forgot the winding check

Articles Rod Building & Craft
1

I was horrified to see that I forgot to install the plastic winding check on my latest project, Can I split this thing and epoxy in place safely?

2

Flybugpa
I don’t even use em! I havn’t used them on any of my rods for the past 25 years. Try this! If you havn’t finished the rod, be absolutly meticulous about forming the hole in a new cork ring. Make sure that there is absolutely NO SPACE between the blank and the cork ring…then glue it on well. I use a common water resistant glue available in hardware stores. I’ve never had any trouble with it. Clean the blank where the glue oozed out with a cloth soaked in water.a Allow a couple of days for glue drying. Don’t even think about shaping the ring…not by hand nor in a lathe until the glue is absolutely dry. The ring can now be shaped but be extremely careful not to mar the blank with tools or sandpaper. When turning mine on a lathe, after roughing the grip out, I use 220 wet or dry followed by 1000 to work close to the blank. I pride myself on the way the blank seems to grow right out of the grip with only a very narrow one eighth of an inch wind between. I don’t mess things up with a worthless IMHO hookkeeper.

Ol’ Bill
1932

3

I’ve also seen some people create a winding check out of thread if you used a super fine cork handle on the rod. If the handle tapers smoothly right down to the rod blank, you can make a wrap that is about 1/2 inch wide, half of it on the blank and half on the cork. Apply the epoxy and you’re all set. Just a thought…

Jim Smith

4

Thats exactly what I do. Guess I didn’t explain well enough. When I do the job, I glue up the blank from rings, Saving the best for the top of the grip. I like to keep the wind as narrow as possible. The narrowest, on my one weight is only 1/8 inch wide. Black winding on a dark gray blank. IMHO ellegant! the 1/2 inch wide wind is ok too but I prefer it narrow to enhance the look of cork next to the graphite blank. Many try it and give up in disgust.

The problems:

  1. not a good enough fit between the blank and the top cork ring

  2. not waiting for the glue to become completely dry

  3. maring of the blank then having to cover it up with winds

If I ever build another rod, I’ll try for a wind only 1/16 of an inch wide. I tink that this is a case where less is more!

Ol’ Bill
1932

5

Thanks guys,I am on it!