Rod sections separating

[kmudgn]

I have a Headwaters 7 wt. Bamboo Rod which I don't like very much, but do use on rare occasions. One of the issues with the rod is that the middle section keeps separating during casts from the butt. So far, I have been able to retrieve the separated sections by pulling back on the line as the fly jams up on the tiptop and I am able to get it to hand.

Headwaters "customer service" is non-existent. They do not respond either to voice mails, or emails. Very awful company! I bought the rod cheap off ebay, so at least I am not into it for too much.

The ferrule seems snug, but does not hold. I have tried adding a fair amount of bees wax which does make the fit tighter, but still works loose. It was suggested that I first warm the wax and fully coat the ferrule, but that did not work either.
Any other suggestions?

 

[Stonedfish]

Tape the ferrule when you fish it.
Kind of ugly but it will work for a days fishing.
SF

 

[Bambooflyguy]

Bummer the wax didn’t work, that’s what I have to do on some of my ferrules. Try some super glue spread thin on the male ferrule, make sure it‘s cured before you connect them or your next problem will be not getting them apart.....

 

[Bambooflyguy]

The best fix is to send it to Hotrodz of Burien........eliminate the ferrules, use glued scarf joints and have a one piece rod! Lighter, no dead spots, never line up the guides, no more separating....just a little bit more of a pain to transport but well worth it! My .02

 

[Buzzy]

Tape the ferrule when you fish it.
Kind of ugly but it will work for a days fishing.
SF

What Brian says - it used to be standard practice for two handed rods; we always taped our ferrules.

 

[Mike Monsos]

I have a ferrule shrinking tool that I bought a while back. It works by shrinking the female ferrule. If you are near Redmond, I could give it a go to see if we could snug up the fit a touch. It rolls over the ferrule and you tighten up one of the three rollers to "compress" it slightly.

.

 

[_WW_]

Tape the ferrule when you fish it.
Kind of ugly but it will work for a days fishing.
SF

Clear Hockey tape is not so ugly.

 

[kmudgn]

I have a ferrule shrinking tool that I bought a while back. It works by shrinking the female ferrule. If you are near Redmond, I could give it a go to see if we could snug up the fit a touch. It rolls over the ferrule and you tighten up one of the three rollers to "compress" it slightly.
View attachment 37998
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Thanks for the offer, but I am about 3,000 miles away in NH. I am going to try the hockey tape suggestion first as my son uses it to tape his fingers for Tae Kwon Do and we have a few rolls around

 

[_WW_]

Thanks for the offer, but I am about 3,000 miles away in NH. I am going to try the hockey tape suggestion first as my son uses it to tape his fingers for Tae Kwon Do and we have a few rolls around

This is how I do my bamboo. I don't think you would need the second wrap for a ferruled rod.

 

[CRO]

If remember right, the wrapping on a package of cigarettes is about .001 thick. A small piece of this used as a shim may work. Someone might know of something thinner.

 

[Mike Monsos]

You might try to clean the female ferrule bore with a Q-tip and some cleaning alcohol, (don't waste the good stuff). Then wipe the male off also to see how poor the fit really is before trying some simple fixes.

You might try Bambooflyguy's suggestion of a light thin coat of super glue fully cured to increase the diameter. The difference between a good fit and a poor fit is about the thickness of smoke so proceed carefully. There is a ferrule wax that Orvis sold that could be a answer and better choice than the wax you tried before.

 

[kmudgn]

So, the tape was a no-go. I tried using hockey tape and it was too thick. I could not push the ferrule into the hole (what is the female side of the ferrule called). It was suggested that I use a coarse sandpaper on the ferrule in order to produce scoring at a 90 degree angle to the axis of the rod. Allegedly, if I wax it up after doing this ridges will give the wax purchase and the unit will hold.
I am wary of doing this, so I thought I would ask opinions from the experts.

 

[Stonedfish]

Tape on the outside, over the ferrules once the rod is put together.
SF

 

[kmudgn]

Tape on the outside, over the ferrules once the rod is put together.
SF

 

[_WW_]

Keeping silent...

 

[Bambooflyguy]

D’OH.........

 

[Mike Monsos]

 

[Tim Cottage]

It was suggested that I use a coarse sandpaper on the ferrule in order to produce scoring at a 90 degree angle to the axis of the rod. Allegedly, if I wax it up after doing this ridges will give the wax purchase and the unit will hold.
I am wary of doing this, so I thought I would ask opinions from the experts.

Equal to the inside/outside conundrum is the above advice. This is possibly the worst advice I have ever encountered in my nearly 70 years of existence about how to fix anything.

You are right to be wary of doing this.
I'm not an expert but I'm sure if you can find one they will agree this is the polar opposite of what you should do.
Do your advice giver a favor and don't reveal their identity.

 

[Tim L]

G

I have a Headwaters 7 wt. Bamboo Rod which I don't like very much, but do use on rare occasions. One of the issues with the rod is that the middle section keeps separating during casts from the butt. So far, I have been able to retrieve the separated sections by pulling back on the line as the fly jams up on the tiptop and I am able to get it to hand.

Headwaters "customer service" is non-existent. They do not respond either to voice mails, or emails. Very awful company! I bought the rod cheap off ebay, so at least I am not into it for too much.

The ferrule seems snug, but does not hold. I have tried adding a fair amount of bees wax which does make the fit tighter, but still works loose. It was suggested that I first warm the wax and fully coat the ferrule, but that did not work either.
Any other suggestions?

Given your opening sentence, you've easily hit the point of diminishing returns/no longer worth the effort. I'd either go with Steve's advice if you really need to use it, or decorate with it given the low original cost and it's seldom used. Probably a nicer decoration than most for what you paid - that gets my vote.

 

[Otter]

You might try to clean the female ferrule bore with a Q-tip and some cleaning alcohol, (don't waste the good stuff). Then wipe the male off also to see how poor the fit really is before trying some simple fixes.

You might try Bambooflyguy's suggestion of a light thin coat of super glue fully cured to increase the diameter. The difference between a good fit and a poor fit is about the thickness of smoke so proceed carefully. There is a ferrule wax that Orvis sold that could be a answer and better choice than the wax you tried before.

I like all of this, especially "the thickness of smoke"!