Are any of you familiar with reducing the ID of a female aluminum Ferrule? I was cleaning and polishing the ferrules of an old FG rod that was given to me which would not go together without forcing and ended up with a fit that is not quite snug enough, maybe 0.0005” will do. Anxious to learn your ideas / methods before attempting to collapse it a tad utilizing a machinist collet and block chuck.
Thank you for your input.
Mark T.

A pipe/tubing cutter with a very dull cutter wheel can be run around the female ferrule in a couple spots, high and low, to slightly close the ferrule ID. Don't overdo it - go light, test fit and repeat, if necessary.

........

I actually turned a wheel for my tubing cutter that is as wide as the existing one that is completely flat instead of the cutter, work great, but as Tom said don't overdo it

Ron Weber

Thanks Tom and Ron. That's a good idea as long as one creeps on it as both of you mentioned. The additional issue I have, which I forgot to mention, is the ferrule is wrapped with thread spiraled over two strips of that old-school aluminum tape (nice touch on those 1960ish rods) which would be nice to preserve. I'm afraid the tubing cutter, even with a flattened wheel might damage it, but then so might the collet approach.

Center punch the blunt end of the male ferrule. This will expand it and help occupy some space creating a tighter fit.

Dennis J. Danku
(Sayreville,NJ)

Are you planning on stripping the rod down and rewrapping (restoring) it or are you going to keep it as is, albeit with a tighter ferrule? If you are going to restore it, I would not worry about the Mylar tape on the ferrule you can still find that stuff today. Strip the rod down and rewrap it, You can try to tighten the ferrule as outlined above, if that does not work buy a new ferrule set they can still be purchased at most suppliers and are very inexpensive. Back in the day ferrules were installed on rods using ferrule cement which is now called tip top cement, so a little heat should remove the ferrule. If it was glued in place heat can still be used to remove it, but takes a little more effort. If it is a sixties vintage rod I am sure the wrappings have faded and the finish is probably not in the best of shape and is flaking off, since varnish was most likely used rather than epoxy. If the finish is epoxy my guess is that it was restored previously. If you are planning on keeping it in it's present original condition your options are limited.
Norm

Thanks Dennis and Norman, The wraps and finish are in quite good condition and would prefer to leave them that way. I will try the centerpunch approach since it is the easyist and have used the method before for shrinking an oversized press fit hole. Otherwise I will attempt the collet approach.

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.