Hello all, Question about male ferrule ends on multi section blanks and the Plugging of that portion? what is the normal for plugging them on blanks that do not come this way? { I searched the library but did not find anything unless I am asking the wrong question} So far all I have built is fly rods. any help would be great.

Thank you all
Bret

Cork or EVA works well. Or, plug them with a blob of any good gel type epoxy. Trondak U-40, ProProducts and Flex Coat all make good ones.

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Bret,
I take a piece of solid fiberglass or graphite blank that is larger than the end of the blank that needs filling.

I cut off a few inches and chuck it into a drill. Then, I spin the blank plug up to maximum speed and hold it against the coarse sanding belt that I have on my belt sander. I check the size from time to time until I have a nice fit.
Then I take 5 minute epoxy and glue the plug in the blank. Of course the end of the larger plug will be sticking out of the blank.
Finally, I use a dermal tool or other cut off abrasive device to trim the plug flush with the top of the new blank.

It can be done more quickly than it takes to read this statement.

Easy, quick and durable.

Be safe

I'm with Tom, when I put the the reel seat and grips on I always have enough gel epoxy left over to put in the male side of the ferrules.

Bret

It seems to me if it were critical it would come plugged. However to keep from going crazy I would follow Rogers' advise. The fitted plug should be 3/8 to 1/2 long.

Good fishing

John

It isn't necessarily critical, but being at the end of the "tube" it is easier for it to become crushed or collapsed. A semi-soft plug reduces that possibility by a large margin.

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Point well taken it involves a minimum of effort and the rewards are great.

John

Ok, thank you all for the advise, It was driving me crazy to leave them how the blank came, I will have to go with Tom advise but I do like how Roger said to handle it, I will have to get some solid ones first to make them. Thank you every one for all your great help.

Bret

Just a note on plugging a male ferrule with anything solid, like solid glass.
Be very careful not to make the plug so tight that you "force" it into the opening.
It can be snug, but be cautious about expanding the OD of the male ferrule
so as to make it too tight to fully seat up into the female side.
I just got done with a repair and that came into question.
The plug was trimmed a little more and that solved the issue before being glued in.
Another example of "dry fitting" and measuring twice, cutting once.
And once the plug is glued in, it's pretty much a done deal.

Best wishes,
Ron Schneider
Schneider's Rod Shop
Mountain Home, Arkansas
[www.schneidersrods.com]
mtnron40@yahoo.com
870-424-3381

Ron,
Exactly,
This is one of the reasons that I sand down the plug from an oversized piece of solid material and leave the larger portion of the plug on - when gluing.
I can have a nice loose fit, coat it with 5 minute epoxy and it makes a nice plug without changing the size of the blank. The oversized plug keeps the plug from falling in during glue up and it only takes a moment to slice off the oversized plug after the glue is dry.

Good luck

I have heard about epoxy injected in then tipped over on a sheet of plastic to make it flush.

Sounds like the simplest, easiest, solution is also the most robust, least likely to get screwed up.

There can be an issue with putting a solid plug in the blank. This is due to the fact that when a circular tube flexes. it becomes an oval. A solid plug will not permit this transition and thus becomes a flat spot in the over all rod flex. Not a major issue with one ferrule, but is multiplied by the number of ferrules on a multi piece rod.

That's why a semi-soft plug is the better option. Cork, EVA or gel epoxy.

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I wonder if hot melt glue would work?

Might be too messy

If you have a set of hollow punches you can punch out plugs from a pencil eraser or a glob of rod-bond fills it nicely.

Dennis J. Danku
(Sayreville,NJ)

I use a piece of rubber "O" ring material. You can get it in any size you want and it's cheap. if it doesn't fit,,,make it fit. I would never glue in something that won't give a little. Just like Phil said.

J.B.Hunt
Bowling Green, KY

I have also sharpened the end of a rifle case and punched a slug out of a piece of EVA. A 25-06 case worked perfectly on the last 2 piece fly rod I built that did not have a plug in it. Scraping the inside edge of the case mouth with a pocket knife will sharpen it keen as a briar.

J.B.Hunt
Bowling Green, KY

I get the little tapered rubber plugs at my local ace hardware. Push them in, and trim to fit!