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This question is not because I've had failures, but more to hopefully head off something in the future. Before gluing with epoxy, I use a small file to rough the interior of my ferrules. Is this pretty much the standard method? What else is there? Is there a chemical method? Say something you could dip a Q-tip into and etch the insides? (Rich Young)

I score the inside with a small file, clean with acetone, glue with golf shafting epoxy. No failures to date. (Steve Trauthwein)

As hard as this is to believe, you will get a better glue joint with a smoother surface when using an epoxy. Clean the ferrule with a solvent (realize that all solvents are not necessarily clean), then use a small piece of Scotch-Brite pad to scour the inside surface. Doesn't have to be the rough variety, the Ultra-fine Gray colored pads work just fine. Blow out the dust, but DO NOT clean the ferrules again with solvent. Glue on the ferrules. (Martin-Darrell)

I rough the inside with a little rat tail file then scribe a spiral down the inside of it with the end of the file. I suppose that if you scribed it deep enough you could screw them things on to the end of the stick. :-) (Timothy Troester)

I have never done anything but clean with a Q-tip in acetone & then in alcohol. It never occurred to me to roughen the inside. Maybe you are on to something there...... (John Long)

You get a better glue joint with a smooth finish and you should NOT rough the inside of the ferrule. But as M-D said It's hard for people to believe this.  To date I've had O failure on ferrules including restorations.  I had one restoration come back after 3 years of use.  I panicked and thought that the ferrule had come loose.   I was so worried that I started pinning and changed glues.  Once I took the silk off and examined it, the cane had separated  (it was a 30 year old rod). The ferrule was solidly glued. I had to heat it up to remove it.  I still think pinning is a good idea, but I think I'll keep my method of epoxy and no roughing.  I used some Ferrule-Tite stuff and if I pull hard enough it will separate. But NOT roughing the ferrule is a hard pill for most to swallow.  (Tony Miller)

I do a ton of restoration as well as new construction, failure on Granger, W & M and Phillipson ferrules is almost nonexistent and some go back as far as 70 years, removal and reinstall is very easy for restorations. In case you do not know Paul Hightower was Bill Phillipson's right hand man, I had the pleasure of meeting him a few years before his passing. He was from the old school and company secrets were just that, but after he got to know a person and you were truly interested he opened up and was a very kind and sharing person (So much info and so little time).

Being a contact cement type, the fit must be snug as it will not fill gaps or a lose fit. They also use the Pliobond to attach the famous up-locking N/S reel seats. This method is also outlined in: McClane's Standard Fishing Encyclopedia (page 739) so I'm sure it was use by many makers  over time...

The bond between two dissimilar materials has to be flexible or it will fail sooner or later and needs to be pinned, especially if the rod is transported to a different climate or extreme weather conditions...

Flashing of the Pliobond is very important, it's flash point is about 0 degrees F so be careful...

Once you have a snug fit of ferrule to cane, apply a small amount of Pliobond to the cane, fit the ferrule and rotate on the cane to spread the glue on the inside of the ferrule, wipe off any excess Pliobond around the taps of the ferrule and remove ferrule. With a gloved hand heat the ferrule over a alcohol lamp, once hot quick flash the glued end of the cane and press ferrule in place...

Tips...

  • If ferrule cools too much and does not seat correctly or all the way, simply rotate ferrule over the flame a little and seat the rest of the way or adjust fit...
  • You can remove excess Pliobond around taps once correctly seated with a little Lacquer thinner or like...
  • With a little practice you can set ferrules ready to fish in just a few minutes, as the curing time is as long as it takes the ferrule to cool...
  • Great to carry in a mobile repair kit for streamside repairs.
  • I also use a small dap on the bottom of guides to set them in place on the rod ( no flashing required, but should sit for about 15 minutes before wrapping ) This sets the guides in place so they can be wrapped easily, plus it puts a flexible layer between the cane and guide foot protecting the cane and giving the stress point a little flex
  • Can be used on tip tops with a snug fit, if the fit is not snug apply the Pliobond to cane and wrap over it with silk thread, apply a little more Pliobond over the top of the silk, fit the tip top and remove, quick flash as with the ferrules and press in place, your ready to hit the water...
  • It's great to make a loop connection between silk fly lines and leader, clean the first few inches of the silk line with lacquer thinner, from a small loop in the front of the silk fly line, apply Pliobond where they meet and around the joint, undo loop and let cure for a few minutes, reform loop and it will hold together by it's self, wrap joint with silk thread like you are wrapping a guide, once wrapped spread a little Pliobond over the silk thread (do not flash) and let stand 12/24 hours. (ALA: Jerry Madigan)
  • I read but have not tried this, mix Pliobond, cork dust and a few drops of tan paint to match the cork color, spread over cork to fill holes, let stand till cured, sand off excess as normal and the grip is filled and ready..
  • The Pliobond will "flash" instantly once it hits the flame, on the female you can hold the ferrule with bare hand on  the other end and rotate in flame approximately 10/15 seconds, on male use a gloved hand and heat the insert part first, then turn around and heat the open end 10/15 seconds, the cane should be quick flashed for about 3/5 seconds only...
  • Do not exceed 300 degrees on the ferrules as this will weaken the metal, I would say 150 degrees/200 degrees is best and will be archived with the instructions above...
  • It's important all the Pliobond is "flashed" cured and it's probably a good idea to let the ferrule stand 12/24 hours before wrapping and applying the finish when you first use this method, as this will let any uncured Pliobond to air cure and the fumes to escape. To all the restorers out there, Pliobond is the reason some ferrules "shout" of the rod when the ferrule is heated to be removed for restoration so be careful where it's pointing...

These are a few application and tips, I'm sure you will find more... (Dave Collyer)

One thing to consider when using this method is to not allow the Pliobond to cook off to any great degree. Being neoprene based, too much heat for too long will destroy the neoprene -- 375 ° F, I think. I've used Dave's technique, and it works.  (Martin-Darrell)

In addition to the cleaning with acetone and scoring of the inside with a file, I've gone to boiling the ferrules after the above processes to remove any film of any kind from the inside of the ferrule. I don't know that boiling improves the surface preparation beyond other processes, but they are squeaky clean. (Chris McDowell)

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