Hi there,

mounted this morning a tip top with 5 min epoxy (z poxy) on a two handed rod perfectly aligned, so far so good. Two hours later test casting. During the casting session I realized that tip top turned out of aligned position from 6:00 to 7:00 o'clock. Now it seems the epoxy has cured completely and I need an idea how to remove the tip top to reinstall later on this or another TT correctly.

> The tip top is a Fuji concept guide with a relatively short tube compared to the wire loop tops.
> I assume that the epoxy was maybe already a little old, the resin started to become dull and a little hard in the lower part of the bottle, maybe this is the reason for retarded hardening?

Never had a problem like this, therefore I need your suggestions how to do removal.

Rgds,
Ole

USE A LITTLE HEAT TO LOOSEN THE EPOXY...

Bill@midwestrodandreel.com
www.midwestrodandreel.com

Here is what I do. I put the tip section in my rod lathe and attach a heavy rubber band to the tiptop via a piece of wire like a heavy paper clip or somthing (to try to insulate the rubber band from the heat) and stretch it under a good tension on the axis of the rod and secure the other end of the rubber band. Now I gradually heat the old tiptop near the tip end. when the tiptop tube gets hot enough that the epoxy/cement starts to flow the tiptop will fly off.

Kerry

Kerry has it right.
I picked up this tip from this forum and it works great.

Just be sure that you are not in the line of fire when the tip decides to let go. It will be a hot tip and it will be flying.

I do as Kerry posted, but I just take my alcohol lamp, first stretch out the binder which has been connected to a paper clip and cord to a door knob. I lay the rod on a chair, and then pull the rubber binder tight.

I then put the lamp under the tip and while doing this, I slowly rotate the rod to heat all sides of the tip. In a few seconds, the tip will come flying off the rod.

The nice thing about using this method, is that JUST enough heat is used to soften the glue and allow the tip to leave the rod.

Now, while the glue is still soft, I will use a straight edged razor blade - held at 90 degrees to the blank to remove all traces of existing glue.

Then, if you want to reuse, the tip, take a piece of piano wire to clean the residual glue out of the tip, while the tip has been heated. Now, because there is no blank involved while cleaning the tip, more heat can be used if required to clean up the residual glue.

Take care
Roger

Dear posters,

thanks for the tips, I will do so. The trick with the rubber band to avoid to overheat the blank I really like.

Rgds,
Ole

I have never epoxied a tip-top but I have screwed up with epoxy in just about every other way possible. I have always immersed the offending epoxy bond in boiling water, usually for five minutes or so, and simply pulled the bond apart using gloves or a hot pad. The blank never got hotter than 212 degrees, which is a very good thing.