I have watched alot of you tube videos on rod building and it seems that when people are using a rod wrapper they do not have to pack wraps like you have to when you are wrapping by hand. Is there a simple explanation for this? I have only wrapped by hand but am comsidering purchasing a wrapper. Wondering if this will help with tighter wraps?

Yes and no. If you can reach that fine line where you can lay the thread on with some automatic back pressure, without overwinding, then you don't need to do as much packing. Otherwise, you will still have to do it. Remember that a wrapping machine doesn't do anything you don't do by hand now, it just does it faster. So if you're prone to loose, erratic or gap spaced wrapping by hand, you'll get the same results by power wrapping, only faster.

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I just started building this year, and as usual Tom has hit the nail on the head. The angle of the thread as it goes on the wrap, for me anyhow, is the key to tight wraps. Like he said, it's a fine line between wraps that need to be packed, and over winding a wrap.

When wrapping guides that have more space between them, I just slide the rod a little to try and keep the proper angle. As I get closer to the tip, where guides are closer together, I guide the thread with my fingers as I turn the rod. I don't build that often, so it usually takes me a few wraps before I start to get into a flow.

And having good lighting so you can see the thread easily makes all the difference in the world.

At least for this basic newbie.

Having the extra hand free makes it easier to wrap with smaller gaps. You will still have an occasional gap or over wrap.

Steve,
When I first started rod building some time ago, I wrapped one rod by hand. Since I have an engineering background, I made a vow that I would never wrap another rod by hand. That was when I made my first crude power wrapper.

Since then, I have never wrapped a rod by hand and don't see any reason to do so. But yes, I seldom have to go back and pack threads. As much as anything, if I do find that I have a gap on a couple of wraps, I hit the switch on the wrapper, back up, pulling the thread to keep it tight until any gaps are unwrapped, reset the angle on the thread and rewrap that portion of the wrap and finish up. So, yes, I still pack and burnish as needed to smooth and level, but there are seldom any openings that actually need to be repacked.

But, again, the ability to have a very good wrapper that lets one turn at one rpm if needed both forward and backward - is a big asset for building rods without getting arm or finger fatigue.

Be safe

Steve:

What Tom wrote; it's a yes and no, and probably no. The amount of packing will vary by blank material (bamboo vs. other), thread size and material (silk vs. nylon vs. polyester) to name but a few of the variables. Purchasing or building a power wrapper to avoid packing will probably disappoint initially. The first challenge will be to adjust and control the power wrapper. And even after mastering the wrapper you just might prefer packing every 4 to 5 turns. Power wrappers are a good thing. Just don't expect too much.