I have just finished a butt wrap making a diamond pattern. This time I make really big diamonds, so there were a lot of wrapingss; consequently, the surface rose up significantly from the underwrap. The thing I do not like about this however, is that the wrap between the top and bottom of the diamond pattern that is put into place to hold all the threads in place has created what I call a "hump," parituclarly between the top of the foregrip and the bottom of the diamond pattern. This "hump" rises over the threads at the end of the pattern and cascades down to the underwrap into the winding check. This is much less pronounced at the other end of the diamond pattern.

Now that I have put the first coat of epoxy on, I was thinking of cutting the hump off...but I am not sure that is a good idea. I could put another wrap over the epoxy to raise the level of the underwrap up a bit, but the hump still rises above the wrap itself. I may have created this problem by not cutting off the threads higher up on the wrap. Live and learn, I guess. Has anyone had some similar experiences. I do like the way the wrap came out, but an not particularly fond of how it finished out.

Clinton

For future reference, you can greatly minimize the "hump" with a couple of things. First, when start cutting the pattern threads as you're tying off, don't cut them all at one time. Cut a few, make a turn or two with your tie-off thread, and then cut a few more. Make a couple more tie-off thread turns. Then cut a few more pattern threads, so on and so forth. This helps make the tie-off more gradual and will greatly reduce any sort of hump there.

Next, when you reach the foregrip with your tie-off thread, reverse direction and wrap back towards where you started. This creates a double tie-off layer that tends to smooth things out and hide any gaps that may exist in the first layer of the tie-off wrap. Once you apply epoxy, no one will ever know that it's two layers deep.

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I also cut them as I wrap the tie-offs. It looks much better, especially on a large wrap and or large size thread.

David Dosser
Coshocton, OH

Thanks. I like this suggestion. I suppose it is too late to cut back into this to rewrap. My experience is that it is better to leave things alone, as the things you notice may well go unnoticed by others. Perfection does have its price.

I am thinking this suggestion through. I use tape to hold these threads while I am wrapping, so at the end, there is a mass of threads stuck to the tape. Disengaging these threads from the tape so you can cut them off progressively seems to offer its own challenges. Just thinking outloud here.

Clinton

There is a pictorial on tying off butt wraps in the Amato book Rod Building Guide. It shows how to easily deal with the tape.

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I believe Ken Preston and Billy Vivona have them out also.

Bill - willierods.com

You can also taper the threads out as you do your tie-off wrap. Just comb them out with a burnishing tool and taper with a razor. Makes a smooth transition.

``Butt Wrap and the Hump`` Sounds like a rock band from days gone by. he he he!!!

I usally put three applications of cp just to hold things down before I remove all of the tape. Then I wrap a single layer of tape over the cp area and I carefully shave down ``The Hump``.

Hope this makes sense.

Bill

Ohio Rod Builders

Canton, Ohio

It does and one of us should have mentioned it. Thanks.

Locking things in with CP prevents you from fouling things up. I once tied off a wrap and while cutting the pattern threads managed to nick the tie-off thread with a very fresh and sharp razor blade. You can imagine what happened.

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Do you have an exact reference to this book. I could not find it on Mud Hole or Amazon.

Do you do this as a matter of routine...and do you put the CP on the entire wrap, regardless of how long it is? I would think you have to. In this case, I did not do that because I wanted the dolor change in the Gudebrod thread as the result of putting epoxy on them. But otherwise, this is a great precaution. Like Tom, I too have had to rewrap less elaborate wraps because some of the threads got loose.

Clinton

Clinton -
What I do is start the tie-off wrap (8-10 turns) then apply CP to the remainder of the wrap (which will be cut off). Once that's dry you can "shave off" the threads toward the butt of the rod. As has also been mentioned I normally back wrap. Wrap back over the first layer of tie off thread back to where any noticeable transition may remain. Also going back a second time gives you an opportunity to incorporate a decorative single or double thread in the tie off absent the chance of an "exploding" butt wrap.

Most any sponsor carries it - Rod Building Guide. I took photos to depict this exact scenario.

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HI Tom. Found your publication under that title, but nothing by Amato. Oh well. Since I do not have your book, I will order it. I have a collection of these publications. I checked the Petri DVD and he cuts these threads off at the same place, without layering them in. Clinton

It's an Amato book.

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Is Amata a publishing company or line of books or a person's name? Sorry for my confusion here.

Tom: Skip the last post. I went to Amazon and they allow you to look at the first few pages and I see that Amato is a publishing concern but that are the author. I have ordered it.

Sorry, I should have been more specific.

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Try this:

[www.amatobooks.com]

Chris Richer
Iroquois ON