? I have found the loop needs to either on the guide foot or 180 degrees from the guide foot to ensure good tension on the tag end. Along the edges of the guide foot the thread will be slightly raised up from the blank especially the last four to six wraps. Often referred to as the tunnel of the guide foot. Very possible that there is no contact on the tag end from the guide wrap if the tag is in the tunnel.I like to do my loop on the guide foot on spinning rods and 180 degrees from the guide foot on casting. So the pull through is on the bottom of the rod. Granted almost no one would ever notice, and there is not much to notice anyways, but any slight imperfection from the pull through and trimming the tag end is not as visible.

Pull-thru should be put in about 5 yo 7 wraps from the end. Make sure to rotate the tag end so that it is away from the guide foot tunnels, preferably opposite (180 degrees) from the foot.

..........

Keith,
Any particular reason that you are using D sized thread? Unless you are building really big and heavy salt water rods, one normally never needs to use thread that is heavier than A sized thread.

The smaller thread locks much better and easier with fewer locking wraps.

But, any time that I am having an issue such as yours, I will increase the number of locking wraps to at least 10 and then, I have never had an issue.

Best wishes.

loose ?? just could it be to loose on your wrap ?? do you have a spring of some type to hold your thread in place . lots of builders don't use a spring for tension , but I found it helps in my building
if not sure what I mean, Mud hole has them on there rod wrapping sections , made mine out of a old hack saw blade

William Sidney
AK

Just get more than 6 wraps over and it should stay. Fuji thread is a polyester and most of your other wrapping threads are nylon. Polyester thread does not stretch as much as nylon. For me it is easier to use nylon because of the stretch, but because polyester thread does not have the same elasticity, you have to apply different techniques to use it optimally. The tension will need to be adjusted with it having more travel with polyester. With the nylon, because of the stretch, you do not need as much travel. When I say "travel" I mean a way to hold tension on a greater length of the line.

Thanks guys, I always put my pull through 180 from the guide, probably just not enough wraps, I redid the one that came loose this morning and used 8 wraps and had no problem. Roger I went to D size thread because I was having a hard time getting the A to jump up on the guide foot, so D was suggested. this was the first time using the D and only my 4th rod build overall.What really @#$%& me off was the wrap came undone as I was applying the finish so i had a mess. All good now and the rod has been in the dryer since 9 am. I am getting ready to wrap my 5th rod this evening. i made my own cork handle and butt for these two spinning rods I am building now and I must say they turned out great, really proud of the way they look, would never know that I have only turned these two in my life. Owe it all to this forum.

Keith Langford

There is no problem using D thread, it does wrap easier with less crossovers and gaps. Once you put finish on it you will have a hard time telling the difference between it and size A thread. There is really no difference in weight or strength per distance wrapped between the two, if so, it’s measured in microgram differences. I also place my tie off loop in early and never pull the thread all the way through the wrap, but rather pull the tie off loop up snug to the wrap trim the tag end close to the loop, and then pull the loop through. This leaves the tag under the wrap with no further nubs to be trim later.
Norm

Couple of suggestions.

One, more tension on the wraps might be indicated. You want you wraps tight enough that you can just manage to move a guide that is out of alignment. It should be hard to do but not impossible.

Two, 4 wraps isn't enough. Unless it is a trim band, or something where you don't have a choice, go with 7 minimum.

Three, as you just pull the thread under under the rod.....pinch the thread with your finger to hold it in place.....and try pulling through at a 45 degree angle rather than a 90 degree.....this way you have a little longer tag end under the wrap.

Four, pull through opposite guide foot. Kudos to Michael if he can keep it all right on top of the guide foot but I'm not even going to try....and besides I do it at an angle. That said I admit to my tag ends being visible sometimes but I'm only building for me, so no picky customers.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

More thread tension . When I pull my tag through I do it at a 45 degree downward angle .I've done as little as two wraps and as many as five .

I am not a pro and build only for myself and a friend or two .



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/20/2020 07:49PM by ron zimmerman.

If you are having problems going onto the guide foot, it likely the guide foot is not prepared properly!. The end of the foot should be fine, almost razor like, so there is no resistance to climing up! A little bit of work on the feet will do it1

A lot of folks do 0 guide foot preparation.

However, I do as Phil suggests: i.e. I thin the end of the guide foot to a near razor thinness to allow the thread to move onto the guide foot with minimal effort. Also, when I sand the foot, I use a belt sander - sanding perpendicular to the guide foot. This results in perpendicular scratches across the face of the guide foot which provide a touch of grab that precludes the thread from slipping off the foot. I generally use about 150 to 220 grit sanding belt.

For example:

[www.rodbuilding.org]


I use a 30 inch belt sander from Harbor freight: [www.harborfreight.com]

I use a belt sander like the one listed above for all sorts of jobs around the rod shop, as well as around the house and garden. Preps guide feet. Sharpens knives and box cutters. sharpens screw drivers and saw blades. Cleans up some types of wood products and or carvings.

Best wishes

The prep may be my issue with getting it to transition on the guide, I have done nothing to any of the guides I have wrapped, all Fuji titanium guides. After increasing the tension a little and using more wraps I think I have solved the issue of them coming loose. I applied finish this morning, used Hitina, really liked it, have 2 more rods ready to wrap today, i will try to prep the guides and see what happens. Thank you all as usual.

most of the time just taking the paint off the tip with a nail file does the trick..