I have some threadmaster ultimate 5 minute epoxy I've used for tip tops before but it's a few years old. What's the shelf life on that kind of stuff?

After your dead. Really, no shelf life.

I predict it will stay on the shelf until you have to replace or re-align a tip-top you glued on with ultimate 5-minute epoxy. Then it will go in the garbage.

Phil Ewanicki Wrote:
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> I predict it will stay on the shelf until you have
> to replace or re-align a tip-top you glued on with
> ultimate 5-minute epoxy. Then it will go in the
> garbage.


Why is that? What's better to use for tip top gluing? Might be a basic question but I'm just a hobby builder and still learning.

You won't be able To re-align or replace a tip-top secured with epoxy without ruining and cutting off 3/4" - 1" off the tip of the blank. There are any number of hot-melt glues on the market which hold a tip-top securely but release with GENTLE heat, allowing you re-position, remove, or replace a tip top without shortening your rod blank. Time-tested stick shellac works as well or better than any other hot-melt adhesives.

Hello Daren.

I believe Phil was pushing your foot or pulling your leg LOL.

Once you use ultimate 5-minute epoxy on your tip you will NEVER get it off without cutting it off.

Use the glue.


Tight Wraps & Tighter Lines.

Bob,

New Bern, NC.

I never use epoxy to glue a tip top in place, not worth the problems that can occur. I use hot melt tip top adhesive, makes it easy to install and remove tiptops without any problems.

I'll pick some of the glue up then and try it out. I'd just been using the 5 minute rod dancer epoxy for them since that's what came in the rod dancer rod building kits I started out using. Never thought about having to replace tip tops but that makes sense.

Daren,
Fro most general purpose fresh water rods hot melt glue is just fine.

But, for big fish rods, like Musky rods, and blue water rods, you are much better off to use epoxy to attach the tip.

By the way, it is easy to remove a tip that has been attached with epoxy. This tip was posted on the forum a long time ago, but I will repeat it.

Obtain a package of #64 rubber bands. Put a nail or a hook somewhere to which you can attach the rubber band. It could be on the wall, in the floor in a vise, or anywhere else that it is convenient. Then, have a source of heat, like a butane torch or alcohol burner to heat the tip and epoxy as necessary.

Loop the band through the tip that you want to remove. Loop the other end of the band to the hook or nail that is securely attached at your desired location. Have your source of localized heat turned on hand and available.

Then, - it works better if there is someone helping - pull back on the rod, until the rubber band is stretched to its full extension. Then, apply heat to the tip, as you rotate the tip a bit. Just as soon as the adhesive has softened enough from the heat of the burner, the tip will fly off and you will have a clean undamaged tip, as long as you are keeping the heat only on the tip top while heating.

The idea of the band is to put enough tension on the tip top, so that just as soon as the adhesive is soft enough, the tip can slip the bonds of the adhesive and slip out of its grasp holding it o the tip of the blank, without damaging the tip of the rod blank itself.

Good luck

Daren,
Fro most general purpose fresh water rods hot melt glue is just fine.

But, for big fish rods, like Musky rods, and blue water rods, you are much better off to use epoxy to attach the tip.

By the way, it is easy to remove a tip that has been attached with epoxy. This tip was posted on the forum a long time ago, but I will repeat it.

Obtain a package of #64 rubber bands. Put a nail or a hook somewhere to which you can attach the rubber band. It could be on the wall, in the floor in a vise, or anywhere else that it is convenient. Then, have a source of heat, like a butane torch or alcohol burner to heat the tip and epoxy as necessary.

Loop the band through the tip that you want to remove. Loop the other end of the band to the hook or nail that is securely attached at your desired location. Have your source of localized heat turned on hand and available.

Then, - it works better if there is someone helping - pull back on the rod, until the rubber band is stretched to its full extension. Then, apply heat to the tip, as you rotate the tip a bit. Just as soon as the adhesive has softened enough from the heat of the burner, the tip will fly off and you will have a clean undamaged tip, as long as you are keeping the heat only on the tip top while heating.

The idea of the band is to put enough tension on the tip top, so that just as soon as the adhesive is soft enough, the tip can slip the bonds of the adhesive and slip out of its grasp holding it o the tip of the blank, without damaging the tip of the rod blank itself.

Good luck