(picture 1) Below is an example of why you should wipe your rodblanks with denatured alcohol before wrapping anything onto them. While your at it, wipe your hands clean with the same stuff. There is nothing worse than discovering the rod you just spent so much time wrapping needs to be rewrapped because of release agents, dust, or oils from your fingers have discolored the threads or caused the epoxy to delaminate and fisheye.
(step 1) First guide on this particular rod happens to fall on a ferrule. This is ok, but you need to adjust your parameters to accomodate the duel purpose of the wraps because of it. I first lay down and am just about finished with white wraps. I've installed the pull through loop and am ready to pull the tag end through. Knowing that my next color will be HT metallic pewter for a couple turns, I take this opportunity to anchor the start of the next thread color by pulling the tag end of the finished white and the start end of the metallic pewter through on the same loop.
(step 2) You can see the end and the start of both threads in this photo.
(step 3) Since this is a two turn thread wrap, I immediately put down another pull through loop. This loop is laid down infront of the first turn. You'll see how this forms an overhand knot of sorts when it is finished. If the loop was placed behind the thread (or underneath the start of the first turn) when you wished to tighten the wraps it would pull the thread and begin to eliminate the banding you've created by shortening the exposed threadwraps. I know that may be unclear, give it a try at and you'll discover how the thread bands disappear as you pull the length of it out during tightening.
(step 4) I've created two turns of thread at this point. I'm ready to put the metallic in the pull through loop and secure the winding.
(step 5) See the overhand knot created? As you pack and pull a little more on the end, you'll tighten this wrap down sufficiently because of it.
(step 6) A quick peek at the top (the part you'll see when fishing) and what the wraps looked like packed up tightly.
(step 7) Time to get rid of all the tag ends.
(step 8) Again, cuticle nippers...a rodbuilders friend! LOL! Get close, but not too close or you'll put yourself back at the starting line.
(step 9) Both the white and the metallic threads cut. Notice the white has sprung back under itself, but the metallic is a little less elastic and there is now a bit of foil to make disappear. Time for a bit of thread manipulation with the knitting needle.
(step 10) How's it look? Not bad huh?
(step 11) At this point you can trust that the thread will stay put through the installation of the guidefoot and next round of threadwraps or using a very fine needle and some CA glue put a dot of super glue on the knot to hold it fast. Be sure not to get any on the nylon threads, if you do they'll turn tranlucent right before your eyes. It is ok to get a little on the blank, it won't hurt anything. If you must err, err on the side away from the white thread.
(step 12) In this photo you can see that the tag end of the metallic thread has been cut. (maybe not as close as I would have preferred) This won't be an issue as the packing will take care of the little bump of thread. Packing is fairly versatile and forgiving of these minor issues.
(step 13) Time for the guide. It has been prepped for installation on top and the bottom of the foot.
(step 14) Tape it down where you want it. Notice I've included a gap for a few thread turns of orange to sit before coming up the tip of the foot. Also, I clean some of the CA glue off the blank when it was sufficiently dry.
(step 15) Do your guide feet sit like this on the blank? If not, manipulate them until they do. We're aiming for even distribution of force along the entire plain of the foot. Any other configuration would dig and/or cause eventual damage to the rodblank surface.
(step 16) A few wraps of orange thread before and then up onto the guide foot.
(step 17) Orange thread packed a bit and more turns being loaded onto the guide. Notice that the tag end is at a diagonal down the side of the blank. You want to maximize the holding power of the wrap by doing this. If the tag end was up closer to the guide foot the wrap may run the risk of loosening due to the tunnel alongside the edge. Something we wish to avoid. Tight wraps! (well not too tight, but tight!LOL!)
(step 18) With enough wraps holding the guide foot down to the blank, the masking tape can be removed. Make sure there are no remnants of glue on the blank from the tape.
(step 19) Wrap a little further up the foot, pack a little more thread, then it is once again time for the pull through loop.
(step 20) Forhan locking wrap executed and the tag end of thread pulled through, but this time I didn't cut it short before the pull through. Why? Notice the gaps on the locking wrap threads, I've got some packing to do which will create slack. The tag end will ge given a few tugs once I take care of the packing to eliminate any of this slack.
(step 21) Now you know what to do with all those cut up credit cards! Great tight quarters packing tools. Especially for the Forhan locking wraps underneath the tail end of the guide foot.
(step 22) Now the wrap is snug and packed. Time to cut the tag end.
(step 23) Goodbye tag end. Wait, still some poking out. Time to pack the threads overtop.
(step 24) Packed and looking good now.
(step 25) How's the view from the top? Not bad! I still need to take care of that bump of metallic thread though. Oh well, next installment!
(step 26) Note pad on "scaling". I drew a photograph to keep tabs on the amount of threads used for each color. As the guide feet get smaller (as I near the tip) I'll adjust the thread wraps down to keep the color relation similiar.
