hey everyone,

When wrapping tips tops do you wrap over the tube of the tip guide, under/inside, or just end the wrap right at the start of the tube? Also, what is best to glue the tip top on?

help is greatly appreciated!

For 25 years, I've just wrapped right up to the tube of the tip top, never over it. I tried it once; didn't look very nice with that change in the diameter of the wrap.

I started using 5 minute epoxy on tip tops about (?)15 years ago and like it.

You'll get lots of opinions on this one, I'm sure.

Putter
Williston, ND

I second Putter's advice, I wrap all my tiptops and also use 5 min epoxy for the tips, I've seen too many tips come loose on trips-doesn't happen with the epoxy.

i also wrapped up onto the tip top at first but also didn't like the way it looked, so now just wrap to the edge. i coat the thread finish up onto the tip top though.

i use a stick of something i got from dan craft on my first order. seems like it'll last forever. looks like a hot melt stick or that flex coat guide adhesive stick. one is more opaque than the other, i forget which.

eric
fresno, ca.

Ditto!!!!! Up to the tube and 5 min epoxy so I can replace with a little heat, if needed

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!!

I was having trouble getting everything aligned just perfectly with the 5 minute epoxy, so I started using 30 minute epoxy (Devcon 2-ton) for tops. It'll allow the tip-top to come off with a little heat also.

I also just wrap up to the tube, but not over.

I use hot melt glue on the tip-tops and then wrap up to and over the top tube. Once finished,it's locked in place and will not move or twist from heat but can still be easily removed by trimming the thread and then using heat if I ever do have to replace it.

None of these methods is necessarily right or wrong, just different ways to get the job done.

........

I've used 5 minute expoxy for tip tops twice - my first time and my last. After epoxing the tip to a blank once, I decided it wasn't exactly in line where I wanted it. In trying to loosen it, it took so much heat from my alcohol burner that I melted 1/2" of thetip right off! Don't know what real affect it had on the rod but when I use it, I'm constanly thinking that my tip is a 1/2" shorter than it's suppose to be! I use the holt melt stick from now on - if it falls off I put another one on.

If you glue the tip top 1st and use it as your alignment reference there is no need to adjust it later. Five minute epoxy and wrapping to the tube works well for me.

Stan Grace
Helena, MT
"Our best is none too good"

I do it exactly the way Tom Kirkman does. Some times I will wrap up to the tube, then back down the blank for about 3 wraps then back up and over the tube. Makes kind of a beveled edge that looks like I put a winding check there. Just a little smoother transition.

Stan - if my tip top wasn't where I wanted it to begin with (in releationship to the blank's effective spine) then aligning the guides to a tip out of position would be a moot point, wouldn't it?

William I am with Tom on this one. By the way Tim I used to use 5 min epoxy on the tip tops but I also melted the tip top on one of my favorite rods . I continued to use the five minute until a friend of mine stepped on a top and pretty much crushed the ring. I got the bright idea to use a pot of boiling water to heat the top well it is kind of hard to turn a 7 ft. rod upside down and put the top in a pot on the stove so I bent the rod a little. It slipped out of my hand. After slinging boiling water all over my wifes kitchen we decided I would use hot melt and wrap over the tip top tube.

Removing a tip top put on with 5 minute epoxy is a very easy thing to do. It does work best if you have someone help.

Get hold of the tip top and apply good, CONSTANT pressure to remove it. If you're not able to hold the rod, put pressure on the tip top and apply the heat properly all at the same time by yourself, get someone to help you do this!

Take a Bic lighter and (keeping it off to the SIDE of the tube) slowly move it back and forth on each side of the tube. Don't stop and don't get really close to the tube. When the glue bond gives with the added heat, the pressure, applied constantly, will easily pop it off long before damage is done to the blank.

Mistakes are always made, but thinking about how to do it right will solve those little problems.

Putter
Williston, ND

Using a candle to heat the top allows you to hold the rod with one hand and the top with the other ????
With pliers of course ?

I'm an over the tube kinda guy... I always wrap with the darker thread tones, and use D, E, or EE thread up there...and fill in the slight transition this thick thread gives, with resin. I wrap up the tube about half-way. My thinking: if/when/possibly/should the tip ever loosen, (which they never have, so far, since 1979) the resin and thread on the tube would hold it in place until the sport could deal with it. I do the tip finishing dead last, when the resin is as thick as rodbond, glop it on, hit it with heat to temporarily soften/liquefy it, and it comes out nice and smooth....being's it's so thick from the git-go, it self levels in an instant once the temp heat is pulled. RE: installation of the tip: now that RodBond is on the market: that's it. If I'm in a panic: thermoplastic cement. Or 5 min resin.
Works for me.... your mileage may vary.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/25/2006 09:13PM by Ken Driedger.

I run a rubber band through the ring and attach it to a nail driven into the bench.Applt heat while pulling the rod away from the nail and when it is ready it will come off.Problem is most heat and then pull building up too much heat in the tip.

Freddwhy (Rapt-Ryte)

Fred, Great Idea, Thanks!! You gotta love this site!!

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!!

hello,
i'am farly new to rod building and i was just wondering if any one has tried putting a small sodering iron on the ring of the tiptop and aplied presure untill it pulled off.i don't if this will work just wondered if any one has tried it .i know it might be a dumb question but i thoght if it keep me from making a dumb mistake it would be worth it. by the way i just wanted to say i think this forum is great!!! i've only been building rods for alittle over a year and the things i've leared for all of you i could never thank you enough !

thank's again,
rick

Hi, Rick. I'd be afraid that the heat would get too much right at the end of the rod blank before it warmed the epoxy farthest from the gun and still damage the blank right at the tip. Passing that flame back and forth from a little ways away seems safer because I can watch as I do it and control where the heat is being applied to both sides equally and to the top and bottom of the tube equally, also. This way, through years of doing it, I know that I won't damage that rod blank.

Welcome aboard and have fun with this obsession!

Putter
Williston, ND

I use the rubber band method but pull the band with a pair of foreceps while the rod is locked into my power wrapper, heat source in the left and foreceps in the right hand. Hot melt glue for adhesive and wrap up to the guide, a little epoxy over.