Hello,

Any body have experience using craft hot glue for rod tips?
Im trying to find the difference, because I know my wife will freak if I spend any more money on this new hobby. I have thread, guides and epoxy on the way, could I just use the glue from a hot glue gun to put the tip on, then wrap and epoxy it?

I know there are a lot of cheap glues out there but even a 5 buck charge and my butt is in the slammer.

As I understand it the rod building hot melts are capable of somewhat higher temps before melting than the craft ones, but that doesn't mean craft ones will fail. Depending on what you expose your rods to, it may work just fine. Since it is so easy to repair if it fails, it's worth a gamble.

I expect if you leave rods in a hot car in a hot climate, you may have trouble. One thing that helps is to run your tip trim wrap finish up onto the tiptop for an eighth of an inch.

You don't want to use most epoxies as they are so strong that if you have to replace the tiptop it will be very difficult to get it off, possibly even damaging the blank tip. I expect some others with epoxy experience will tell us what to use, but most likely it will cost more than the rodbuilding hot melt. Put your ailey change in a jar and soon you'll have enough to buy it.

To answer your question, yes you can use craft glue to bond the tip to the rod. As Michael said try it and if the bond fails it is easy to redo. BUT I recommend using the two part 30 min epoxy.

There is no heating equipment involved and it gives you plenty of time to adjust the tip for perfect alignment and it is the strongest bond available..

Yes, if you have to replace a tip it will be difficult but with care and a little extra time it can be removed without damaging the rod. In my experience replacing the tip usually occurs when the tip actually breaks off and rarely if the tip itself is damaged.

IMO I would not assemble a rod with the notion that in the future I may have to replace components that may never need replacing.

Good luck

John

Normal hot glue isn't very strong. A stick of rod building tip hot melt melts a a bit higher temperature and is very strong. $3.16 to get the right thing will be well worth it, and one stick of tip glue will last for years and dozens of rods.

Here's another tip-when you get the tip glue, cut an inch off the stick and put it in your tackle box with a lighter for field repairs.

Drew

The hot melt used for bonding fabrics is quite strong and may be suitable for use on most freshwater rods.

..............

Thanks, Tom. The need for replacing a tiptop comes up when it gets grooved or if it got banged into the boat and the ring came out. I have had both happen on my old cheaper store bought rods that I don't use any more. If you buy a premium ring material and take good care of it, you very well may never have to replace it.

You might find a Fuji tip repair kit locally (Walmart, Dick's, Academy Spts. etc. They come with a glue stick. Don't get a South Bend kit, the glue's not the best.

I use hot gun glue almost exclusively for putting on tips.
But I use the high temperature hot glue for the reason Micheal mentioned above "if you leave rods in a hot car in a hot climate, you may have trouble"

That being said, your wive's hot gun may not work as it requires a gun capable of melting high temp hot glue.
do not use the combo (low/high temp) glue as it still melts a low temp, just won't boil in high temp gun.

After a tip from Rich Forhan. I stopped using gun altogether for putting glue in rod tips.
It works great and I no longer have those long glue strings to deals with.

Rich said he runs longs beads of glue on glass surface of different widths, (picture frame works for me), lets them cool off. Then peels them up and stores in a container
when needed he cuts 2 or 3 pieces little longer then the tip barrel, pushes them down inside and heats barrel with cigarette lighter until glue melts (only takes few of seconds).
Heats up tip of blank for a second and pushes tip on.
Per his advise have done it that way for 10 years or so now with out a problem

I use a pair of needle nose pliers with masking tape covering the teeth (to protect tip finish) to hold tip and push on blank so I don't burn these fingers



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/04/2020 07:48AM by Steve Gardner.

Steve,
The method that I use for tip application is as follows.

I keep a chuck of tip cement on the end of a small diameter music wire. Same type or sharpened wire that I use when working with the thread.

Then, I have another sharpened small diameter music wire that is of a size where the sharpened tip will fit inside the tip top. .

I heat the glue stick that is on the rod, and the application rod and get enough glue on the application rod to glue the tip in place.

Then, I heat up the glue on the stick and insert the tip into the tip top to get glue into the tip. Then, while turning the rod on the wrapper, I touch the heated glue that is on the application stick against the tip top to insure that there is a bit of glue on the entire tip of the rod.

Finally, use a hemostat to hold the tip top, I heat both the tip top and the glue on the end of the tip and quickly slip the tip in place. Then, I use a craft stick to clean off any excess glue from the turning tip top on the rod. A final check to insure that the tip is aligned correctly and if not, a bit of heat to soften the adhesive to align the tip.

Since moving to this method, I have not had a tip top come loose.

Prior to using this method, I had a couple of tips come loose and when examined it was caused because there was insufficient glue on the inside of the tip top.

The critical part of this process is to have the sharpened piece of music wire that will fit on the inside of the tip top and allow glue to be distributed all of the way to the bottom of the tip top. before applying to the rods tip.

Take care

At minimum you need to purchase the high temperature glue. Easier just to by rod making hot glue for tip top. Melt a little on the rod and into the tip top, as stated above.

I just cut slivers off the glue stick , pack it into the tube and heat , glue melts instantly and slide the tip top on blank and align , very very simple .

Much much much less complicated than some make it sound.

Ferr-L-Tite is also a good option. ( archery)

Just get the right tip top glue stick and use your wife's hot glue gun.

Brandon,
Properly applied, rod-specific tip top hot-melt adhesive will provide the best, worry-free mounting of your tip top. Give me your address and I will send you a stick and then you can repay me 10 cents per month for 10 years and your wife will never know the difference! Lol

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

For heat, the only thing that i have ever used for the tip glue is an alcohol burner burning 97% alcohol.

If you can see the flame, your alcohol content is too low. The flame should be essentially invisible and thus will leave no carbon on the tip or the rod, as is the case if one uses a conventional lighter to heat the gule.

A butane lighter on the other hand is another perfect source for an invisible flame and source of heat for tip top hot melt glue application.

The main thing that I like about using an alcohol burner is that it is instant on and instant off as needed. I keep a box of matches handy to light the burner and use the cap to extinguish the flame.

Take care

A fellow rod builder had a fire caused by ad alcohol burner. He lost some treasured items that he cannot replace . Invisible flames are not good

Freddwhy (Rapt-Ryte)

I do it exactly as Herb described. It works great.

Invisible flames are perfect for preventing any carbon from getting on the items you are heating.

As with anything, one needs a procedure and care when working with potential - HOT items.

I light the burner, do the heating and then put the burner out. If I need it again a few minutes later, I light it again.

Be safe

Wrong comment quoted



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/05/2020 02:52PM by Brandon Giles.

Mark Talmo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Brandon,
> Properly applied, rod-specific tip top hot-melt
> adhesive will provide the best, worry-free
> mounting of your tip top. Give me your address and
> I will send you a stick and then you can repay me
> 10 cents per month for 10 years and your wife will
> never know the difference! Lol


You have a deal! HAHAH