Recent build, Mink Rod

[unfrozen]

Built this one for a mink rancher in northern Minnesota. His preference was for a 4' trolling rod so I ended up cutting a Batson RDR70M down to 48". Put the size 6 guides on using the simple spiral method. The customer's favorite colors are brown and yellow so I used those in my first try at a double axis closed wrap using the "scales" pattern. The handle is eastern red cedar.

[upnorth]

Very nice. Multiple axis wraps are tough to keep track of. I did a 4 axis scale wrap and it about drove me insane trying to keep track of where I was and which axis was which. But it did turn out well.

[Dark Cloud]

Sweet wrap!!!

Same here, did one once...

[bobbymalone]

i can't even wrap my mind around how you guys do that. bravo.

[pureinsanity]

I think you need a little bit of basic geometry and patience to do an awesome wrap like that. Both of which I lack in I would love to do a nice but wrap sometime, but I will stick with basics for now!

Nice work Chad!

[upnorth]

PI one of the things I have learned with the more complex wraps is, to get up and leave them for a while when I start getting impatient or frustrated. It really does help. Geometry, not really just spacing and keeping track of the thread/sequence you are at. When doing a complex wrap I record every thread I lay down. If the phone rings or I have to get up for a minute I don't want to lose track of where I am.

[unfrozen]

Amen! This took me a good 5 hours. After awhile my back gets sore and I need to take a break. It's a good time to pour a home brewed beer! (And then drink it.)

[Carpenter]

Can someone give me a hint on how to do the 4 axis wrap? [email protected]

[unfrozen]

If you're serious about learning to do some of these wraps I would HIGHLY recommend getting on Mudhole.com and buying Billy Vivona's book called Decorative Wraps. If I hadn't bought that book I would be clueless on how to go about doing some of these wraps. The few wraps I have done have barely scratched the surface when compared to what you'll get from that book.

[upnorth]

Other than it being multiple axis it is a fairly simple wrap. Big thing is you need to get your spacing around the rod at 90 degrees. The wrap is a plus 1 pattern. simple put looking at Chad's wrap the dark color is 1 wrap and the lighter color adds a wrap at each sequence. So seq. 1. 1 dark, 1 light. seq. 2. 1 dark, 2 light. seq. 3. 1 dark, 2 light. So you wrap the colors going out from center.

[Carpenter]

Thanks Upnorth. I've been trying your windows paint tip (different post) but and am still lost. Should I be starting in the middle of the box and working out? The fade seems simple enough (I think that's what you were describing), but the black still has me lost.

Unfrozen, are you interested/able to send me the instructions on the wrap above?

[Carpenter]

After some more playing on paint, i think i figured out the black portion now. have to try it with some junk thread and rod.

[upnorth]

Yes work from the center out.