I wrapped a few fly rods with minima 4’s size 4 and used the standard
Tip Top 5.3mm loop. Has any one come up with minima 4 Tiptop?
Guess it’s all about esthetics

Look at the model FM in the Pac Bay catalog. Minima 4 in ring size 3 and 4.

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

Mega thanks Mike, thats what I'm looking for.
stan

I have been talking to Pac Bay, and they are going to have this tip top in larger ring sizes in about 6 months.

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

I personally like having a tip top that is one size larger than my running guides on my fly rods. I use size 5 Minimas as runners about 90 percent of the time, so I use a size 6 tip top for those rods. I also wrap a guide as a tip top, rather than using a sleeved tip top with a tube. It's plenty strong enough, and in my opinion, far more aesthetically pleasing as it keeps the thread wraps proportionally more consistent all the way to the very end of the rod. The bottleneck guide feet help ensure that guide pull-out is highly unlikely. Also, you don't have to worry about ordering the right sized tubed-tip top, which, in my case usually means ordering an extra size or two.

Torin,

Can you upload a picture of how you use a regular guide as a tip top? Asthetically, I can't picture why that would look better than a sleeved top which I find very clean at the end of the rod. I'd like to see how you do it. Not being critical, just like to look at other ideas on how to do things.

Steve Hartzell
Lake Conroe - Willis, Texas

I know that wraping a guide on the rod as a tip top is something that some of the rod builders do. I only see one problem with this practice. replacing the tip top is not something you can do out on the lake, stream, or sea. Pull outs might be rare, but they can happen. Losing a tube type tip top is also rare, and I know this happens. Fixing this problem in the field is a totally different matter between these two techniques.

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

Steve,

I've sent you an email with photo attached. The guide as a tip top keeps the thread wrap to hardware appearance more uniform than when you suddenly introduce a metal cylinder. Also, rod makers often use a very short wrap (which serves no functional purpose) at the end of the cylinder in an attempt to try to keep the aesthetics consistent. For me, it has always looked like a suddend change in hardware/appearance.

Mike,

Flyrods don't typically have issues with tip tops pulling off. A security wrap, like a Forhan Locking Wrap could be of benefit here, but with the Minima's foot geometry - it's generally not necessary. If a guide does manage to pull out, then you can certainly do a field repair with a typical tubed sleeve tip top until you get back to your wrapping bench. I've personally never had a tip top pull out with these Minimas, but I use fairly strong thread tension and finish my wraps with 2 coats of Lumiseal and 1 (occasionally 2) coats of epoxy.