Wrapping up a couple rods this weekend and am finding still have some trouble once I get out toward the tip of the rod. Any tips/tricks to make this easier? Some of my issues include:
- climbing up the guide foot seems a bit harder (thread wants to double up more and with the micro guides they want to move a bit when holding with surgical tubing)
- sometimes my thread comes loose
- getting things packed well is more difficult especially around locking wraps
- simple trim bands more challenging towards end

Generally been using size A thread.

I'm still new so wondering if any tips I might be missing. Thanks.

Best thing is to provide good support, so if you can, move your supports close together. If not possible, try cobbling a separate support.

If thread is coming loose, not enough tension? Keeping the tip from flexing by better support will keep it from losing tension, so might help here.

On packing, have the right tool. I like the plastic ones that have a surface for burnishing and a sort of sharp edge to help packing.

Nail knot trim bands or trim bands integrated into the wrap? For nail knots, metallics seem to stay tight better than regular thread. I put a drop of CP on the knot before cutting the ends off close which helps to stabilize the nail knot. After it dries, then cut off the ends.

Practice will help. But for me the biggest thing to help wrapping near the end is good support for the tip.

I second adding support near the guide. I have a couple of mobile supports I use for this. A tiny drop of superglue can do wonders if you are struggling. You probably need a little more tension. I use a weighted bobbin for my thread. They make life a lot easier.

Kevin,
Don’t feel rained on; wrapping on the flimsy, flexing tip section of a blank (especially UL) can certainly be frustrating. As Michael stated, additional support is a real blessing, and as far as I am concerned, essential. I fabricated my own and would be lost without it now. Maybe the linked photo will give you ideas for building your own. Good luck! [www.rodbuilding.org]

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

Kevin Fiant Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Wrapping up a couple rods this weekend and am
> finding still have some trouble once I get out
> toward the tip of the rod. Any tips/tricks to
> make this easier? Some of my issues include:
> - climbing up the guide foot seems a bit harder
> (thread wants to double up more and with the micro
> guides they want to move a bit when holding with
> surgical tubing)
> - sometimes my thread comes loose
> - getting things packed well is more difficult
> especially around locking wraps
> - simple trim bands more challenging towards end
>
> Generally been using size A thread.
>
> I'm still new so wondering if any tips I might be
> missing. Thanks.


Remember for the tiptop guide, you don't need thread tension to hold on the guide.

Another vote for better support.

I’d improving support is too difficult, using a thread bobbin is a great work around. It’s slower, but very steady and easy to control.

Depending on how big or long the tip tube is, I’ve put the wheels on the tube of the tip for better support if possible. If not I put the wheels on the blank as close to the wrap as I can without it interfering. It’s definitely one of the trickiest parts to wrap, especially when the blanks are especially light action.

If you are having trouble with the guides on the tip section of the rod moving forward when you are wrapping over the toe of the guide, then place a few wraps of blue painters tape behind the guide or use another piece of your tubing behind the guide. This dam of tape or rubber tubing will prevent the guide from moving forward and make it much easier to wrap. I hold my guides in place using a very narrow and relatively long piece of blue painters tape. I cut these narrow strips (about 1/16” x 2”) using a long bladed pair of scissors. A couple of wraps of tape around the guide foot and a few wraps behind the guide to prevent it from moving. The blue painters tape does not leave behind a sticky residue as does regular masking tape.
Norm

I built a support, just for working near the tip of a rod:

[www.rodbuilding.org]

and:

[www.rodbuilding.org]

The supports were made from a piece of nylon cutting board and pieces of solid fiberglass ice rod fishing blanks.

I simply cut the blanks to desired length and then use a dremel tool with an abrasive cut off dish to create a slot of the required width in the end.

I cut as many supports as needed.

Then, I use a drill bit of a size to provide a nice tight fit to the bottom of any rod blanks that I use for vertical support. I make several holes in the plastic/nylon base to be able to position the rod rests as needed to provide the needed support.

I use these supports with my power wrapper and they work very well to provide soiid tip section support for quick and easy near tip guide wrapping.

Take care

Note:
I fasten the support to the base of the wrapper in a way that works with the wrapper being used.

Thanks for that Roger...I'm thinking I could do something similar with an old arrow, incorporating it into the existing stand.

roger wilson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I built a support, just for working near the tip
> of a rod:
>
> [www.rodbuilding.org]
> p/photo/8278/title/ice-rod-drying-7-double-pole-st
> and/cat/500
>
> and:
>
> [www.rodbuilding.org]
> p/photo/8277/title/ice-rod-drying-6-double-pole-st
> and/cat/500
>
> The supports were made from a piece of nylon
> cutting board and pieces of solid fiberglass ice
> rod fishing blanks.
>
> I simply cut the blanks to desired length and then
> use a dremel tool with an abrasive cut off dish to
> create a slot of the required width in the end.
>
> I cut as many supports as needed.
>
> Then, I use a drill bit of a size to provide a
> nice tight fit to the bottom of any rod blanks
> that I use for vertical support. I make several
> holes in the plastic/nylon base to be able to
> position the rod rests as needed to provide the
> needed support.
>
> I use these supports with my power wrapper and
> they work very well to provide soiid tip section
> support for quick and easy near tip guide
> wrapping.
>
> Take care
>
> Note:
> I fasten the support to the base of the wrapper in
> a way that works with the wrapper being used.

Great idea. I gotta try that, too.

Mark and Roger, I really admire you guys ingenuity. I will definitely have to fabricate something similar. I have just been moving my supports closer together near the tip, but to micro adjust is a real plus.

Roger, I'm liking that little set up you have there. I've just been moving one of my rod stands out to just in front of the tip top, and it's working well, but I like that little deal there. I'm going to have to come up with something like that.

I'm curious? How many actually do a wrap at the tip top itself? When I first started building, I would do a wrap at the tip top, but it was a major pain in the you know what. I stopped doing a wrap at the tip and now just use a dab of finish over the blank / tube interface. Just curious if others do the same?

David,
I always glue on the tip and then wrap the top 1 inch of the blank. However, I stop wrapping when I encounter the tip top.

However, if I happen to have a tip top that is too large - for one reason or another, I will wrap to the tip of the blank and enlarge the diameter of the tip by a single or more layers of wrapping so that the tip top is a nice fit on the wrapped tip.

Take care

With my setup, when I get to the end I drop an adjustable piece of line fr the ceiling that has a loop on the end. I can keep the rod support and the supporting line pretty close together and have just the remaining tip top end sticking out. Frees up a lot of space as well. Works for me.

Chris Catignani Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thanks for that Roger...I'm thinking I could do
> something similar with an old arrow, incorporating
> it into the existing stand.

Yes! Actually, you don't need the arrows unless you have them. You could use anything you want, including wooden dowels I suppose, and just buy the nocks and work them a little if you have to.

the simple solution is to have the tip as close to a support as possible! I n my case with my custom made hand wrapper, I can put the support as close to the tip as I want.

How about this, have a L shaped piece of soft Nylon material that could be supported like Roger's device, but the horizontal portion of the nylon piece could ride in the tiptop ring. That soft nylon material shouldn't bother the ring surface and you are using it only for a very short time under light tension to apply the decorative wrap at the base of the tube, and this device is located beyond the end of the rod to keep it out of the way. Finally like roger said I forever have always wrapped up to the base of the tube, then retrace the wrap direction, adding a pull thru then finishing in a short distance, covering the tube end.

On the 4 piece fly rods I build, I like to use the CRB micro guide bands on the tip section. I just roll a number of them up the blank and place two on each foot of the guide. This really works well on single foot guides. Of course you either have to put the top top on last or slide the bands up the blank before you affix the tip top. Make sure to grind your feet down to get a more gentle slope. I've never met a foot that couldn't benefit from some grinding or sanding.

With the bands, wrap up the foot and then slice off the first band and slide the second one a little more up the foot and slice it off once you get to it. By then the foot is secure. Those bands really hold the feet tightly, much more so than tape on the tip section.

For the other sections I use pre cut 1/8" tape to hold down guides.

Using a bobbin as mentioned above is also a good method.