Gents, I'm considering using two threads at once to wrap my guides on the casting rod I'm working on now because the color combo looks great w/ the color of the butt wrap. Its already pretty tedious on the larger guides where the blank is larger. Will I be getting into a real pinch when I get down to the micro sizes and the smaller end of the blank with regards to handling two at once and pulling them under. I don't mind the hassle-factor as long as I can keep it looking good. Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

It seems everything is a bit more tedious as you reach the tip of the rod where the diameter is smaller. You can certainly do what you propose, but it'll be tougher near the tip than at the butt guide. It should look fine although the start and tie-off points will be a bit more obvious.

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Larry,
I have done this in the past and would like to pass along one comment.

Do NOT pull both threads back through the threads for the thread lock. Rather, lay in two pull loops and pull each thread back by itself. Pulling each thread back through the locking knot makes the job much easier.

One thing that I also do, when working with problems of this sort is to place my rod support close to the wrap, with a good lock down on the upper roller. That way, you can put tension as needed on the blank and not change the thread tension or have the rod blank move during the wrapping.

Take care

I ran 2 threads at the same time with a modified CRB wrapper. I took the middle out and separated it into 2 tensioners to either side of the base. I pulled the threads through diferent paths of the eyes where 1 went through the eye on the slide with the other was on the 3rd stationary eye. It wasnt the most efficient way because I had to keep messing with the tension of the spools. I probably wont do it again.

Hello Larry.

I'm with Roger, pull the threads together, do it one at a time with 2 different pull loops.

Tight Wraps & Tighter Lines.

Bob,

New Bern, NC.

I did that once and didn't like how tedious it was, as you said. So now I tape the trim thread down and wrap about 8 passes of primary thread. then pickup the second color and wrap two threads until I get about 8 wraps from the end, then just finish wrapping only the primary color.
Wrapping two the entire way looks nice, but I didn't enjoy doing it.

John Shear
Chippewa Falls, WI

The times I have done this I have also wrapped a few turns of the primary color as trim bands...while using those initial wraps to lock the second thread in place. This can be as few as 3-4 turns of the primary thread. Then you just tuck it in on the other end as you do the trim band turns there.

This is simple and negates the need for two pull loops.

Started yesterday evening. Very tedious as expected. At this point in my rod building addiction I'm weighing the effort VS the outcome. I like the other alternatives suggested and will go back to thinking about it tonight. Thanks to all for your suggestions.

Larry, this link takes you to an example on the photo board here.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

The pink "trim bands" are rather wide on this particular rod...it was a big offshore trolling rod so nothing was small about it. Keep in mind that you should be able to set the secondary thread in place with just 3-4 wraps...making a much smaller trim band. I just held the second color in my hand as I wrapped.

Nothing could have been easier...seriously. It was not tedious in the least.

Good stuff Jay! And as I sit here looking and thinking about it, at work no doubt....this will be for a casting rod. I'll under wrap the two-footed/larger guides with the two-thread color combo I was stuck on originally and just go with primary/secondary colors/trim bands on the feet. And just go the same way without the under wrap on the single foots (err feet?). This should tie into my butt wrap colors nicely and have me on the water with it in a week or so. Thanks again!!