Home made thread weaving jig

[Owen]

After watching Doc Ski's thread wrapping DVD's I got a rush of blood and decided to give it a try.
A few things immediately became evident.

1. Doc makes it look easy
2. Mum was right --- I did go blind
3. Cardboard boxes and masking tape as tools aren't ideal

First order of business was a set of wheels. A bit of scrap timber and a few wheels & castors saw a useable set made.


To help give myself a shot at getting something I'd actaully display on a rod I decided I needed to try to make a jig to hold the threads as I just kept losing place and patience.

There are commercial units available, but at around $50 I thought I'd see what I could find in the garage.

I took a piece of 3 inch pvc and split it in half.
Then I drilled some holes in it so it could be secured to the blank by zip ties.
A rummage through the bathroom produced some hair comb courtesy of a few motels (we also have enough soap to last 3 lifetimes).
These were glued to the PVC.
Then to secure the threads I glued some high density foam (used in mats etc) to it and put some slits in it.
The masking tape down the sides of the combs is merely to write the numbers on.

Sandra is having the first crack at in on an old rod we had laying around.
She wanted a dragon, so we found a stencil and layed it out on graph paper to get our pattern. Possibly too ambitious for a first attempt, but she's very crafty, so we'll see how it goes. I'll stick with fish!

I'll post the results as she goes.

[finga]

I have to try and learn about all this nancy fancy weaving stuff.
Maybe then I will be able to fully appreciate these pretty pictures because at the moment it looks like your trying to comb your rod

[Stuart]

I was thinking the same thing, hope you cleaned out the nits and bits.

Stu

[Owen]

Yeah, I know they look a bit agricultural, but they do work.
Sandra was a bit 2nd hand today after her neice's 18th last night, so I made a start on the weave.
Long way to go and you can't really see how it's coming out till it's all done, but you can see the head taking shape.

[finga]

The main thing is they work
That purple really stands out doesn't it.
How long has it taken to do that bit Owen??
I'm very curious how it's all going to turn out.
I've got so much to learn. Lucky I've got plenty of time

[Owen]

Finga,
That far has probably took me 4 or 5 hours including laying out the threads.
Was a few stubbies anyway
If you're going to the RBW then there'll be about 14 more qualified people to learn from than me.

The hardest part for me is to stay focused so I don't mix up the threads. A few times I've grabbed 22 instead of 32 etc.
I usually have the attention span of a gold fish but I'm actually finding this relaxing.

[sandyd]

Here is the prove in the pudding to Owen's homemade thingy.

Today I finally finished the dragon weave and the thingy worked like a treat, so much that it became a problem in the fact that when I really needed to rest I kept weaving and of course that is when errors happened.

There where a couple of errors but in total I was pretty happy with the end result.

Now to think about how to finish off the rebuild of the rod. Lots more to do.

Sandyd

[finga]

She's hooked
You even speak technical Sandy (well my technical anyways) with terms like "thingy".
I can't wait to see what you do with that other gismo (have you got a gismo??)
Everybody makes mistakes but you shouldn't tell everyone about them.

I always leave one very obvious mistake in most things I do so the nitpickers will see it, be happy and not look for anymore.
Cheers and well done
Scott

[sandyd]

thanks Scott

I have yet to get the gismo but hope too soon so that I can make a rod handle like the one you have done but in a yellow mallee Burl. I had also thought about using mango tree wood and cutting down the neighbors tree, just not sure what they would say.

I have also taken the time to hid all my jewelery, don't like rod making that much and have no desire to see my rings become a part of the rod.

cheers
sanded