I am making a rod wrapper. My question is how do I rout the thread from the spool to the row? I took a top to an old rod that I have to keep the tension. Any help would be a big help.

I have the CRB RDS Wrapper. The thread comes off the spool and through the eyelet closest to the spool. Then it goes through the rod tensioner, than back down and through the next two eyelets. Hope that helps.

You don't really need a tension rod to keep tension on the thread when you need to stop winding to pack wraps, or to just leave the rod sit while you go do something else.

When I first started out I used a hand wrapper that I made. I used a thread tension rod, and didn't like it. For me it was just something to get in the way of controlling the thread. I use spool tension to control the tension of my thread. If I need to back up on a wrap I just turn the thread spool backwards as I turn the rod backwards.

Build a "tower" to get the spool at blank level. I don't like the tread rouching ANYTHINg on way to blank.
I use opposed magnets (APEX) to apply tension.
Also, use a piece of elasitcised hem elastic at the top of each tower to create enough friction to allow you to stop wrapping and blank will not rotate backwards.
Herb

Sam,
Limiting, or better yet eliminating, eyes which the thread has to pass through (and rub against) will greatly reduce the dreaded “thread fuzzies”. This is more important if the thread is passing through eyes AFTER the tensioning device, the actual thread tension itself, the wire diameter of the eyes, and the angle of the thread path caused by the eye.
My first thread tray / tensioner design incorporated small SS eyes to route the thread from the tensioned spools to the blank. It is important to me to be able to direct as many as 4 separate threads at once, side-by-side, onto the blank and the final eye enabled me to do so. Not knowing any different, I assumed the fuzzies were typical and simply dealt with them. Additionally, I probably run more tension than most. After using the original design for ~5 years, I decided to eliminate the eyes and fabricated a “V” final pulley and 2 rollers for the outer spools. The result was at least 50% less fuzzies, maybe 75% less!!! [www.rodbuilding.org]
One other thing which I have mentioned on this forum a number of times is the advantage of incorporating a Flex Coat Slip Clutch to keep the blank from backing-up while thread wrapping. The adjustability is priceless and I cannot imagine thread wrapping without one = I’d be lost without mine!!!

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

I'm like David.

I totally agree with Michael and David. While I understand the principle behind a tension rod, I feel it is unnecessary, just plain ol’ in the way as David mentioned, one more possibility to create fuzzies, and another eye to thread the thread through. Also, when wrapping more than one thread at a time, I would think that multiplying the total amount of thread tension created by multiple threads would overload the tension rod. Others may use and like them but they are certainly NOT for me.

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

Sam,
I built this thread holder, guide and tension device when I first started building rods many many years ago.
This holder has never failed me and it has assisted me in building the many many rods over the last years.

The holder simply rests along the back side of the wrapper bed and it moves along as the rod is wrapped.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

This is a picture of the thread holder in use:

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Thank you all for your direction I must go. Tomorrow I will rework my system. The secret is keep it simple. I can't thank everyone for the guidance.