# Rod Wrapping Machine????



## Magged Out (Oct 31, 2007)

Where could I get a Good Starter kit? Too do some rod wrapping or 
repair's. Never done any Rod Building. Thank's for any advice!


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## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

Magged Out said:


> Where could I get a Good Starter kit? Too do some rod wrapping or
> repair's. Never done any Rod Building. Thank's for any advice!


Lots of places, mudhole is one, but there many others also.

Mudhole offers a variety of wrappers, from non motorized up to some better motorized ones. They also offer starter kits that contain the building essentials- several spools of thread, finish, basic tools, everything but the rod and "parts"- meaning guides and reel seats, tip tops, etc.


For a first project they also offer rod kits- that includes a rod blank and the parts, but not the thread and materials needed to put it together. I stay away from these- I like to choose my own parts.

There are a number of other sources also-- mudhole is probably the most well known- but not necessarily the best or cheapest.


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## junkmansj (Jul 23, 2005)

Flex-coat makes a real nice manual unit.But if you have a few basic hand tools you can make your own in a couple hours

http://www.rodbuilding.org/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/6384/cat/508/page/12


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## WALT D. (Dec 18, 2003)

Make your own hand wrapper for the first attempt, it's virtually priceless; then if you don't like wrapping you're not out many bucks. JMO


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## dirtyhandslopez (Nov 17, 2006)

Mechanical rod wrappers pfftt:--|. Whatever next, a man on the moon?
I would say learn to wrap by hand first so if you need to make a repair on the way to or from fishing you can. Plus it's very inexpensive, as Walt said
When I were a lad, all the rods were wrapped by hand, in the snow, uphill etc. etc.


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## basstardo (Jun 5, 2006)

Don't forget barefoot too, Darren. 

I just used a piece of 1"x8"x4' to tack two smaller pieces of wood with v's notched into them and lined with felt for my first wrapper. I used a coffee cup to hold the thread and books to provide tension. Worked great, but I have a Pac-Bay power wrapper now. Best investment I made. I bought mine from Acidrod with free shipping and a free epoxy mixer deal. Came with the upgraded chuck, which is leagues better than the standard chuck. Some folks have reported issues with theirs, but I haven't had any.


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## Charlie2 (May 2, 2007)

*Wrapping Machine*

What's wrong with putting the thread in a cup, sitting on the thread to create tension then wrapping it on your lap?

Uphill, 10 miles, in the snow, barefooted; whatever. C2


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## Magged Out (Oct 31, 2007)

*Hand Wrapper?*

What about when you epoxy a rod? 10 RPM'S by hand :--| WTF?
You guy's got patience  How would you finish a rod with a hand 
wrapper?


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## Charlie2 (May 2, 2007)

*Wrappers*

You turn the rod 90 degrees, wait a few minutes then turn another 90 degrees and so on until epoxy starts to set.

In fact, I do my finishing with power but start the process manually Makes a good smooth wrap. C2


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## basstardo (Jun 5, 2006)

I do the same, but I turn 180 degrees, wait for the epoxy to sag, then use a spatula to wick away the excess. You end up with a much smoother finish by starting out manually, and once the excess is gone and it has firmed up a little, then you put it on a dryer. The first few rods I did were all manual though.


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## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

Magged Out said:


> What about when you epoxy a rod? 10 RPM'S by hand :--| WTF?
> You guy's got patience  How would you finish a rod with a hand
> wrapper?


You can purchase just a dryer motor set up- you'll get a motor set up and one roller support.

Me- I ain't got the patience to turn a rod for several hours by hand while it's drying, and some of the light formula finishes may take up to 6 hours to dry, put it on a timer and let it go.  

Making a homemade set up to do the thread wrapping might be good if your not sure you want to do more than one rod.

The main advantage to a power wrapper is time saved--- once you do a few rods and get the hang of it. I actually only use the motor for doing long underwraps, under guides or under decorative butt wraps. Even if your not using power- the roller supports and chuck of a power wrapper make an excellent way to hold the rod for "hand" wrapping, where you just use the lathe for supporting the rod. 

If I had opted to go with the cardboard box with V notches instead of a power wrapper from the start, I'm quite sure I'd have given up out of frustration/ time consumption after one rod.

DO what you want- it's your call.


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## Sandcrab (Mar 20, 2002)

Magged Out said:


> What about when you epoxy a rod? 10 RPM'S by hand :--| WTF?
> You guy's got patience  How would you finish a rod with a hand
> wrapper?


12 rods built - some with fancy wrappings - all by hand... makes the long Winter hours go by faster...

Sandcrab


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## Magged Out (Oct 31, 2007)

*Thank*



Sandcrab said:


> 12 rods built - some with fancy wrappings - all by hand... makes the long Winter hours go by faster...
> 
> Sandcrab


This Might be a Problem  Down here in Texas. Winter
Time is when I fish the Hardest


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## Sandcrab (Mar 20, 2002)

Magged Out said:


> This Might be a Problem  Down here in Texas. Winter
> Time is when I fish the Hardest


...An hour here - and hour there - eventually it gets done... 

It's all good... 

Sandcrab


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