4pc 4wt fly rod build.

After breaking my 4wt in a rod box lid, I was without a light fly rod and decided to replace it with one just a bit better. Mudhole isn’t far from me, which has proved to be both good and bad, and bought a Fenwick replacement. Just got home from buying a CRB rod wrapping station and thread and some other things that I’ll need, so now all I need is time and I’ll take some of the thread I already have and practicing the endless chevron and diamond wraps that have my interest. The guides will have 3 colors, gray, medium blue and royal blue, and the reelseat has a Rosewood insert. Looking forward to starting but I need the most expensive commodity....Time. I’ll update as i progress, wish me luck.....Skeet.

Looking forward to the progress Skeet!!


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Soon you will find that you will make time. Even if it is just to put on one eye. You will enjoy it.

Had to get my feet wet and try my hand at this which I haven’t tried in years. Having watched a few YouTube videos my interest was peaked. Single thread inlays were one of the easier accents I saw so off I went. This is it and I found that I may have punished myself some by starting with A sized thread. It’s little. Anyway, here’s the pic.

sb - WTG, looks good. Got a ton of rod wrapping stuff that has to go, PM before you shop again

Just had to try this. I see some fudges but overall I can see me ripping my hair out. Anyway......

One thing I notice is railroad tracks. I think I might be using too much tension on the thread and it’s possibly changing diameter when pulled too tight. Packing after every thread is something else I have to remember, I think. Be critical guys, tell me.......

Keep ur thread tight the whole time, as soon as u lose tension on thread it will get loose. Do each color and tape it off then use ur burnishing tool to get that layer tight before going to next color

Looks pretty to me!


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Learning more about this at a pretty fast pace. Just saw how to layout one of those better last night, so this one will probably get the razor tonite. Using the tensioner for the thread on the wrapping station doesn’t seem to be what I need for these kind of wraps. Saw a few guys that hold the spool in their hand for better control. I think I’ll try that next time.

I'm not a huge fan of the mudhole wrapper with the fishing rod like device. Just doesn't feel like it gives the right tension to me. The more practice the better. I've ripped up my share of wraps!

I have the crb hand wrapper too, the tensioner rod has its highs and lews. It works great on guide wraps especially when ur doing locking wraps and keeps from losing tension on the rest of ur wrap. But I agree when I'm finishing of a cross wrap I dont use the tensioner rod at all so I can get the tie off a little tighter

The tie off was acceptable to me but the tension during the cross wraps isn’t consistent. When I try to pack the threads a bit tighter, some of them just won’t move. This makes me think that they are too tight to be moved. The next one will be done with the spool in my hand. I also think that I will try a chevron that builds using the same sides of the starting thread over and over. My wife bought me a book at a yard sale by Dale Clemens named Custom Rod Thread Art. Listening to others I’m hearing that this is a well respected book and author and I’ve had it for years. I have to spend more time reading it to be able to understand the terminology used within. There are some patterns that I will never try, but they sure are nice. Hopefully these new to me techniques will become easier over time. I know, practice, practice, practice. Thanks for your patience.....Skeet.

If you look at my post about the twins, honestly it’s been 7 maybe more years since I did a chevron wrap. I basically had to re teach myself how to do one. My power wrapper comes in handy for one thing. It doesn’t let the blank turn freely, because the o ring. Hold the thread and turn the blank by hand working the thread at different angles until you find the angle it wants to stay where you want it next to the others thread. Keep it clean and tight the hole time. Because every time you cross over the threads your locking them down. Witch is why you couldn’t move then. Witch is good and bad, you did it’s somewhat right just not neat and tight enough. Luckily no one wants to pay for the time it takes to wrap them. But the same guy I built those for wants 2 more rods with them.... so I feel for you. I will say this,do not say it’s as good as it’s getting and epoxy it. Later on you will regret it.

Your last two sentences say what I feel. I’ll put a straight wrap on it if I can’t get a nice wrap done. I’ll look at it for years so it will be done right or not at all. I’ll get back to it soon. Watched a couple of videos last night and learned a bit more about layout. Those will help a lot.

I wouldn't give up yet, your wrap really is pretty close to being perfect. Did you use a ruler to mark for your spacing? It helps keep the thread tight and also keeps the (X) or cross's in line.

I used a thread pulled from one end to the other to keep the X in line. I marked a sharpie dot at 3/4” increments for the spacing, but had nothing at 180*. A video used a pencil to make his marks. I was wondering if a white sharpie dot would show when done? It would be some easier to see when working. About to go try my hand at it again, maybe pics later.

Depending on the blank color and the thread used, I use fine tipped Sharpe markers of similar colors to the thread. After I get my first few X's in place, I wash it off with q-tip and denatured alcohol. Haven't had any bleeding issues yet.

If I do a full underwrap, I use the marked thread method on the 0 and 180 axis. Putting a Sharpe right on the thread would stain it for sure.

With you going straight to the blank I would use a China marker or sharpe. I’d put a mark at what ever spacing you want and on the back side shift half the distance and repeat putting a mark. This will help keep your thread going at same angle. That should help keep the thread a little easier to work, it definitely helps me.

Had to work today but got a little time to make headway on the project. Got the handle and reel seat and winding check early in the week. After pricing the set of reamers to fit the handle I decided to use plan B. Found a couple of broken rods at work that had just been put out and stripped em down. Bought the roll of 50 grit Emory cloth, 25’ by 1/2”, and split a piece down the middle with a new blade in a utility knife. Using the tip section and what was left of the bottom section, and coated them both with contact cement. Leaving a gap for the material that gets sanded off, I spiraled the Emory cloth from the tip down. The tip section got an old drill bit arbored up and coated with epoxy, and the bigger piece got a cut off Alan wrench. These allowed the reamers to be put in a drill and spun. They worked like a champ. I arbored the blank with tape, very little needed, and generously coated it with the paste epoxy. And slid it all together. The mark in the one pic is the spline of the rod and the end of the reel seat. The tape is to hold the butt cap in place while the epoxy hardens. The blank isn’t hollow end to end so the trapped air kept pushing the end cap off. Easy peasy with just a little learning curve. Got another try at the diamond/chevron wrap underway on the practice blank that’s coming along nicely. Now I just need to get a color pattern together, it wont be long til I’ll be working on the new rod instead of the practice piece. Thanks for looking in on me and my project.