Another little rod..

[kbproctor]

This is a little 8', 2pc, 5w rod built on a Batson Forcast blank. I ran the CCS on it and it checks out with an ERN of 5.35 and an AA of 66* or fast action. It loads and casts nicely with 5w line. While there is nothing horribly fancy about this rod, it is well set up. I set the guides with a chart and then moved them around a tad for the best curve in the line.

The hardware is stainless and aluminum with the insert being apple wood. The color is a deep blue green with a kind of tiger stripe pattern to it. The wraps are black with a single gray accent wrap.

[Midwest Custom Fly Rods]

Nice job Kevin. The single turn trim looks good as well I'm a big fan of single turn. Add's a very classy look to any rod

Steve

[kbproctor]

Thank you.

That single turn is a PITA to do though on the finish end of the wrap, anyway. Do you have any tricks you are willing to reveal?

[Sully]

Thank you.

That single turn is a PITA to do though on the finish end of the wrap, anyway. Do you have any tricks you are willing to reveal?

Single turn NO..2-3 turn...yep!.....

[Midwest Custom Fly Rods]

Thank you.

That single turn is a PITA to do though on the finish end of the wrap, anyway. Do you have any tricks you are willing to reveal?

Depends- Did you do the super glue method or the cross wrap method on the single turns? if you did the cross wrap then super glue method is MUCH easier and real simple to explain.

Steve

[kbproctor]

On the starting end, I took two turns of the gray, started the black then unwound one turn of the gray, clipped thread tags and continued wrapping the black. On the other end, I started out putting 3 thread loops in, dropping the black through one, then pulling the starting end of the final single wrap, making a turn and pulling the other end of the wrap. No glue of any kind until the rod finish.

The first part worked well to get started, but as I got to the small end of the blank, sticking 3 thread loops in there was nearly impossible. I found some really long wire needle threaders at JoAnn Fabrics that let me finish off the black, then slip the threader in along the guide foot, pull the thread through, take a turn and repeat on the other side of the guide foot. Still no glue.

I have a suspicion that I did this the really hard way.

[Midwest Custom Fly Rods]

Yep that's the bit more complicated way. There is a really simple way to do them which will only take about 5% of the time to do this way.

Simply take a toothpick and put a tiny dab of super glue on the toothpick (just enough to wet it not enough to make it so you can even really see the glue on the toothpick). Wipe it on one end of the trim thread and quickly secure it on the blank next to the wrap. let that dry for about 10 seconds then wrap the single turn around the blank and do the same thing with the glue/toothpick to secure the other end. Trim the ends and your done. Real easy, real fast and gives the same results.

Steve

[kbproctor]

Yep that's the bit more complicated way. There is a really simple way to do them which will only take about 5% of the time to do this way.

Simply take a toothpick and put a tiny dab of super glue on the toothpick (just enough to wet it not enough to make it so you can even really see the glue on the toothpick). Wipe it on one end of the trim thread and quickly secure it on the blank next to the wrap. let that dry for about 10 seconds then wrap the single turn around the blank and do the same thing with the glue/toothpick to secure the other end. Trim the ends and your done. Real easy, real fast and gives the same results.

Steve

And the rod finish holds it all in place permanently.....

I knew it was something stupid simple. 99.9% of the time, when I am having difficulty with something, I am making it way more complicated than it needs to be.

Thank you.

[Midwest Custom Fly Rods]

Don't feel bad, my first rod I did single turn trim on had over 70 of them on it and I did them the hard way as well. Took me over 3 days to do just the trim on that rod alone. Once I found this easier way to do it I wanted to kick myself in the head for doing so many single turns the hard way

Steve

[TampaJim]

A single trim band can be done easily and with no glue or special tricks.

Take 12" of thread from the spool and make an very elongated "X" single wrap loosely on the rod. Tape down both cut ends to the blank in the direction, and past, where the main wrap will be. Start your primary wrap going OVER the end of the "X" (the cut end). After making 10-12 loops, put a toothpick into the area between the primary wrap and middle of the "X" and pull on both cut ends (sometimes a little at a time) allowing the "X" to close up next to the toothpick. As you start to tighten up the single loop, move the toothpick closer to the primary wrap. Toward the end, remove the toothpick and burnish the single wrap against the primary. Trim both tag ends of the "X" and finish your main wrap.

So easy that a caveman can do it!