5 Quick Ways to Improve Ferrule Wraps

Use these 5 quick tips to make your skills wrapping and finishing ferrule wraps better than ever.

The Best Tips for Wrapping and Finishing Ferrules

Whether building travel or fly rods, multi-piece rods require each conjoining section of the blank, known as the ferrule, to be reinforced with a thread wrap. The Ferrule wrap works to increase the hoop strength around these crucial connection points to resist any cracking and splintering while fishing.

Simplify Ferrules and Use the CRB Blank Extension Tool

The CRB Blank Extension Tool is a must have for wrapping and finishing ferrules on multi-piece fishing rods. An incredible boost in efficiency, if you're wrapping a ferrule with ProWrap Thread or finishing it with ProKöte Thread Finish, the CRB Extension Tool makes both tasks fast and easy.

For thread wraps, the CRB Extension Tool works to extend the blank and allow you to wrap ferrules tightly against the ferrule's open edge with accuracy and ease. As far as finishing your ferrule wrap, simply chuck the extension tool into the RBS Rod Dryer to make applying epoxy finish over the ferrule cleaner and easier than ever before.

Adjust Thread Wraps Flush with Edge of Ferrule

The purpose of ferrule wraps is to maximize the hoop strength, so it's important to ensure thread wraps are wrapped tightly and as close to the ferrule's open edge as possible. Not only does it look better, it improves the ferrule wraps ability to protect the connections between each blank section of your multi-piece rod blank.

While the CRB Blank Extension Tool helps wrap ferrules with more accuracy, the burnishing tool is used afterwards to adjust the thread wrap's start over to the ferrule's edge.

For instance, you can gradually push the thread wrap closer to the ferrule's edge with the burnishing tool, while simultaneously rotating the blank to maintain a tight and secure thread wrap around this crucial connection point.

Combine Ferrule and Guide Wraps

When setting out your guide spacing on a multi-piece fishing rod, pay close attention to where the ferrule wraps can overlap your guide placement.

Instead of cramming two separate wraps in a small area, combine the ferrule wrap and the guide wrap. Combining these two wraps creates a finished thread wrap that is as sharp as it is functional.

In some cases, if the guide foot is too close to the edge of the ferrule, consider bumping the guide's placement up to finish the ferrule wrap before accommodating the guide wrap.

This shouldn't change your guide spacing too much, unless the space between the adjusted guide and the following guide is larger than the space between the subsequent guides. In that case, you will have to readjust your guide spacing to account for this change.

Use Tape to Avoid Sealing Ferrules Together

Sometimes finishing the ferrule wraps with epoxy can take a turn for the worst and seal together two separate sections of the rod blank. To avoid this problem, tape off the section that's entering the ferrule right before the ferrule itself.

This allows you to apply the epoxy and then remove the tape, which ensures the two sections aren't sealed together. It also allows for a much sharper epoxy edge even if epoxy runs over the connection point.

With that said, make sure you never let the epoxy run over the tape and cure. This makes for a sealed problem that is quite difficult to clean up.

Remove and Release Epoxy's Air Bubbles

While applying the epoxy finish, there are two necessary supplies that dramatically increase the final look and function of the ferrule wraps. First, use an aluminum dish to slow down and preserve the chemical reaction of the two-part epoxy. Conserving the heat expended as the epoxy cures, the aluminum dish makes mixed epoxy last longer, while also reducing the bubbles in the mixture.

Second, take an alcohol burner and gently wave the flame over the finish. Slowly waving the alcohol burner over the epoxy finish works to relieve any remaining bubbles, and also remove any excess epoxy.

Using these rod building tips and tools, you will wrap, finish, and fish with your best ferrules yet.

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