I typically attach my grips and reel seat with rod bond and then the tip top with 5 minute epoxy. What are you guys using to attach the tip top so that you can do the static distribution test, set the guide locations, and then rotate the tip top and all other guides but the butt guide?

Joe Milligan

Just a spot of hot melt glue is usually all you'd need. Don't put it down in the rod tube, just on the blank tip. Most of it will be pushed down the blank and while it won't be the most secure connection, for anything short of very heavy rods where you use a lot of weight for deflection, it will hold most tops well enough to get the deflection test done


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Why couldn't you just put the tip-top in the "down" position, using your normal tip-top epoxy, flex the rod to 90 degrees, and space the guides on top like a conventional rod? The only area affected by this would be the guide nearest the tip, and that's always going to be 4-5" from the tip top. As long as I'm under 5" from the tip-top, I've not noticed any performance difference between 4", 4.375", 4.5", etc. Aesthetics have been the only consideration to where that guide goes.

Am I missing something here?

Andrew,
I have been using you method as well and it has been working fine for me....