Hi Gents,
A mate of mine has built himself a 4 piece12 wt fly rod to have a crack at Bluefin Tuna. He's a very good fisho and has some really good capture on fly in both fresh and salt. The problem he's got is the ferrules wont hold and it keeps coming apart and he doesn't want to use it or the enevitable will happen, he hook a good blue and everything will come apart. I remember seeing something on the forum that overcomes this but can't remember what it was. He has bound the ferrules for added strength and he's also wondering if this has caused the problem by putting the ferrules slightly out of shape. Don't know a lot about building fly rods so I can't help.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

What type ferrules does he have? Metal add-ons or integral carbon to carbon?

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Hi Tom,
It's a late model graplite rod so I would expect it t be carbon to carbon and I can't see him binding them if they were metal.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

Then he should press the sections together, 90 degrees off, then when just about seated, twist into alignment.

Chris Richer
Iroquois ON

Hi Chris,
I'm sure he's doing that as he has got quite a few graphite fly rods, but I will check to make sure. Thanks.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

A few years back, RodMaker published an article on how to fit/adjust these integral ferrules. It is possible that the sections are bottoming out and require a very slight trim of either the tip or butt section to allow the tapers to match more perfectly.

If a proper bayonet lock (as Chris mentioned) isn't doing the job, he may need to refit something.

If he can join the sections and find the bottom of the tip loose on the butt section, he should trim about 1/8th inch from the top end of the butt section. If he finds the tip section bottoms on the butt section, but can feel looseness where the top of the butt section is in the tip, he should trim 1/8th of an inch from the end of the tip section.

This was a very comprehensive article and with it you can fix about any ferrule, but I'd have to know more about his specific problem and where the ferrule isn't fitting.

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Hi Tom,
Thanks, I will pass that info onto him tonight and investigate further. Can you remember which issue the article was in, as if it was a few years back I've probably got it on dvd.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

I'll have to look it up a little later today.

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The only time I have seen this problem on a "butt over ferrule" is when the builder put a wrap on the male piece too close to the tip, which did not allow the ferrule to seat all the way down. If the tapers are correct at the ferules they should mate cleanly and firmly, sometimes too firmly, making it difficult to disassemble!

Another trick is to do what many Spey rod users do, and tape the ferrules after assembly, most use black electrical tape.

Hello Col.

If Tom does not get back to you, you might look into 13/1 pg. 22 & 26 "Fitting Ferrules" & "Assembling Integral Ferrules" or maybe 14/2 "Past and Present Ferrules"on pg.12 or lastly 14/3 "Butt Ferrules & Rod Handle Attachment Systems" on pg. 10.

I think the article you are looking for is one of the ones in 13/1.

Hope this helped some, Good Luck and have a good day.

Bob,

New Bern, NC.

Hi Bob,
Thanks for that, I've got those issues so will revist them and see what I find. Talked to Craig this evening a got some more info. The blank is a matte finish yet the seating areas of the ferrules are smooth and shiny and he has a small bit of the shiny stuff showing on one joint so might need a bit of trimming. He is going to email the manufacturer and see what they have to say. Will do more reading and Tom will give me the article his talking about. Will do all that before doing anything especially cutting. Both Craig and myself don't know much about that aspect so have to get it right before making a decision.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

13-1.

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Hi Tom,
Thanks for that.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

Col.

I don't have the Rod Builder issue with these instructions, but have run across this problem. I used White China marker on the butt section, and put the 2 pieces together. This creates a "Tell". If the marker is rubbed off of the tip of the butt section, The butt section needs to be trimed. If the marker is rubbed off closer to where the end of the top section comes to rest, the top section needs to be trimed. Go easy on how much you trim, and remark and refit the pieces. You can end up with a perfect fit..

Mike Bradfrod
R.M.B. Fishing Rods
Nampa, Idaho

Hi Mike
Thanks for the tips and help, it's appreciated.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

If he bound the female ferrule without support, the thread wrap will compress the graphite and reduce the internal dimension. This will prevent the male section from fully seating. The solution is to remove the ferrule wraps, assemble the sections with the male sections firmly seated and rewrap the female ferrules.

Hi Bill,
Thanks for that but I think he bound them with male sections in place, however I will check.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia