When wrapping a double foot guide I have no problem with the 1st foot going up the guide but when I get to the other foot going down the edge of the slope is giving me a headache... on the last few wraps the thread wants to pop all the way down to the blank instead of following the previous wrap. (does that make sense?) I have tried less tension , more tension, etc. with the same results. I can turn the blank around and go up the ramp on the same foot just fine but that is a pain so I guess I am missing something I have beat the search function to death and haven't found anything so now I have to ask for help.

Thanks,
Jeff

No, I think you stumbled onto the solution, you go the other way. I've learned to wrap both directions, from the left and from the right, but on my first few rods, I stopped, turned the section around, and proceeded to wrap. When there are several guides on the same section, I used to wrap all the lower ends and then turn the blank around to warp all the upper ends. There's not much danger of knocking the 1/2 wrapped guides loose, just be careful.

Hey Jeff. Newbie here, too. I was taught to wrap 'up' the foot - probably for the very reason that you're having difficulty. Like phg said, learning to wrap in both directions is easy and something to practice on.
If you think about it - the thread is dropping off of the foot and onto the blank because there's nothing there to support it. Kinda like trying to build a rock wall on a slope with no footing.

Wrap up the foot. Make sure the ends of the feet are dressed down to make a smooth transition from the blank to the foot. I wrap both feet on a guide. Able to work either direction.

Yep, up the foot -- just turn the rod around in your wrapping stand and wrap up just like you did the other side. The only time that I wrap down a foot is on the hookkeeper where I like to make a solid wrap from the beginning of one foot, through the middle, and then down the other side. That being said, if you're having issues with the thread jumping off the guide foot down to the blank you might also take a look at your guide prep. You might be able to get a smaller step from the blank to the end of the guide foot, making it easier for the thread to stay on the guide. Just a thought ...

Up The foot. Down does not work to well.

I have been wrapping down the foot - that is why this is so hard!!! - Next build will be up the foot.

I always wrap down the guide feet. To do so without the problems you describe requires that you file or grind the end of the guide foot to a shallow angle. Learning to grind the feet correctly takes some practice. Use some bent paper clips to practice on.

Here's an example:



Harry

Harry,

Why do you wrap down the foot?

Bart

Bartman,

I count the wraps to be absolutely certain each side of each guide is the same length. If you count wraps and start on the rod itself rather than on the guide, you may well end up with the foot not quite covered. When starting on the guide I may have an extra wrap or two on the rod only, but will always have the foot well covered.

Bamboo buyers are persnickety about such things.

Harry

Harry, I knew folks in LA were a little backwards about some things.....

I don't count all my wraps, but I do measure so both sides of each foot are exactly the same, and really, most of my guide wraps are the same. Strippers sometimes require a bit longer wrap. I start on the rod, but measure the total length to the bend in the foot. That's for the basic wrap. For tipping and accents, I do count wraps.

Harry
I would never question your work, as it is impeccable and beyond reproach. Your rods are fantastic and show great workmanship...with that said,
Not all double footed guides are the same length on both sides and they might wonder why they have more wraps on one side (past the foot) then on the other side.

Filing and then sanding will get a perfect angle, like a sharp knife blade, and you can actually wrap down. I agree with this. I remember seeing some old wraps on some older rods and they show that the person wrapped on the left side of the guide,finished that side, went right under the rod and guide and started on the right side and kept wrapping!!! Never cut the thread and started over---nothing but one complete wrap from stem to stern.

But I look at some of the guys that get on this site are truly newbies and might have a time grasping the concept of wrapping without watching a DVD or read about it in a book.

I hope I didn't offend you Harry.

Randy

Harry,

Thanks for your explanation. I aspire to do things as well as you! It is unfortunate that buyers can be that persnickity.....

Bart

Some rod buyers are more picky than I can imagine being, and I'm completely obsessive about rods. One customer ordered a rod from me with a custom reel seat made by someone else. I used it, of course. That reel seat was made from 12% nickel silver rather than 18% like the ferrules and winding check, so it had a slightly different color and brightness. He didn't like that the colors were different and wanted to return the rod -- with the seat he special ordered -- for a full refund. Instead I just swapped out the seat.

One turn of thread is only a few thousandths of an inch wide. Smaller than you can easily measure with a rule, and unwieldy to measure with calipers. I want each wrap exactly the same length. Even when counting threads it isn't automatic because sometimes you pack the wrap on one side of a guide foot more tightly.

No one else needs to do things the way I do. I'm selling expensive rods and they must look right. For me, the only way to do that is have each guide wrap the same length. To get the wraps the same length, I need to wrap down. Some of you accomplish the same thing in different ways. But heck, you probably like chocolate ice cream more than vanilla too.

Harry

You mentioned that packing may vary and I agree. For that reason I Measure both sides of each guide. Using the long side as a Guide I wrap it first, then an equal wrap on the other side compared with a sharp tipped compass. This also requires a slightly longer wrap on the blank, but I have never had a complaint. Seems like the are a few ways to skin this cat. And yes I prefer Chocolate...

Bill

Vanilla--french please

Since we're on the subject of ice cream... I'm slowly turning a freshly epoxied wrap and listening to Ice Cream Man by Van Halen. I think I'll put on a Tom Waits album for some Eggs And Sausage.

Harry - that almost makes sense since I can appreciate the detail involved.
Bill brings up the packing aspect though and, I find it easier to more-tightly pack towards the tip. I dunno guys . I don't think a rod is going to explode because it was wrapped East to West or counter-clockwise or by a Southpaw .
I do prefer to wrap 'up' the foot because that's how I was taught. Hey - if it's your first or your fiftyith build and it catches fish - you really need to learn to make home-made Orange Sherbert ( some peoples calls it 'sorbet'. I calls it 'sherbert'. hmmm).

Orange sherbert with the vanilla swirls Also kicking out the old r&r in the shop tonight.

Shooter Jennings and the Oak Ridge Boys singing Slow Train sounds good tonight. I sure miss ol' Waylon.