I read comments about a guide on every ferrule. I just have a two piece blank. However the 54" guide comes out on the ferrule. The bottom tip of the guide foot is 1/2 inch from the actual end of the hollow tip section. So if I wrap this per the 54" mark....I will have about 5/8" of wrap on the bottom of the guide....leaving 1/16th to the actual hollow end of the ferrule. This leaves an unwrapped portion under the eye itself of 3/8"...then of course the top foot will be wrapped. I'm thinking this is ok because the bottom section sticks up into the ferrule a couple of inches. So, I figure it is ok......although I've read if no ferrule ends up near the ferrule you need to wrap a "strentening wrap" on the ferrule. Are my dimensions sort of precisely what one would do to "place a guide on the ferrule"? Or, do I need to shift this guide up a couple of inches, wrap it on....then wrap a 3/4" strengthening wrap on the ferrule?

tks

I think you're fine doing it the way you describe. If I was going to move it I would move it closer to the end not further away.

You can move it into the position that will give you even wraps on both sides. You might need to adjust the next bigger guide out a bit to make up for the shift at the ferrule. I usually have the ferrule wrap a little longer than the wrap on the other side of the guide because the drop to the next section creates an illusion that the wrap is shorter than it is. The wrap on the other side of the guide adds some addition reinforcement. I guess you could argue for an extra wrap a 1/4 away on the other side of a single foot, though I have never seen it done.

Thanks Don and Gerry. I hadn't been anywhere where the guide on ferrule was explained but I figured it would be ok. After all, it has the bottom section stuck up in it. Mine's gonna work out just as you, Don, said about a tad more thread wrap on the bottom guide. Since that is indeed ok.....it will be perfect. Thanks....I feel more better now. To all you guys some of your words and sentences are from a brain that is very experienced and has a lot of data in the bank to draw on. I am just a guy who took two dark green 55"sticks out of a tube.....and I wanna turn them into a fly rod. (I think by databank suffered a couple of static electricity jolts)

Thanks for taking the time to help me. I am comfortable with how it is going to go together now.

Jim

I've always heard that ferrule wraps should be 1.5 or 2 times the diameter of the opening of the tip section. If you just wrap your guide like normal right on the edge of the tip section, you should get the needed distance to accomplish the 1.5X or 2X, AND you get to have a guide wrap the same length as the other guide wraps. I've done it this way for quite awhile, and I've never had any trouble.