I'm building a four piece fly rod. I've got two section where the guide wrap is going to be less than an inch from the ferrule wrap. I'm doing a metallic blue with two small silver bands in the middle of the wrap (not trim bands, I guess. That would be on the end). So my question is do I put the same bands in the ferrule wraps? Do I do the ferrule wraps in the same metallic blue or go like with a black? The blank is dark blue - Rainshadow blank.

Thanks for the advice and opinions.

AC
FishinFreaks
Rogers, MN

I would just move the guide a 1/2" or so and wrap it right over the ferrule. Many builders prefer to place a guide on the ferrule whenever possible.

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

Do the ferule reinforcement wraps how ever you like. Sometimes I match the guide wrap colors and
pattern and sometimes I will use a color that matches the color of the blank as closely as possible so
as to make the ferule wraps invisible or as close to that as I can anyway.
I also agree with Mike, try and place a guide right at the ferule and kill two birds with one stone.

Raymond Adams
Eventually, all things merge, and a river runs through it..

place the guide on the ferrule. simplifies things and i believe it is a stronger set up.

I agree with Raymond's First two suggestions. I like invisible, or nearly, ferrule wraps. I do not place the guide on the ferrule unless the placement process puts it there. Ralph

If at first you don't succeed, go fishing, then try, try again.

Aaron,

I will always move the guide onto the ferrule if it hits within an inch or so in the upper half and two inches in the lower on four and five piece rods. To keep the spacings looking right, you can slightly adjust the guides above/below it without dong any harm.

The guide wrtap become the ferrule wrap, saving the weight of that much unneeded thread and epoxy. I know it's not much, but less weight equals better performance, especially in the upper portions of a fly rod.

If you do it this way, you'll have two of the three required ferrule wraps done with the guides. You can decide it you want to make the third one an 'invisible' wrap by matching the blank color, or making it 'match' the guide wraps. Up to you. No right or wrong here, both will look fine. (I'd go with the invisible wrap in this instance, but I do that anyway with my ferrule wraps regardless).

Good Luck!

Buddy

I have to agree with the guys who posted previously. Anytime your static distribution test will let you, put a guide on the ferrule. You get two wraps for the price of one, and you don't have to worry about how to do a stand-alone ferrule wrap.

When I do have to do a stand-along ferrule wrap, I do one of two things. I either make it invisible--thread color to melt into the blank color--or, I use it as a place to do a feather inlay (that matches the feather inlay on the butt section).