Some may wonder, as a rodbuilder, with a rodbuilding business, why I would want to put up a instructional on how to build rods for the public to see?!

There is a simple answer... I'd rather you knew how to properly build a rod than go about it wrong. In the end, you'll waste a ton of time and produce a product that you're not happy with in both form and function. Dare I say a product that is outclassed by a factory rod? (No, I don't dare! LOL!) And, maybe after seeing the steps that are taken by an experienced craftsman, you'll realize why professional, handcrafted, custom rod builders command the build investments that we do.

(note: these are the steps I use to wrap single color guides. You may wish to experiement to find those steps that accomplish the same, but are uniquely yours)



(step one) With the blank wiped clean off all contaminents, secure the properly prepped and shaped guide foot to the blank. Spiral the thread from the back to the front of the guide foot. These thread windings will be under the wraps we apply when we reverse the direction in the next step.

(step two) Now the crossover to lock the threads in. The position of the crossover point is between about 5-8 thread wraps out from the tip of the ramp on the head of the foot and is in line with the foot so as to not distract from the aesethics of what you eventually see on the top side when fishing.

(step three) Here I continue the locking overwraps to secure the thread.

(step four) I have five wraps ontop and I am ready to do a little packing and tightening of the wrap I've created thus far.



(step five) Using a knitting needle I pack the threads while pulling slight tension on the tag end dangling out from underneath the overwraps.

(step six) I apply a few more wraps to really secure the tag end before cutting.

(step seven) Using cuticle nippers, I trim the tag end off and discard the thread.

(step eight) Tag end gone and the thread is beginning to ramp up the guide foot.



(step nine) I'm continuing the wraps, packing with the knitting needle as needed, up the guide foot.

(step ten) At this point, I've got enough wraps securing the guidefoot to the blank that I don't need the masking tape anymore. It has been removed.

(step eleven) Time to insert the pull loop that will secure the final leg of the wraps upon completion. I tend to do this about 8-10 wraps of the thread out so as to make sure the tag end gets locked down well.

(step twelve) Ok, at this point I've run out of winding room on the guide foot. You could stop here, but I don't. Many of us use Rich Forhan's Locking Wrap to be extra sure that the guides stay put for many years to come. It takes a little more learning, a little more time, and a little more finese....but you should expect nothing less. Learn this technique and your one step further away from "amateur" status. LOL! Ok, there are a ton more steps to becoming professional, but I need to coach your ego, right?!



(step 13) This wrap involves two windings (like a normal lock wrap would require) behind the guide foot.

(step 14) Then the fun begins! The third time around, the thread goes underneath and behind the guide foot and than wraps on top...

(step 15) Notice the thread is wrapping around the guidefoot at this step and will transition back underneath...

(step 16) Now underneath and around the guidefoot it will travel around the blank as you normally would wrap. Cross sectioned the wrap looks like a figure eight around the blank and around the guide foot.

(step 17) You can now see the thread is headed in the same direction of our usual wraps and will come back around...

(step 18) We've travel 360 at this point.



(step 19 & 20) We're going to do this figure eight wrap one more time.

(step 20.5) NOT SHOWN, do two more wraps directly on the blank to bookend the forhan wraps then proceed to step 21

(step 21) Now, carefully cut the thread from the spool and keep tension. Insert it through your pull through loop and prepare to secure the tag end.

(step 22) Keeping tension inline with your wraps, pull the tag loop until is tight and just about entering under the last thread wrap.

(step 23) Cut the tag end about a 1 -2 mm short of the pull through loop and last thread wrap. (note, in this picture, I would have favored a slightly longer tag end. I cut it closer than usual)

(step 24) The tag end has been pulled through. Using your packing tool make sure to move the thread windings around to cover the tag end and eliminate any exposed frazzled ends.



In the photos above, you can see how the threads should appear when you've properly packed and arranged them. Also, you get a sense of the how the Rich Forhan Locking Wrap looks when properly executed.

I apologize that I didn't take photos of the tag end when packed underneath. It looks identical to the tag end hidden under the overwraps at the beginning of the guidewraps (pictured).

Hope you enjoyed this instructional! Next up will be trimbands and decorative guide wrapping. Since I'm merely photographing the step by step process of the Spring Fed Float Rod III - Dan Craft Edition's construction that I'm building for myself, I've got alot to share with you over the next week.

Dj

Again, good job! Many people don't fully understand how to prperly do a true Forhan wrap. I do them on all spinning rods and on a lot of fly rods. I think they are worth doing.

Mike

Thanks DJ....I have been doing three wraps instead of two...could this be overkill?

Thanks for sharing your secrets!!!

Chris Donato

Very nice tutorial. Thanks

I honestly can't say whether three is overkill or better than two. Can you get the three wraps to pack in and look nice? If yes, than I'm sure that's fine. I use two and have yet to have a guide pop free.

The Forhan locking wrap is especially important when using Recoil guides. Because of their metalurgy and the amount of inherent flexibility, I could see them producing more of an issue with wiggling free than standard guides of any metal type.

Tight wraps and tight lines!

Dj

Very nice, thanks for sharing the photos.

Super Job, Dominic

Nice tutorial. Very well presented and nice photos. You put a lot of time in it.



I use REC Recoil single guides almost exclusively and do not use the Forhan locking wrap. I just do two or three regular wraps and then tie it off. To date I have not had a guide loosen or come off.

I am only presenting another view of it.
Brian

Allways understood that a Forhan wrap wasn't anything more then just continuing the wrap for about five turns after the guide foot was wrapped . Thanks for clearing that up.

Karel

See. I told ya. Many people think the same thing! The Forhan wrap was designed for bass rods for tournament fisherman. I may be wrong, but I believe that is what I read.

Mike

You are correct. Rich Forhan primarily builds for tournament bass fisherman. And his "forhan wrap" is one wrap past the guide, three around the foot as above, and three more to trim it out. I was told this by Rich himself.

I can't tell you how much I appreciated this tutorial. Being a very beginning rod builder, I need all the help I can find. From the pictures, it looks like a single foot guide. Would you (or can you even) use the second loop with a double foot guide? Thanks again for the pictures and simple explanations.

Gorlow-

Wouldn't need too. Double foots are locked in by their very nature.

Glad I could help out by providing this tutorial.

Dj