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Got my kit today, did some practice thread work on an old rod I had. Any thoughts for improvement?
The start was a little ugly, missed an overlap, and cut the tag end for the pull thru to long. Had to use a little flame to eliminate the tag. Other than that need to work on my lighting, need a better view.
Anything else?
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Looks like a good start.
Doesn't look bad. As you mentioned it in your post, you're recognized just how important good lighting is when doing any thread work. Bright white, and high lumens is what I personally have. 5,500 K or higher, and depending how close you can get your light to your work, without it being in the way, at least 4,000 lumens. I'd also suggest magnification for your eyesight, even if it's 20/20, I'd still get magnification. Some like the face mounted and lighted set ups. I tried one, and while I have read others that love such a set up, I found it too cumbersome for my liking. I went to a big box store and got a pair of 3X reading glasses. I use those strictly when wrapping guides. Otherwise, my regular prescription glasses are fine for doing anything else.
It looks like size D thread? Nothing wrong with that, but IMO, size A looks much better. It's more difficult to work with from a seeing it standpoint, and maybe from a packing wraps standpoint, but it just looks more like the wraps are painted on, versus how they look with size D. You're not really gaining any strength with D because one wrap of D takes up basically the same space as two wraps of A.
As far as where your wrap started prior to the guide foot. My very first build and other builds early in, looked the same way in that they started quite a bit off the guide foot. Nothing wrong with that, but as you get more comfortable wrapping, you'll probably start noticing that you're starting your wraps a lot closer to the foot of the guide. I usually have 4 - 5 wraps of size A thread before the thread starts climbing the guide foot. It just looks like a cleaner build to my eyes.
As far as your pull through to finish the wrap, I insert the pull through loop when it looks like I will have about 10 wraps left, to finish the wrap. Always either 180 degrees from the guide foot, but never closer than 90 degrees to the guide foot. This way there is no chance that the tag end won't be pulled under an area of the wrap, where it may come lose. And when doing your pull through, I find it easier to pull the loop tight to the front of the, and then trim the tag end tight against the pull loop. You might think that doing it that way won't allow enough of the tag end to be pulled under the wrap, but as you pull the loop out, a bit of your final thread wrap as well as the small tag end is pulled under the wrap. The trimmed tag end never gets close to where the pull loop exits the wrap, and there will be more than enough under the wrap, to secure it.
The more you wrap, the better you'll get at it. And while I have put a lighter to more than a few little nubs n such, that little burnt nub will show in your finish. Best to avoid doing what caused it, versus trying to fix it, or just letting it go.
Did some more practice today, this time with the size A thread. Definitely a little harder to deal with but I think I did okay. Will look to shorten my wraps before getting to the guide foot. Thanks for all the suggestions, greatly appreciated!
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It bad work at all especially with tinsel thread. That stuff ain’t easy to work with for sure
Looks good to me. Practice makes perfect.
Try to get where you're only 4 wraps before the foot. Looks good though. Black thread on a black blank will cover up most little imperfections. A little hit with the burnishing tool where you pulled your tag through on the silver wrap. Can't exactly tell from the red wrap but looks like maybe where you started it you doubled over a little bit? All in all though good start!
Thanks for the tips, a lot to learn but at least its fun things to learn.
One of the "issues" I saw, especially with size a thread, is lighting and seeing things that fine. So got a lighted magnifying glass to help being able to see better. that should help.
I personally like to use the same color thread as the blank, just like the way that it looks aesthetically. Sometimes black on black size A is hard for me to see well even with cheaters and good lighting. I've found that if I use dark gray NOCP thread I still get the same look once finish is applied but there is better color contrast for me to see when wrapping.
Looks like you are doing great so far.
I got one of those Magnifying Visors with built in lights. It made a world of difference.
Also get some different widths of masking tape.