Thread or tensioner?
I'm just finishing a rod today taht I'm going to give to the church silent auction. While wrapping, my size a Pacbay grey thread broke at least 3 times. My screw-down type tensioner was not tight, but it seemed the thread really did not want to slide through it. So what do y'all think? Was it a thread problem, or is it my tensioner?
Swamp
Swamprat;
I had that same thing happen but I don't remember weather packbay or gudebrod? I remember backing off the tensioner and it kept breaking. AsI remember had backed off a few turns to fix an overwrap and the breaking started. I found a sharp edge on the guide I was wraping!! Had to take the guide off and hone the edges.
After trying several types of thread tensionsers from manufactored sewing machine tensioners to home made springs based on mouse traps or rod tips, I finally have decided that the best is also the simplest.
I run the thread thru a phone book and place a bowl full of pennies on top. The tension is easily adjusted by adding or removing a handful of pennies. It has an amazing range of adjustment and won't fray fragile silk threads.
That said, you might also check your spool of thread. Once I found one that had small razor along the spool. It looked like someone had accidentally nicked the spool while opening a carton or removing a label.
The thread was fine for several revolutions, then it would spool into the damaged area and break with almost no tension. I solved the problem by unwinding several yards of material to get past the damaged fibers.
Another thought, it makes a difference on my screw down type tensioner if the spool is mounted with the thread winding clockwise vs counter clockwise. Mounted the wrong way it has a tendency grab the wing nut that holds the spool in place and tighten it.
You might try a different spool of thread just to see if it is the tensioner or the thread. I had a bad spool of gudbrod. It didn't break but was loaded with the fuzzies in some sections. It really takes very little tension to do the job. Personally I just use a fly tying bobbin and run the thread thru it an let it hang. I just give it a little snugging every 5-6 turns. Works for me. Allyn
I use a ceramic tipped fly tying bobbin and I wrap the thread aroung one of the sides a couple times to increase the tension before passing it through the tube of the bobbin. I put it in a little cardboard box with a hole in it, weighted down with a book. works fine
My first rod I cut "V"s in a box, put the spool of thread in a cup, ran the thread thru a book.
I later bought a cheapy rod wrapper from Cabela's. It had a spring loaded tensioner but as the spool turned the nuts holding the tension would unscrew, a worthless POS IMO.
I bought a thread tensioner from a sewing machine parts company but never figgered out how it worked.
Went back to the cup and book (I use a Websters Dictionary with the thread running thru at about the D section).
I have wrapped over a dz rods with that method....works for me.
Soundslike the "run the thread thru a book" method is winning this fight. I may try this next time.
Finished my rod only to discover that the thread fibers had also been picked out.
I'm certain that this is the evil work of the tensioner, as the thread looks pretty good. I had a nice weave of the "Jesus Fish", but the background was full of little lint bumps. What a dissapointment.
Thanks for all the info, and I imagine that the old tensioner is going straight to Hell for messin' up a rod that was donated to church. *G*
Swamp
[This message has been edited by swamp rat (edited 06 November 2005).]
I haven't build a rod in years, but when I did, it was the "cup and book" system. Never a problem, even with silk thread, and the price was right. (A first edition of "Fishing With Lee Wulff" and a New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival commemerative cup, for what it's worth *g*)
What I like about my "let it hang" method is that you always have tension. You undo a few turns if see an overlappin thread or need to better close an area. I tried the book thing but you have no tension if you have to back up.
Really though it whatever works for you. There is sure more than one way to do it. Allyn
Allyn, I think I built my first rod with my fly tying bobbin with no troubles. You may be on to something...
Greg, are you saying you load the bobbin with the thread, put the bobbin in a box held down by a book, and run the tensioned thread out of a hole in the box? If I've got that right, th at may be worth a try, too.
Thanks, y'all
swamp
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