Gents, I'd appreciate some thoughts...I was working on a diamond butt wrap this weekend. What I noticed was that as I added more threads to make the wrap/diamonds wider, it became more difficult to keep the threads packed and together. I started over several times until I finally settled on a wrap that was not quite as wide as what I would have liked. The blank was pretty slick with a smooth glossy finish and I didn't use an under wrap. So as I got to thinking....would it help if I scuff up the blank a bit before starting the wrap? Would this help to add some friction between the threads and the blank to keep the threads packed? Any thoughts?

Larry,
Absolutely, scuffing the blank up a bit would help to keep the threads in place. It is something that is commonly done.

If you wish, you could remove all of the finish from the blank and just wrap on the raw blank if you wish. There are quite a few different manufacturers that manufacture rod blanks and put no finish on the finished blank.

Good luck

Thanks Roger. I have wrapped a couple of non-finished blanks but the idea didn't hit me then. I really appreciate the advice.

Don't scuff the blank, learn how to pack the threads together. You're going to scuff teh blank, and find the threads still don't stay together...thenyou'll be back at square one having to learn to pack the threads together.

I don't know how much elongation you're working with in your pattern, but keeping the threads packed is a combination of not too much elongation in the pattern, appropriate thread tension, and tidying up the wrap as you go. Because the threads on centers tend to push each other outward, the right combination of the three things I just mentioned are of utmost importance in getting a clean, crisp wrap.

...............

Thanks for the checklist Tom. Diamonds were square. Packed as I went along. First few packed real well. It wasn't until the pattern started getting some width did they come "untidy-able". I'm probably guilty of too much tension however. They packed so well early on so I didn't think about thread tension. It was pretty tight and they were laying well at first. But the stretch in the thread wasn't enough to get em to where I wanted afterward. My practice wrap on a piece of scrap bare blank looked OK so I didn't change anything. This one will be a gift for my fishing sister. She'll love the double diamond look.

I certainly appreciate the feedback guys.

Larry,

Consider investing in one of Billy V's thread packing tools.
The thing is a game changer in keeping those threads tight and clean.

Shoe

Sounds to me just a little too much tension.
the more threads you lay down the thicker the layers of threads are.
with heavy tention the thread you are trying to lay down is sinking, sliding down the side of the stack of threads, you try to move it back and it moves right back.
It took me a good while, think offence lineman big hands.
I solved the problem for good when I started using the bobbin holders I use for fly tying. Once adjusted for the right tension it never changes untill you readjust them
works great for me anyway solved all my proublems.

Curt

I've found on open wraps it's hardest to keep the outside wraps tight. My last wrap i added a few extra threads to the outside of the wrap in an easy to distinguish color. Once I got every thing packed in, I put CP on the wrap. Once the CP dried, I pulled up the outer "sacrificial" threads that were my aid to keeping things packed. Worked like a charm, but a little extra effort. I'm sure Billy might chime in and just tell me I need to learn to pack right!

Haven't done it yet, but I've read that closed wraps are easier to pack. Makes sense, because there's really nowhere for them to go. I am going to tackle my first closed one soon. I just gotta fork up the money for a shadepack or two from Billy.