Rod Wrapping Jig

[Conor]

I am planning on throwing together a wrapping jig to wrap and finish a bamboo blank this winter.

 

I was wondering if some people here have built one. I am particularly interested in ideas for the thread tensioner. I'll be using silk, so I think I need tension on the spool, not the thread, to avoid fraying.

 

I am planning on a very basic jig, unless someone has some extras they think I might need.

 

I've used a cardboard box and a bobbin before, but I am looking for something a bit more permanent.

[CDone]

This is what I built last winter, $25 - $30 worth of materials, The sewing machine thread tensioners cost more each than the whole wrapper but they give me the ability to control the thread tension either there or off the spool with the use of a spring.

 

 

 

Coln

[TerryH]

Colin, what did you use for the wheels on the rod supports? Nice job btw. Terry

[CDone]

Patio door rollers with O-rings.

 

Colin

[hydropsyche]

That is one really fancy jig, Cdone. I built a similar one but didn't got with the fancy thread tensioners. It looks like you have some fancy rollers on your blank supports. Nice. (do you have a closeup?) I just cut a V into it.

 

I tension my thread with some silicon washers against the spools with rubber washers outside of that. If you're going to build more then a couple of rods, your way is the way to go. Not too late for me to change my setup. Thanks for the great idea.

 

ps. Whats the purpose of that rod thingie sticking out between the tensioners?

[CDone]

I like my thread out front when I wrap. So I run the thread out to the tip top and up to the blank.

 

 

 

Colin

[bloom]

Besides a fly tying bobbin, thread tensioners that you pick up at sewing stores are the best way to go. Everything else is pretty simple...there's also a lot of plans on the internet.

[hydropsyche]

I like my thread out front when I wrap. So I run the thread out to the tip top and up to the blank.

Colin

 

Thats a great idea. Thanks for the closeup.

[Stimmy]

When using silk thread, you will want to tension the spool, and not the thread. The silk thread can fray very easily.

 

Duncan

[rusty]

Wow...I was going to post a picture but would be embarassed to do so now. That's a really nice rig - definitely the way to go.

[Conor]

Yeah. It kicked my ambition up a notch. I won't attempt anything like that, but my one solid piece plan is scrapped.

 

I'd like to see yours, Russ. It sounds like it might be a bit more in-line with my skill/ambition level.

 

I decided to keep the tension mechanism simple. I am going to position eye screws along the base and insert a ceramic bobbin through the eye. The bobbin will give the tension to the spool and an elastic cord will keep the blank under tension to keep the bobbin from slipping down. Should do the trick.

[CDone]

I decided to keep the tension mechanism simple. I am going to position eye screws along the base and insert a ceramic bobbin through the eye. The bobbin will give the tension to the spool and an elastic cord will keep the blank under tension to keep the bobbin from slipping down. Should do the trick.

Thats what I had for the first dozen or so rods I built, worked great, I just have a bad habit of over engineering everything that I build, you should see the bench I build on, movers hated me when the had to move it.

 

Colin