# OK This might be a stupid question but it will not be my first. Can I build a rod..



## philos (Mar 27, 2012)

...without a blank turner? Is there a way to do one manually?


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## Hudak (Sep 10, 2007)

Absolutely. MANY people use hand turners exclusively. Buttwraps are all hand turned. You can get fancy and buy a hand wrapper. You can build one out of wood, or just cut a couple notches in a cardboard box to hold the rod. Put your thread in a cup, run it through the middle of a telephone book for tension and get to wrapping.


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## sunburntspike (Oct 4, 2010)

just like kf said,many builders (over 50%) do everything by hand except grip work,i have never used a motorized rod wrapper,tho i will eventually for certain tasks,just not a priority.


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## OceanMaster (Dec 22, 2011)

Wrapped many a rod turning the entire thing by hand with thread tensioning provided by stacked phone books with my wrapping thread fed through the books for tension. 

I built my first hand wrapper using furniture wheel casters mounted to 2" x 4" blocks of wood. Two wheels, screwed down opposite of each other into 3 blocks of wood. The wood blocks are spread out on a long table and the blank is nestled down in between the wheels, allowing the blank to spin wheels and blank easily, using only hand power. 

Masking tape...lots of masking tape, to hold thread tension when you need to stop for a break and or go hands free for a moment. 

Fingernail clippers to cut thread quickly\easily without fumbling around. 

As you develop your wrapping skills....the tools used to finish the rod will make laying thread and keeping it tightly packed as you wrap along.....will be more personal to what works for you. 

Before I picked up a drying motor...I would hand turn the blank using my 3 wood block casters...setup near the TV so I could tune in a game or something, that kept me seated and entertained near my rod blank...as I slowly turned it by hand as the thread coat dried well enough to not sag. When applying thread coats...it's best to do it in a well heated room...a room at 76 degrees or warmer, so the thread wrap formula sets quickly without sagging.


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## Sandcrab (Mar 20, 2002)

all my rods have been built without any motorized wrapper - or rod dryer for that matter... 

Sandcrab


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## junkmansj (Jul 23, 2005)

Some Feel that you can get Better Results by hand Wrapping. Always use Masking Tape to protect the blank on Contact points


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## roostertail (Jul 7, 2012)

Have you checked out this website? http://www.mudhole.com/ They have lots of how to vids.


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## HellRhaY (Jul 6, 2007)

people got away with using a flat screwdriver as a chisel, and got good results. imagine the result if they used the right tool for the job...


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## redman (Dec 18, 2009)

I wrap all the rods I build by hand using home made devices. I made 3 V blocks from 1" ply wood and covered the V's with layers of felt to protect the rod. I made a thread holder and tenisoner from the same 1" ply wood that has a long bolt that I install the spool of thread onto with a spring and a wing nut for tension. The thread passes through a rod tip fastened to the ply wood. I use a "quick action clamp" to hold the thread spool holder/tensioner device to the work table and move it around to the position where I am wrapping the rod and clamp it down. When applying finish I use the same V blocks turning the rod 180 degrees to level the finish. I find that hand turning the rod during the finish process produces the best glassy, level finish. After the finish is level and starts getting thick, I then move the rod to a dryer to complete the rod. The dryer is the one and only piece of equipment that I purchased for rod building. I build mainly surf rods and this is all that I find necessary for me to use. 
Have Fun!

Ian


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