While we are on the subject of the Pac Bay RW-3L this is not a problem so much as an idea I had while wrapping my latest 7'2" build. As any of us know that own the Pac Bay RW-3L It is touted as a having a 8 ft aluminum base. What it doesn't say is that after you put chuck on it that significantly changes. As in my case I have an ALPS heavy duty three jaw chuck. Once you put a seven foot rod on it with a butt cap you can hardly wrap the last guide

Now the craze is 7'2" and 7'3" which changes the rules dramatically . Pac Bay sells a 32inch extension which is way overkill and expensive , I have asked at the ICRBE why not a 12 in or a 14 inch extension. My question fell on deaf ear for way to many years. Yes I could pay a machine shop to cut it but WHY?

Here is something i have done on the 7'2's . The rod base is offset on the mounting frame almost an inch. So on my last guide I merely turn it around backwards and gain about an inch which is quite doable.

[www.rodbuilding.org]


The other alternative is turning the rod around on the lathe and wrapping the tip guides back in the base section

I moved my Alps chuck back to the edge of the base and added an aluminum bracket extension to the end of the base to hold the motor base. Simple and cheap update. I used aluminum angle from Lowes to make the extension.

Duplicate MSG



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/22/2022 01:59PM by Steve Hatch.

Tom,
There is another pretty simple solution to your issue.

Just fabricate a 2 foot extension - on which you mount your head stock and motor.

One generally doesn't have any thing going on with the first couple of feet from the butt cap on a rod that requires the use of a wrapper.


Best wishes

roger wilson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tom,
> There is another pretty simple solution to your
> issue.
>
> Just fabricate a 2 foot extension - on which you
> mount your head stock and motor.
>
> One generally doesn't have any thing going on with
> the first couple of feet from the butt cap on a
> rod that requires the use of a wrapper.
>
>
> Best wishes


Roger, THANKS, that is the most practical and economic way of fixing this issue. So long as I get the ALPS chuck mounted firmly on the base.

Tom,
Just to share a picture:

[www.rodbuilding.org]

A few years ago, I had decided to replace the wrapper bed. I found a 10 foot long piece of 2x4 aluminum channel that I used for the base. I had a friend with a Mill to mill slots in the top surface of the channel to mount rod rests, as well as holes to mount the motor.

Since my head stock - including the motor underneath the head stock is only 6 inches long, I use only that much length of the wrapper bed.
With my back issues, I do not stand doing any jobs. As a result, I installed rollers in the form of high quality skate board bearings to allow the wrapper bed to roll back and forth in front of my work station with tools, thread, light and misl items. I also installed brakes on the wrapper bed, so that when I work on a particular guide, I roll the bed into position, set the brakes and complete the word. Then, retract the brakes, roll to the next guide position and complete the work at that guide location.

This means that I do not move myself, the foot pedal, the control box, nor the lights, tools or anything else. The only thing that is moving is the wrapper bed, motor, chuck and rod.

Just another way to get the job done.

roger wilson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tom,
> Just to share a picture:
>
> [www.rodbuilding.org]
> p/photo/16981/title/power-wrapper-bed-with-rollers
> -and-brakes/cat/508
>
> A few years ago, I had decided to replace the
> wrapper bed. I found a 10 foot long piece of 2x4
> aluminum channel that I used for the base. I had
> a friend with a Mill to mill slots in the top
> surface of the channel to mount rod rests, as well
> as holes to mount the motor.
Since my head stock - including the motor
> underneath the head stock is only 6 inches long, I
> use only that much length of the wrapper bed.
> With my back issues, I do not stand doing any
> jobs. As a result, I installed rollers in the
> form of high quality skate board bearings to allow
> the wrapper bed to roll back and forth in front of
> my work station with tools, thread, light and misl
> items. I also installed brakes on the wrapper
> bed, so that when I work on a particular guide, I
> roll the bed into position, set the brakes and
> complete the word. Then, retract the brakes, roll
> to the next guide position and complete the work
> at that guide location.
>
> This means that I do not move myself, the foot
> pedal, the control box, nor the lights, tools or
> anything else. The only thing that is moving is
> the wrapper bed, motor, chuck and rod.
>
> Just another way to get the job done.

Very interesting and informative Roger. Isn't it amazing given a challenge what you can do to overcome it. Great idea on the rollers and the brakes. A bit off topic but my best friend lost the use of his right arm very early in life. He says I am not handicapped just a bit impaired. When my wife passed he offered to go the ICRBE with me since he knew how much We liked going there. On the return trip home he said, you now what Tom i think I would like to make a fishing rod !!! So we worked on a plan and if you could see his work with only one hand, and how he mastered the craft, you would be amazed. He showed Billy Vivona his decretive cross warp at the show, Billy was amazed. It took him ten hours and one thread at a time but he did it without any help from me.

Tom

Tom, I know exactly what you're talking about with the head stock taking up usable bed space. The way I get around it is, I have my base sections attached to two pieces of 1 5/8" aluminum unistrut. If I need more usable bed space, I just pull out the screws that are attaching the base section with the chuck on it, and spread the sections about 5 inches apart, then reattach the base to the unistrut.

It may not look all nice and professional, but it costs nothing, and is easy to do. I do it after I've wrapped the butt or stripper guide to avoid any potential problem with positioning the rod stand.

David Baylor Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tom, I know exactly what you're talking about with
> the head stock taking up usable bed space. The way
> I get around it is, I have my base sections
> attached to two pieces of 1 5/8" aluminum
> unistrut. If I need more usable bed space, I just
> pull out the screws that are attaching the base
> section with the chuck on it, and spread the
> sections about 5 inches apart, then reattach the
> base to the unistrut.
>
> It may not look all nice and professional, but it
> costs nothing, and is easy to do. I do it after
> I've wrapped the butt or stripper guide to avoid
> any potential problem with positioning the rod
> stand.


David, that is an excellent idea. So simple yet so effective, I am going to give that a try.........Thanks

Tom

Tom, glad I could provide an alternative suggestion to what others have offered. Since my bed sections are screwed to the unistrut I didn't need to use the connecting straps for the bed sections, so it's super simple to do.

Thus far I haven't had to move a rod stand across the gap when applying finish, but if needed, we know how easy that would be.