I have tried a couple different methods, but the both seem to have negative results from time to time. I have attempted to cut the glue stick into small pieces and insert it into the tip top prior to heating. This works best for hold, but it is a pain. I have also tried heating up the glue stick and putting it on the rod, then sliding the tip top on. This is the easiest, but it seems that the tight tolerances of the tip top just push the glue down the blank. While it feels secure at first, I have had a few come loose while they were being fished.

What is the best method you guys have used?

Put the tip top adhesive in a glue gun & draw out long thin lines on a piece of wax paper. Once back solid, cut them them down to 4" pieces or so. Easy to store and ready for use when needed. Just insert in tip and cut flush - heat tip & apply.

I sometimes will roll up fine sandpaper and rough up the inside of the tip before inserting glue as mentioned above. I then do a glue melt inside the tip until you see glue bubbling out of tip, sometimes both ends. This tells me I have a solid glue to tip connection. And at same time I will put a thin coat of glue on the rod blank and lightly heat it for good adhesion to blank in all locations possible including tip. Then I will heat tip and slide it onto blank and let cool and then carefully remove any excess.

In all my years doing it this way, I can honestly say I don't have tips coming loose very often. I can't even remember the last time one did.

5 min epoxy and be done w it!

Wade,
After a bunch of years and different methods, I use the following method that is easy to implement, excellent long term results and have not had a tip failure since using this method.

1. I use hot melt tip adhesive.
2. I use an alcohol burner to supply clean heat that does not leave any black residue on the glue or the rod.
3. Then I use a piece of piano wire of about 3/32nds in diameter that I sharpen to a long tapered tip.
4. I also use another piece of piano wire of about 1n 1/8th inch in diameter that I sharpen to a sharpened tip.
5. A wood craft stick or popsicle stick that has been cut to have square ends on each end with a slight rounding on the tips with my belt sander.
6. A locking surgical clamp that I use to hold the tip top comventiely when applying the tip top to the tip of the rod.

Note: the writing of the process takes longer than the actual process which is very quick.

I start with my rod of hot melt adhesive and after lighting the alcohol burner, heat the end of the hot melt adhesive and the 1/8th inch pointed metal rod and shear off a chuck of adhesive so that you now have a working amount of adhesive on the pointed rod.
Then, I heat the smaller diameter pointed rod as well as the supply adhesive and roll on a nice amount of adhesive on the end of the small pointed rod. (Note - the rod must be of a small enough diameter to slip nicely up all of the way to the inside top of any tip top that you are using.).

Then, I heat the tip top and the small pointed rod with its tip cement on the rod and then insert the heated rod into the heated tip fully to completely line the inside of the tip top with cement.

Then, I take the cement supply rod with its supply of cement on it and heat it a bit so that I can roll a small amount of cement on to the eip of the rod blank.

Finally, I heat the cement filled tip top and the cement that is on the end of the rod and place the tip top fully on the tip of the rod blank getting it aligned with the guides at the same time.

The last step, is that as the rod is rotating, I heat the tip just enough to soften any residue cement and wipe it off with the clean craft stick.

The final step is to use a razor blade to scrape any cement off the craft stick so it will not have any glue on it, the next time that I tip is applied to the top of the rod blank.

----
Summary:
A supply of tip cement is placed on a pointed rod for a convenient piece of cement is available to use with a handle on it for easy handling.
A thin layer of tip cement is placed on the small pointed rod that will fit inside the heated tip top so that the entire inside of the tip top is lined with tip cement.
A thin layer of tip cement is applied to the tip of the rod blank.
The tip top on the rod blank is heated sufficiently to align the tip top and to wipe off any residue hot melt glue from the tip top and rodl blank.
Scrape off any hardened adhesive off of the craft stick to be able to use it on the next rod with no issues.

The entire process takes just a couple of minutes.

No failures in many many tip top cemented to rod blank tips over years of building rod.

--------------------------
The key to the system is that the entire inside of the tip top has a layer of tip cement on it.
The entire outside of the rod blank tip has a layer of tip cement on it.
When heated and put together, there are no voids on the inside of the tip top and there is 100% adhesion of the inside of the tip top to the outside of the rod top.

Best wishes.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/24/2021 09:32AM by roger wilson.

Thomas Kaufmann Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 5 min epoxy and be done w it!

And when the tip breaks, then what?

I use to think the same thing, but I have revised my methods since... I would not recommend epoxy, but that is just me...

Wade , I do it the way you mentioned with sticking a few slivers into the tip top tube and heat . I find installing tip tops the easiest task of all rod building procedures to do . The only problem I have run into on occasion is finding the slivers of hot melt after I slice them off the hot melt glue stick but I attribute that to age and my failing eyesight . Use a small pair of locking needle nose pliers to (Lightly) grip the tip top metal side brace or similar tool to prevent scorched fingers . As long as excess hot melt glue pushes out the end of the tip top when I slide the tip top on to the rod tip then I'm good and never had any issues.

I always use two part 15- 30 minute epoxy to bond rod tips for two reasons: first it offers the strongest bond possible and second it gives me plenty of time to align the tip to the guide train.

Yes, epoxy makes tip removal difficult, but that is a future event that may or may never happen, if it does then with some care and patience the tip can be replaced. I will risk some extra work and patience in the future for ease of installation and bond strength in the present.

I have no issue with using hot melt glue, it has been proven to be a common and very reliable installation, but I prefer to go another route.
Have fun
John

I use the same method mentioned by Voodoo Rods. It's worked great for me.

This is what i LOVE about this site, people can share their experience in a polite manner even tough it may differ from others. This give newbies a chance to try other methods unknow to them and form their own decisions. Thanks to all who share here!!

Heat the glue stick. Push the tiptop tube into the soft glue and withdraw. Now lightly heat the tiptop tube, just a couple or three seconds, and push onto the blank tip. That's all you have to do. If you need to re-align the tiptop, just hit the tube with heat for another 2 seconds and align as necessary.

For yet greater strength, when making the tiptop trim wrap, wrap towards the tiptop and wrap up and over the tiptop tube for a distance of maybe 1/8th to 3/16th inch. Apply your finish over that extending it past the thread wrap and further onto the the tube.

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

Kent, if it breaks heat it until it releases, keep the flame moving. Easy peasy

It might be easy peasy, but if that heat will weaken the epoxy holding the tip on, what will that same heat do to the epoxy providing structural integrity to the rod blank fibers?

As I see it, the epoxy holding the tip on is about equal to the epoxy binder in the rod blank. If heat will weaken one, what is stopping it from weakening the rod blank as well?

This is one of the issues I have with this method...

I use to work at a rod and reel repair shop and one of my jobs daily was replacing tips. We had some customers who did use epoxy. But we at the shop would never use it for our daily repairs. I am just saying I am one of those who can not recommend using epoxy, but if some here choose to do so live and let live... rock on!

Kent, you would think it would be guys like you and me that live in the hotter climates than would be anti hot melt tip adhesive. Yet I have never had a problem with it, even when leaving rods in a hot car on 90+ degree days. Way more important to me to be able to change a tip easily when on a long range fishing trip. All I need is my Bic lighter and some cement.

I doubt I would consider using epoxy on anything less than roller tips and 50/80# class minimum.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Russ that is the exact reason I switched to 5 min epoxy. I lived in the Central Valley of California where an ambient temp of over 110 was common and had numerous failures so that was the cause of my changeover.

Thomas, in the interest of learning, I'm curious what brand (hot melt) you were using. IIRC I have only used one brand as long as I can remember.

Always wondered about the stuff that the archery crowd used. Seems it would be a little stronger.

I guess we never look for a solution until something becomes a problem! The shear number of questions on this topic should clue me into thinking it is a problem that I have yet to experience.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Kent, there are other ways of removing a tip without applying heat.

I am very good at mechanically removing tips using a Dremel or a file and I have never damaged a blank removing a tip this way.

It just takes a little care and patience. I don't replace that many tips so a little extra effort is no problem,

I will never discourage anyone from using hot melt. Hot melt is a proven reliable adhesive that has been used for decades and is the go to adhesive for tip installation.

I prefer to use an adhesive (15-30 min epoxy) that affords a stronger bond than hot melt and I am willing to deal with the consequences if and when issues occur.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/2021 12:29AM by John DeMartini.

If you are worried about heat causing a problem with a rod tip, there is a very easy solution.
Take a dremel tool with an abrasive cut off wheel on it and cut the tip right at the base of the tip top.
The rod tip has been removed and the rod is only about 1/4 of an inch shorter.

For a fine tipped light action rod, better to take a touch off the tip - rather than imperling the rod blank itself by getting the tip top too warm trying to use heat to melt hot melt glue.

Best wishes.

My god, I never thought that applying a tip top was a problem! Been using hot melt cement forever and never had a problem with it. I pretty much do it the way Tom suggests.quick easy and it works. A little dab will do you. I hate it when I need to replace a tip top which was applied with epoxy. It takes a lot of heat to remove it and sometimes the tip just can’t take it and gives way before the epoxy does. I just try to keep it as simple as possible.
Norm

What do rod manufacturing companies use to secure tip-tops and how do they apply this adhesive? Experts give expert advice.