# under wraps



## surfcast (Nov 7, 2006)

Love to hear from some of you guys on under wraps before placing your guides...Any pros..cons..besides being decorative..
Would you go with a coat of epoxy before placing your guides?
I saw a video and the guy said he didn't like underwraps. I had planned on doing them on my rebuild...any feedback would be appreciated.


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## surfcast (Nov 7, 2006)

Hello...is this thing on??..or was that a stupid question..hhmmmm


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## fish bucket (Dec 5, 2002)

good question.i'm waiting for the answer,too.


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## Clyde (Oct 18, 2003)

There is two schools of thought here. 

One is that the underwrap will provide some protection to the blank from the guide foot.

The other is that underwraps add un-necessary weight to the rod and should be avoided.

Most likely a little truth to both.

On big, heavy rods like surf rods and offshore stuff I generally do use an underwrap. Lighter rods where the weight saveings may actually be noticable then I generally do not.

I really don't think that a layer of thread will protect the blank from a bad guide. What you really need to do is pay very close attention when you prep your guides and you won't have to worry about this. I also don't think the weight added from an underwrap will detract from most rods. Very light rods maybe, but mostly no.

As for the coat of epoxy between wraps, if you want to use "A" thread over "A" thread, then yes, you'll need a coat of epoxy between wraps. If you use "C" or "D" over "A" then you do not. I would however reccomend thinning you're first coat of epoxy by 5% or so with denatured alcohol so you will get full thread penetration.


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## Donald (Oct 25, 2006)

*I agree*

with clyde, I use underwraps on heavy blanks and also on the first guide on small blanks. my thinking is that I want to have a cushion for the guide on a blank thats tossing a half pound of weight. On light gear I have well fished blanks that are over 20 years old that have no underwraps and the rods have many more trips left in them.


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## surfcast (Nov 7, 2006)

Thanks for the input.. The information i had ..this individual's thought was that underwraps were a possible cause of epoxy cracking at the guide feet...I looked at some of my old rods with underwraps...and didn't see any sign of this. It seems a number of things could cause that...long story short..it was recommended to put a coat of epoxy on the underwraps before installing guides One of those things that made me go...hhhmmmmm?..just when i thought i knew what i was going to do.. ..being new at it..I just like to get some other opinions.
Thanks again! Tony H


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## derekxec (Apr 26, 2006)

i use underwraps on heavy rods and i put a thin coat of epoxy on it (makes it easier to put some epoxy on cause the guide isnt in the way) on lighter rods i dont use it....just prep your guide feet well and you shouldnt have a problem

as for epoxy cracking at the guide feet...i think the main reason that happens is the guide wrap is too long...with a short guide wrap it doesnt happen ive only see it happen on rods with longer wraps (like put a coat of epoxy on your guide wraps then go back and do your accent wraps and epoxy again and you shouldnt have a prob with cracking)


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## Donald (Oct 25, 2006)

*cracking*



surfcast said:


> Thanks for the input.. The information i had ..this individual's thought was that underwraps were a possible cause of epoxy cracking at the guide feet...I looked at some of my old rods with underwraps...and didn't see any sign of this. It seems a number of things could cause that...long story short..it was recommended to put a coat of epoxy on the underwraps before installing guides One of those things that made me go...hhhmmmmm?..just when i thought i knew what i was going to do.. ..being new at it..I just like to get some other opinions.
> Thanks again! Tony H


There is something to be said for glueing the underwraps before guides, This is the thing that I ALWAYS do. I beleive its the #1 proactive thing you can do to avoid cracks. With double the thread the rod finish cant get all the way down to the blank. I only use the thin epoxy never high build. Multiple layers, thin coats with thin glue seem to give me the best results.....


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## Iceman (Jan 12, 2004)

After many, many years of rod building I don't believe that underwraps have anything to do with the epoxy cracking around the guide feet. What I have witnessed over the years is improper guide feet prep is the primary cause. What's happening when you load that rod is you've got a rod flexing and a frame of the guide that is not. Manufactures can only build guides so light and flexible before it begins to affect the structural integrity of the frame. By properly prepping the guide feet it creates a smoother and thinner transition wrapping up the guide foot and causes lees force on the ends of the guide foot when the rod is underload. Just my 2 cents. I'll second Clydes thoughts on the underwraps.

Ron


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## derekxec (Apr 26, 2006)

that is without a doubt true! me and my friend built 2 rods exactly the same...same guides, blank, grips, reelseat, tip everything...i prepped my guides great and dont have a problem with cracking or anything...he on the other hand half a**ed his guide feet prep and now after 2 weeks the epoxy is cracking at the guide feet


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## Donald (Oct 25, 2006)

*we need to get out and fish!*

Listen to us.... Sitting around debateing whether a little extra thread is going to end the world. We all need some nice weather and sand under our feet !! This winter is driving us nuts! LOL..... Man, Im having trouble "thinking outside of the box"..... I need Bunker!! :fishing:


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## surfcast (Nov 7, 2006)

I'm on it fellas...Thanks for all the feedback..just what I needed. Paint job is finished...working on guide placement and finishing up the grips tonight.


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## junkmansj (Jul 23, 2005)

I agree with Iceman its all in the Guide Prep.
Dremel-File-unified wheel to smooth and de-burr


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