Well, she's done, my first - an' it ain't pretty so I'm not posting pics.!!

Seems even though I opted to use YLI-100, which I figure is a rather "large" thread compared to what I've seen used on my bamboo's (Gossamer), I did in fact likely over-wrap a wrap or two as well as have a few tiny (HUGE!) tags/bumps that stuck up very proud of the wraps in general. Not on all guides but on a few, enough to make a guy feel like a 9 yr. old!!

Of course I made a few "popsicle stix" out of some wooden slips and glued a strip or two of 400 grit to them and "dusted" off the FC/DNA diluted wraps after a couple of coats and of course I ended up with a bunch'a fuzzies and of course they look like crap!!!

Still, I learned a good lesson in patience and will fish the rod as is, unfortunately. In time I hope to strip the guides off for a re-do if that won't mess with the finish on the glass blank. Don't know there but I'll read up and find out I guess.

I'm at a loss as to just how you guys get some beautiful looking wraps in your close-ups as I've seen but I guess that will come in time. Either that or I'll just keep buying rods and settle with being an expert on my table saw...

Time'll tell but it a fun effort. Thanks all for your suggestions. This is just a beginning but I don't have a lot of time left so I'm just going fishing!!

Jeremy.

I continue to learn these lessons with each build I do

I, the third rod I built is one that I'm not particularly proud of, but it gets fished regularly and I have no plans for a rebuild on that rod. Fish the rod and enjoy it.

Many blanks can be stripped without problems. Some can not. It really depends on how the blank was coated/painted.

I am working my first 3 turns metallic thread trim bands, that thing is a pain specially on small guides. Seems to be too thick when pulled under silk. Let's see how the coating turns out.

Yes Matt, saw that one a couple times but, I am a disaster with superglue.

As much as I want to control the amount I put, I find it always to be too much even with a toothpick. My previous build has some gold silk trim lines done like that.

I tried with silk not with metallic thread. I have to give the method a second chance with metallic thread.

Metallic is indeed a pain. I use color preserver on the trim band to get rid of the spring effect. Don't trim the tags until the CP has dried for at least 15 minutes. If not using CP on the mains, this method won't work as you'd inevitably get CP where you don't want it.

I was taught to use metallic trim but have gone almost completely to plain thread. I can't even imagine wrapping an entire rod with metallic. Tom S, you must've been fit to be tied at the end of that ordeal!

Start your wrap on the blank, but don't cut the tag end of the underwrap. Keep going toward the foot. Pull the tag end to keep the wrap short and uniform. When you have your 6 to 10 wraps or so to the foot of the guide, lay the tag end on the foot. It becomes a cushioning ramp to start up the foot. Take two or three wraps, and pull the tag end a bit more to snug everything toward the foot. Take a few more wraps and cut the tag end. Now you have a well packed--but not too tight--wrap with a the tag end up the foot a few thread's width--right where gaps, if any, usually show the most. They won't because of the tag end underneath.

Another way to think of it is that you can continuously pack your thread by pulling the underwrapped tag end. If that can't be done for the first 6 to 10 wraps, they are tighter than need be.