Help with rod tip top

[bullhead 0]

Well I epoxied the tip, aligned and set to cure. It settled and alignment is off. How can I remove to redo without destroying the blank?

 

Bullhead

[vicente 0]

Putting it in boiling water may do the trick not sure what it would do to the rod though, you may be stuck with it out of line or have to cut the rod tip off. I used hot melt fletching glue on mine.

[mikechell 0]

If you aligned it before gluing, and now it's out of alignment ... I'll assume it's only a little out. Unless you're a perfectionist, it probably won't affect the performance of the rod, and I'd leave it alone.

 

If it must come off, a pair of needle nosed pliers and a lighter will do it easily. Heat it at the eye, pull it off with the pliers.

You won't damage the rod tip but you'll likely need a new eye.

[Steeldrifter 0]

Don't use boiling water, that will soften the graphite and will damage the blank itself. Do as Mike said, just pass a lighter under it a few times to warm it and it will come out without damaging the blank. I do it all the time when building rods when I don't get it perfectly in line the first time. Won't need a new tip, it will go right back on no problem. If you have any glue build up in the tube just use the top if your pointed tying scissors to clean it out.

[bullhead 0]

Yeah Mike I am somewhat of a perfectionistt. It was off a little bit. I tweaked the running eyes just a smidge and all is well.

Thanks to all.

 

Bullhead

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

I try to never use epoxy to secure rod tip tops, preferring to use heat glue instead... Too many times over the years I've ruined the tip end of a blank trying to use heat to break down someone's epoxy secured tip top - then had to simply cut otf the tip end to be able to do anything at all with it...

 

Rod blanks are a thermoplastic and heat will cause them to de-laminate if you're not very careful. As already noted a very slight bit of heat using only a cigarette lighter might do just enough to allow you to remove a fly top since they're quite small compared to conventional rod tops but you have to be very careful not to use much heat at all...

 

The heat cement that I use is a very old chunk of Gudebrod's ferrule cement - long out of production (and Gudebrod, the company is long gone as well..). Most heat glues have too low a melting point to provide good durable adhesion for rod building purposes...

[vicente 0]

I believe I used the yellow one of these on mine, I figure if it's good enough to keep knocks on leaving a compound bow a rod tip should be no problem. The regular melts at 350f the cool is 280f

https://www.bohning.com/portfolio-item/points-adhesives/

[David Parker 0]

I repair many rods each year and my method is using a heat gun. High heat for a few seconds on the tip top metal shank usually does the trick, pull the tip top straight off the blank with needle nose pliers. Never had an issue. I apply all tip tops using 15 minute LePages epoxy while the rod sits level in the rod stands and check twice to insure the tip top is on the blank spine prior to the epoxy setting up. Everyone has a method that works for them. Mine has worked successfully for me for the last 25 years + without any issues or customer complaints after the fact.

[Steeldrifter 0]

If that works for you then I'll say okay. But I would never suggest anyone use a heat gun for removing a tip top. There are much better ways to do it with less risk of de laminating the graphite fibers.

[David Parker 0]

Sorry if this sounds off Steve, but I was offering a suggestion. Not asking for your approval.

[Flat Rock native 0]

 

Must Be Full Moon Fever in some time zones😎

[Steeldrifter 0]

Sorry if this sounds off Steve, but I was offering a suggestion. Not asking for your approval.

 

I never said you needed my approval. And no need to get an attitude, that's a bit ridiculous. When you offer a suggestion that in the hands of a non rod builder would end up with a high probability of a damaged blank, then yes you for sure will get me telling people not to do that when there are easier ways with less risk to the blank for them to use.

[Dave G. 0]

I've gone to using the amber rod tip cement in stick form and been doing that over the last ten years or so.. It's like a plastic resin material, different than the cream or white colored sticks. It seems plenty strong, I've never had a tip loosen up that was glued on with it and if a tip is off center a bit it's just a matter of reheating with a lighter up near the eye and rotating it into position. I used epoxy a few times years ago and for what ever reason gravitated away from it. The hot sticks I use are made for guides and offered by FlexCoat , Fuji and Eagle Claw.. Best I can say is it works for me, not that Epoxy didn't...I guess it's just turned into a personal preference or habit might be a better term lol.

[robow7 0]

After 25+ years of building/repairing rods, and having used a little bit of everything over those years to attach those tip tops, I generally use Devcon 5 minute epoxy. It's ease of use allows for plenty of time to get that alignment just right. It also does not require a great deal of heat to remove. Needle nose pliers in right hand pulling on the eye of the tip top and the left hand pulling top of the rod away. Hold eye of tip top over a small flame while pulling firmly in opposite directions and it will come apart at minimum heat, almost always only warm to the touch.

[FIN-ITE 34 0]

Hot melt tip adhesive for me. Still have a couple sticks of it from 40+ years ago. Even keep a piece and a lighter with me while fishing for those just in case times...