I am teaching a class of beginner rod builders. They are Disabled Veterans and members of Project Healing Waters. So all their components are purchased by Project Healing Waters. My question is this. For a beginner rod builder what support would be the best? Yes, I know that's a loaded question and there probably is no best answer, but I only have experience with a few like the low-end Mudhole and some that I have built over the years with simple "V" groove supports and spring tension systems. None have been satisfactory for me or my students.
So I defer to you, the experts for advice. Price is a limitation for us, I mean I can't buy a Renzetti for everyone, but the cardboard box configurations are not suitable either. So what would you recommend?
Many thanks.

I believe Mudhole (I'm sure others too) has the "all-in-one" build kits that include all the tools and supplies to build plus your blank and components. I believe in the $200 range, meaning for the price of a rod, you get all the tools and get to build it your self. I thought it was a great way to start (I had to order all my stuff individually, and figure those out, when i started).

John,

I looked at those and yes a really good deal, but for someone who doesn't know if they want to build more than one rod, that's probably more than they want to spend and would leave them with hardware they no longer need or want?

But I am thinking the $10 wrapper might be an option for the one time builder, its a step above the cardboard box approach, but won't break the bank either.

Thanks for your suggestions.

John,
So, you're not looking for a "Rod Lathe" to turn cork - as was indicated in your title.

You're lookig for a "Thread Wrapping" apparatus.

#1 Have them make their own - there are plenty of prototypes to copy.
#2 Some, maybe most, maybe all of us started with the cardboard box and a flytying bobbin poked through the back to tension thread.

Then we had to rotate until finish stopped sagging.
What's wrong with that so they learn the basics.
Herb

Herb,

Yes to the first and yes to the cardboard box. I am seriously considering not providing winding apparatus to my students but instead pointing them to videos on making cardboard box winders. I also have several extra thread bobbins that I can loan to them.

Thanks to everyone.

I agree with Herb when he suggests having them make their own hand wrapper. I built my first 5 or 6 rods using a hand wrapper that I made by simply copying a basic hand wrapper that I saw on Mud Hole, I think it was. If memory serves, and while it was a few years ago, I had less than $25 in materials, but I did have the 1 x 4 I used, already lying around.

Here are a few links of pictures I just took of it. I made the rod dryer using a motor from a broken microwave oven. Making the dryer from new product will up the costs, but as many have said, a rod dryer isn't absolutely essential, as you can simply turn the rod by hand every so often until the guide wrap finish has cured enough not to sag. I used a velcro strap to secure the rod and keep it from spinning backwards if I needed to stop in the middle of a wrap. In the one picture you can see the top of a rod support. That is a stand alone rod stand.

Anyhow ..... as I said, it's very basic, but it did the trick.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

[www.rodbuilding.org]

[www.rodbuilding.org]

As a veteran myself first, thx for your commitment some of our wounded warriors.

When it comes to an intro to rod building, you can do a lot with a couple of vees cut into some scrap wood and a couple of threaded eyes. There's plenty of homemade options out there that mimic some of the more refined "systems' you can buy off the shelf.

Have you considered (and do you have the time) to reach out to a local boy scout troop or high school wood shop teacher and ask for help with achieving your objective? I would suspect either would be willing/able to build a couple of wrapping stands using a napkin sketch.

A lot of builders don't bother auto turing a rod when drying (I'm not one of them). There's plenty of folks that rotate by had every 15 mins or so for the first couple of hours and then let it sit to cure overnight. Depending on the where/when and access to the site you're building, when you get to that step, that's something that might be able to be managed by a single volunteer.

Bottom line is you're heading down an admirable path. I bet others in your communitey would be willing to help. Good Luck!

Quick Edit: for thread management, look into the coffee cup/book method. I'm using a 2 thread CRB pro carrage myself but often times when I have to manage a third spool, I opt for the coffee cup and book a lot of times instead of bothering with unloading and reloading a spool on the carrage I'm coming back to.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/21/2024 12:28PM by Jeffrey Merlino.

John, the all-in-one kits I was referring to on Mudhole for about $200 gives you a finished rod with a value of at least that… so all the equipment included basically ends up being “free”. That said, I have a friend that taught a rod building class locally and he taught people using cardboard boxes and thread spool in a cup with the line going through a phone book for tension. Drying by hand would be a pain, especially since you can make a dryer for less than $20. Tools I found you kind of have to have are reamers and dryers (reamers can be made cheaply too, if you have broken rod blanks to use). A few hundred rods in and I still prefer to wrap using a thread bobbin.

Batson has a reasonably priced hand wrapper. Suitable for smaller builds and fly rods. Let them know it's a Healing Waters project. You may be surprised.