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Post by mike faracca on Jan 14, 2013 16:51:39 GMT -5
I am new to spey casting starting this steelhead season. After 7 or 8 trips, I would say that I'm spey casting respectably about 50% of the time, usually using the double spey cast. I improve with each trip. Thats not the issue I want to address though.
As I educate myself on OOFS as well as other boards about this specific method of fly fishing, I stumbled upon the topic of taping the ferrules of your spey rod. This is a topic that I've not seen on this board before.
Interestingly enough I have experienced ferrules loosening up on my single hander so I'm accustomed to checking a couple times a trip, so I've adopted that habit with my spey rod as well.
Do any of you out there tape your ferrules as a general practice?
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Post by NickConwall on Jan 14, 2013 17:55:58 GMT -5
i have put some epoxy over a ferrule on an old 3wt. when it looked as if the flat section of the ferrule that sits flush along the rod shaft had separated a little from the rod and was working it's way through the wraps. No big deal, I just got some 2 to 1 epoxy mix and brushed it evenly on with a small watercolor brush a little ways past the thread wraps making sure i spun the rod after for a few minutes so it wouldn't get a thick side. Can't tell it apart from the others now. I imagine the tape on the ferrules would be/act as a last line of emergency defense in case 1 ferrule end cracked or even maybe to stiffen part of the rod... sort of how they use cross-hatch steel designs on sky scrapers to help reduce sway & bend. These are my best guesses though keep in mind.
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Post by johnbenish on Jan 14, 2013 18:58:39 GMT -5
I tape the ferrules on the longer rods, mostly for the peace of mind since there are some really great stresses placed on the rod,especially when reaching for it. Seen a few burst rods and though ther're guaranteed a little prevention is better than waiting for a rod to come back. Nick can tell you about the time a T&T rod broke in a demo. You can even get tape to match your rod color. Cheap insurance. Some of the older books on Spey casting used to mention it.
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Post by Nick Pionessa on Jan 15, 2013 7:47:15 GMT -5
i rarely tape any more mainly because i rarely use a big spey rod. i use smaller speys and switches the most and i find that they do not loosen as bad as the big rods do. i do keep it in mind throughout the day and check frequently. i also find that a thin layer of paraffin works very well to keep them tight. just a few swipes with the candle and then use your fingers heat to work it around nice and smooth, just a light coat. if you put a rod together and it sounds a little scratchy, then it's time to re-wax. if i was fishing a big rod on big water i would still tape.
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Post by NickConwall on Jan 15, 2013 10:51:46 GMT -5
....sorry, upon further reading of your original question I had mistaken ferrules for snakes guides... duh. So when reading my post every time I mention ferrule replace it with "snake/line guide" Sorry if I caused you or others confusion.
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Post by B.Ingersoll on Jan 15, 2013 11:53:03 GMT -5
* a very light coat of paraffin wax. not each time out but rather every now and then. if you lay the wax on heavy (don't) in cold winter you may not be able to break the rod down, days end. you will need to warm it up either with heat from the palms of your hands, inside your auto,etc. this is a sign you applied it to heavy. i have lightly coated all my single hand rods for years also.
* when i started two hand. like you i read about taping. my experience was on two different rods, different manufactures, while removing the tape, epoxy came off with it. not a warm fuzzy feeling to have , days end.
* unless your using long rods i see no reason to risk taping and prefer wax. watch a rod closely for ferrules loosening your first few trips out prior to tape. you should be able to tell if it needs to be taped or not.
* regardless of the rods cost $$$ , single hand or two hand, always watch for loosening ferrules your first few trips out. personally, i coat all my rods short and single to long and two hand, lightly with wax. it seems fiberglass blanks are more prone to this than graphite, for some reason. i have no idea how bamboo compares.
good question / topic
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Post by mike faracca on Jan 15, 2013 12:24:56 GMT -5
thanks for the replies.
My primary source for alternative info has been speypages.com and the info there is fairly comprehensive as well, but I had just not seen the issue ever addressed here (again, being new to this style fishing, could have been addressed before my time)
I am diligent about checking the ferrules based on experience with my single hander loosening up in the summer months but didn't realize it was a widespread issue across the board. I''ve previously not waxed ferrules before but will start to do so on all my FF rods.
If I notice the ferrules loosening on my 13' spey after waxing, I'll begin taping. So far after checking the rod throughout the day and at the end of the day, all ferrules remain very tight. My awareness has gone from zero to 100 over the last couple of days on this topic, thanks for everyone's feedback. I hope it helps someone else along the way.
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Post by NickConwall on Jan 15, 2013 15:14:50 GMT -5
it was a good questions which leads to my own... when waxing the ferruls does anyone have a preference? I used to use the stuff specifically marketed for the purpose, a hard parafin wax that left either an uneven coat or one much to thick and it was a p.i.t.a to try & rub down or remove to present an even, thin covering; also it would also act as a grit/sand magnet certainly destrying the inner/female end ferrule. The stuff I use now is an ancient stick of what I believe was "Zipper Wax"... it goes on nice & smooth despite outside temp.'s, is easy to get a nice even coat and at the end of the day when they get full of gritty sand it washes/melts out under hot water. The only concern is that it is fine now with newer rods where the gaps are slim but would tend to mush out in larger gaps making it less usefull.
p.s. as far as ferrul tape, is there a such thing or just whatever is on hand? I would suggest teflon tape (aka Plumbers/pipe thread tape). It's super thin and can tapered easily to match the inside taper of your rod.
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Post by Brent Elliott on Jan 15, 2013 18:26:38 GMT -5
I've tried the wax that comes with St. Croix rods and found that I really don't like that stuff. Cheap tea light candle wax (the little round ones, though I'm sure any candle wax would work) seems to stick better but still come apart at the end of the day. I did break a guide off a rod trying to use it to lever the sections apart. I don't do that any more! Nick C, I did find that you have to be careful about grit but if you are careful when you assemble you'll be ok. I don't worry too much about putting an even coat on as I think putting the rod together evens things out. If you get a section stuck, leave it until you can warm it with some hot from the tap water.
Brent
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Post by mike faracca on Jan 16, 2013 7:00:24 GMT -5
>>ferrul tape, is there a such thing or just whatever is on hand
all the entries on speypages implies that there is no specific fishing marketed ferrule tape. Electrical tape (3M type) of any color is apparently what is most generally used, first taping one piece in line with the rod, then tight circular wraps 2" above and below the joint.
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