Bob Sirois 
ezOP
(4/14/01 5:33 pm)
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Step#9, Wrapping the Guides
Assuming you have followed the steps to this point, you have selected the guides and have the placement all good to go. If you have decided on underwraps, wrap all the underwraps first. At the completion make sure they are good and tight and use a burnishing tool to smooth out the wraps. Apply one coat of color preserver and in an hour, you can start to wrap the guides. Start with the largest guide (closest to the reel seat) and put a small band of masking tape on the guide foot to hold it in position temporarily.  You will also notice in this picture that the leading edge of the reel foot has been filed. This should be done to all the reel feet prior to proceeding. File each foot so you have a fine edge (but not too sharp) so the thread will more easily climb up the foot when it get's there. I typically use a good quality file and follow it up with some wet dry sandpaper.
There are many books on wrapping guides, so I'm not going to get into much detail on that end. Put your spool of thread on it's holder, run the thread through the guide eyes and tension device and adjust the tension so it's moderately firm. Experience will tell you if the tension is too tight or too loose and you might want to gain some experience with some second blanks and less expensive guides. Run the thread around the blank at a point below the reel foot based on the amount of wrap you want below the foot. This is a subjective thing, because you don't need much more than 1/16 of an inch below the reel foot to secure the guide. Again, experience will tell you that a long underwrap, followed by a decorative wrap will soften the action of a rod, while using no underwrap, a very short guide wrap below the reel foot and no color preserver, will give you the fastest action for any particular blank.
Start wraping your thread and use the edge of your burnishing tool (white plastic tool in picture) to insure the threads are tight as you go. After you have wrapped enough to secure the thread (1/16-1/8 inch) cut the tag end of the thread you have wrapped over close to the blank and continue. You may have to move your thread holder forward an inch or so at times, to prevent the thread from wanting to wrap back over thread already on the blank. You will have to slow down and proceed slowly when you reach the reel foot, to insure the thread works up onto the reel foot and remains tight on the proceeding wraps. Sometimes the first few wraps might need to go forward of the previous wraps, until you catch the guide foot.
As you approach the last 1/16-1/8 of an inch of the wrap, stop and place a tie-off thread of slightly higher breaking strength on the wraps and continue wrapping over it to secure it temporarily. In the picture I've used dental floss to make it stand out more clearly  . The tie-off thread is nothing more than a maybe a 6 inch piece of thread with the ends tied in a knot. When placing it on the wrap the end with the loop must be placed on the wrap so it is at the end of the wrap you are finishing up. When you make that last pass, cut the thread with about 6 inches of extra thread and pass that through the tie-off thread loop. Take the knotted end of the tie-off thread and pull it so it pulls the loop & tag end of thread snug up against the last few wraps of thread. At this point there will be enough tension in the tie-off thread, so you can just cut off the wrapping thread close to the loop. Then just continue to pull the tie-off thread and the end of the wrapping thread will be pulled under the last 1/16-1/8 inch of the wrap to secure it.
This is something that will take some practice, especially when you begin tying in narrow decorative bands of contrasting colors at the ends of your guide wraps. After starting small bands, you must immediately cut off the thread you have just wrapped over to insure a narrow band width, while at the same time tying in the tie-off thread. Then at the end of the narrow band wrap, you must pull the tie-off thread at an angle, because the band might not be wide enough and a straight pull will result in the tag end of thread coming back to the surface.
After each guide, remove the rod from the holders and sight along it's length. Using the spline mark and reel seat as a reference, make sure all the guides are on the spine (or 180 degrees) and in line with each other. Wrap all the guides and then put the tip top on. After the decorative wrap is done for the tip-top, insure all the guides are in line and using tacky cloth, remove any lint or dust that might have fallen on the thread/wraps. Use the burnishing tool and inspect and smooth any wraps where there might be spacing in the threads. By running the rounded side of the burnishing tool back and forth over a wrap, it will smooth the wrap and close most spaces between threads. If everything looks good apply a coat of color preserver and dab off the excess with a papertowel after you've brushed it on the last wrap. Try not to get too much color preserver under the reel foot and a hard blow of air will force the preserver out from under to be dabbed up with the paper towel.
After that repeat with a couple more coats and a final inspection before applying the finish.
Tight Lines
Edited by: Bob Sirois at: 4/14/01 7:22:50 pm
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