Spine the Blank

When you get your blank, check it for straightness, nicks, and any other damage. Wipe the blank with a paper towel saturated with 91% isopropyl alcohol. This will clean it. Wrap two turns of 1/2-inch masking tape around the blank about a third of the way down from the tip. Make sure the butt end is cut square. They come this way from the factory. We will now find the spine of the blank. Rest the butt end on a smooth surface and have the blank at about a 45-degree angle. Rest the tip in your palm, and push down on the center of the blank with your other hand. The blank should roll a bit, and then stop. This is where the blank wants to be when pressure is applied or loaded. With a marker, place a line on the masking tape under the blank. Do this test several times. A different stop may happen. If so, mark the masking tape under the blank again. Repeat the test until you realize that the blank stops on one of the lines more frequently. Mark that line heavily. Now you have the spine of the blank.

For our boat rod using a conventional reel, we will line up the center of the reel seat and the guides on this line. By using the spine correctly, you will not only build a better rod, but this will help lessen the stress on your rod and components.

Static Deflection

Static Deflection is a very good method for determining the spacing of the guides. After the grips and reel seat have been installed and the epoxy hardened/cured, it is time for the guide layout. A Static Deflection tool is simply a PVC rod holder mounted at a 45-degree angle in a frame. I clamp the tool to a chair, table, or whatever is available. A person can hold the rod in this position for you. The butt of the rod is placed in the rod holder and the reel installed. Now we need a means of temporarily holding the guides in place. You can use masking tape, small dental rubber bands used on braces, or cut rings from different sizes of guide foot tubing (surgical tubing).

Static Deflection Fixture

Using the method you chose, place the guides on the blank. Thread the line from the reel through the guides and the tiptop, which is held in place by masking tape for now. Attach a two-ounce sinker to the terminal end of the line. This sinker is used to maintain light tension on the line going through the guides. Pull down on the tiptop and look at how the line parallels the flexed blank. You want the line to run parallel to the blank under a load, such as a fish fighting for its life. Relocate the guides to obtain this parallelism. When you think you are finished, pull down harder on the tiptop and check the parallelism of the line to the blank. Never allow the line to touch the blank! Now tape the guides in position so they can't move.

For our CGBT 84 1L rod, these are the guide spacings from the tip down toward the reel. These are approximate, as each blank is a little different. Tip to #8-3.5 inches, to next #8-3.5 inches, to next #8-3.5 inches, to next #8-4 inches, to #10-4 inches, to next #10-4 inches, to #12-4.75 inches, to #16-6.5 inches, to #20-9.5 inches. Getting the guide location correct is very important.

Guide Prep

By grinding excess material off the top of the guide feet, we accomplish two things. First, we make the feet thinner and therefore more flexible. Secondly, we create a smooth ramp for the thread to wind up on. We do this using a grinding wheel, sanding discs, files, or another method that works for you. You want to create a ramp from the end of the foot to about two-thirds the way to the guide ring. After grinding is over, we de-burr the area and buff the foot at the same time. The feet are then cleaned with 91% isopropyl alcohol. Some builders use a marker to coat the feet black if the guide frames are black. This will inhibit rust should water get in.

Thread and Wrapping

The purpose of thread wraps is to hold the guides in place. The finish seals and protects the thread. Today, we are fortunate in that we have many company’s threads to choose from. The standard bearer and easiest to purchase is GUDEBROD.

For this article, I will keep to the simple basics regarding thread. We will discuss nylon thread. It comes in different sizes based on its strength. Most common are 'A' and 'D' sizes. The breaking strength of 'A' nylon thread is 2.7 pounds. The breaking strength of 'D' nylon thread is 7.4 pounds. Obviously, 'D' thread is thicker. Builders differ with their opinions on whether 'A' is stronger or 'D' is stronger. The 'A' side says you have more turns of thread in a given area. The 'D' side says the thread is stronger, period! For a beginner, 'A' thread may be more difficult to work with. However, done properly, 'A' thread can look like the area is painted rather than wrapped. When covered with finish, nylon thread looks bright and shiny. Always place darker colors over the lighter colors.

Nylon thread also comes in the form of NCP Thread. This thread is manufactured with a color sealer/preserver. NCP means "No Color Preserver" needed. The 'A' breaking strength is 2.2 pounds, while the 'D' breaking strength is 5.1 pounds. When covered with finish, the colors take on a flat look.

You have chosen your colors, now how do you start and finish a wrap? Wrap the thread around the blank once; hold the tag end of the thread against the blank. As you start the second turn, cross it over the tag end and complete the turn.

The author using a static deflection setup to       determine guide placement.

Do this about five times. Pull on the tag end to tighten the wrap. You should have the thread going over the tag end at least five times. Now you can cut the loose 'tag' end with a sharp single edge razor. Continue your wrap until almost finished. Take a piece of loose thread about 8 inches long, double it over in half. This is a pull through loop. Lay this over the wrap with the loop facing the direction you are wrapping. Continue wrapping, going over the pull through thread.

Again, you need at least five turns over the pull through loop. When you reach the end of the wrap, hold the end of the wrap so it does not loosen. Cut the thread about five inches past the end of the wrap. Take this tag end and put it through the pull through loop. Pull and hold it tight so your wrap does not loosen.

Pull the loose ends of the pull through loop so that the tag end of the wrap thread goes back under the wrap. Keep pulling until the wrap thread comes all the way out. Now cut this end of the wrap thread as close as possible to the wrap. Take a burnishing tool or something round and rub the threads to flatten them a bit and eliminate any spaces. You should have a nice wrap that is locked in place with no ends showing. With a little practice, you should become very good at this.

Applying Finish

We are fortunate to have many great two-part epoxy products to cover our thread work. Some of the names are Flex Coat, Classic Coat, Aftcote and Dura Gloss. There are also many other company's products and types of finish available. The secret to a good finish is to choose a good product, and learn how to use this product correctly. This does take time with trial and error, but your reward is a great looking finish.

It is most important to mix the two parts, resin (Part A) and hardener (Part B), in equal amounts. You may have drying problems if you do not measure accurately. You can use measuring spoons, measuring cups, or measuring syringes to accomplish this. Place the mixture in a small cup made to be used with epoxy, on a piece of aluminum foil with the sides bent up to prevent spillage, or on a ceramic tile. Using a spatula, mix vigorously for two minutes. Don't worry about the bubbles at present.

You need the ingredients to be mixed completely. After mixing, let it stand for about two minutes and breathe on the epoxy. This small amount of heat will start to eliminate some of the bubbles.
A quarter-inch natural hairbrush works very well. Clean it in 91% isopropyl alcohol. Remove any loose hairs by tapping the brush ends against a piece of masking tape.

This pertains to a new brush. Loose hairs will end up in your wraps and we don't want that! Load the brush up with finish, and while turning the rod, apply the finish to the wrap. You want the finish to overlap each end of the wrap by about 1/16 of an inch to seal the area so no water can penetrate.

After the finish is applied, brush horizontally across the wraps to level out the finish. If there are bubbles in the finish, blow through a straw on the area. The warmth of your breath will cause the bubbles to disappear. I use the alcohol burner to achieve this by quickly moving the burner under the wrap while rotating the wrap.

Place the rod in your drying device and rotate for 6 hours. Note that once you start to apply finish, you have to keep the blank turning steadily. Epoxy is a heavy fluid, and if the blank is not turning, the epoxy will sag to the bottom of the blank and fall off. I clean the brush in 91% isopropyl alcohol and hang it carefully in a bottle containing Flex Coat Brush Cleaner until the next time it is needed.

In the third and final part of this series, we'll describe how to install the components and finish the wraps.