Rod Building: Trim Bands

[crabbait]

One of the guys asked about trim bands so I will demonstrate a couple of ways that I do them. The first one is very simple and can be used anywhere. Generally, you see these at the ends of guide wraps. Most trim bands are better smaller on steelhead/salmon rods. besides, you just don't have the space that you have on a tuna stick.

This technique requires no pull-through loops at all. First, cut a piece of thread about a foot long and wrap three loops around the blank leaving a bunch of slack. Hold the near part of the loops against the blank so that the slack stands way from the blank. Like this...



Then push the opposing ends of the thread through the loops like this...



Now pull the slack out so it starts to come together.



Align with your burnishing/packing tool...



And trim the ends off with a razor (carefully).



This trim band can be completely free standing but they are fragile. This is a three wrap band and I can do a two wrap but it is even more fragile. A coat of Color Preserver will act as a weak "glue" until you get finish on it. I recommend that this style trim band is applied just before you apply finish to the rod and be ready to retie through the standing finish if one comes loose (yes, i have done it!).

[crabbait]

This next one is really pretty and people will really wonder how you did it. This is an "embedded" trim wrap. Start with your basic wrap, then tuck your trim thread under, in this case just cut a piece of thread for your trim band about 10-12" long, and continue to wrap until you have about 8 wraps over the thread to secure it. Like this...



Now wrap the trim band (white) along with and outside the base wrap (black) for one revolution, then tuck the trim thread under the base thread like this...



Now carefully untuck the trim thread leaving a small loop under the base wrap like this...



Do three more turns with the base wrap over the trim wrap, then carefully pull the loop out from under the base wrap. Now you have a one-turn trim band but it is overlapped...



Very carefully pull back the trim band until the ends meet, then pack the thread over so that the two ends meet. Here I have left a tiny amount of space so you can see the join...



Now I have pushed the ends together so that it looks like a continuous loop and have trimmed the tag ends off.



Voila! A one turn trim band that will leave them wondering how'd he do that? Enjoy.