This is the first of many questions as I am attempting to build my first bamboo rod from a blank. Having never fished or worked with bamboo before I am looking forward to this experience.
I have placed a ferrule on the end of my tip with hot glue. I want to remove the tip and wonder how is the best way to reheat the glue without damaging the cane or the varnish finish.
Thanks.
jed
Hi Jed,
is it a ferrule you are trying to remove or a tip top?
LD
Ferrule
jed
Jed,
I’m working on a cane rod now also. When I told my 'boo rod building friend that I used hot glue in my ferrules he said, “…ah,…ok,…that’ll work too.”
I would think the best way to get the ferrule off would be to compleatly cover the exposed cane with a thick wrap of masking tape and heat with a low flame. The hot glue should loosen long before there is any damage to the cane.
I was tring to remove the reel seat on my rod. I had it in a plastic bag in water boiling on the stove. I got the reel seat off no problem, but the steam also took off the ferrule. Maybe not the best way, something to think about.
Use a heat gun on a low setting.
Dudley,
I chose hot glue over epoxy as ferrules get corroded and or dinged up and need to be replaced. The glue can come off (expectedly or unexpectedly). It is a trade off over the epoxy which never will come off.
jed
Jed,
any type of indirect heat should get the hot glue softened enough to remove the ferrule. I often sit the reel seat end of a rod on an illuminated light bulb for 10 to 15 minutes to remove the reelseat. Rd epoxies will soften much the same way as the hot glue will if you would ever need to remove them, it just takes a little longer.
My family hair dryer did the trick. Thank you all.
I did not know that about epoxy. I’ll keep it in mind for future work on this project.
jed
Hot glue for ferrules – don’t do it. Hardware store hot glue is famous for failing as a ferrule glue. There is a “hot glue” that will work tho. Bohning Ferr-L-Tite. Used by archers to mount tips and nocks to arrow shafts and seems to work excellent for tip tops and ferrules. This stuff is definatly not your grandmothers hot glue. I think I bought mine from Golden Witch. Usually I use Rod Bond epoxy. If I need to remove a ferrule usually a little heat from an alcohol lamp or heat gun will do the trick. If it doesn’t I alternate between heat and ice water. One or two repetitions is all it takes. Yes You do want to apply heat carefully so as not to dammage the cane. Also when applying heat point the ferrule in a safe direction. Steam pressure may build up untill the glue releases causing the ferrule to shoot out with some surprising force.
AgMD
It’s a mistake to think that epoxy joints cannot be undone… Epoxy bonds can be broken with freeze/thaw cycles.
I have successfully removed tip tops, ferrules and even reel seats glued with 5 minute Devcon epoxy. I use a heat gun and apply heat and cold (ice pack) in cycles until the bond is broken. For the reel seat or cork this may take lots of cycles and plenty of time for the heat to penetrate.
For a stronger bond that won’t break down as easily I use the 2 Ton epoxy.
any epoxy other than slow drying golf shafting epoxy - don’t! the ranks of beginning cane builders who have had to learn this lesson are legion. this applies to ferrules, 5min works well for tip tops and reelseats as it releases at a fairly low temp
pliobond - good, but it must be done properly
ferrule cement - OK but the ferrule should be pinned
as far as removing a ferrule that has been installed with ferrule cement, ckeck carefully for a pin, they can be very difficult to spot if the builder was good. a quick pass with an alcohol lamp is good. The cement will melt long before the cane is anywhere near a critical temp
splinter