I know to take the old one off. I heat it with a heat gun. How do I put the new one on? Will there be enough epoxy left, or do I need to get something else?

 

Thanks,

Scott.

If you buy a tip replacement kit at a sporting goods store, they usually have a stick of glue that takes place of the epoxy. At least that's my experience.

 

I've heard of using superglue in a pinch...

 

Lately I've taken my rods in need of new tips to a local rod builder. They're done right every time. Not that I can't do it myself, just prefer the quality and the price is cheap.

As DarrenM said, tip replacement kits usually come with a glue stick. the old tip, if not broken off, can be removed with the heat from a lighter as well, heat gun not needed just for future reference.

 

after the tip is removed, i heat up the rod tip a bit with a lighter and apply the glue stick and it melts on to the tip, put new tip on as straight as possible and let the glue dry. if the glue gives you trouble you could just heat up the glue stick directly but it can get messier that way. or you could just use a hot glue gun...

Use the glue stick. You can very lightly and carefully sand the tip a little bit with a fine grit paper to get the glue to adhere better. Don't overheat anything though. It doesn't take much heat to melt it and it will damage the blank if you overheat it. The better glue sticks aren't the same sticks that is in your typical craft project hot melt....they are a bit different and seem to not be as brittle once dried. You can use an alcohol burner to melt it or a fine tip butane torch....just keep them at a distance. I'm no expert at all but the rods I've built and repaired have no problems doing it that way. I have also used the easton hot glue that I used to attach arrow target points and inserts and that works great too.

Thanks for the help. Where do I get the better glie sticks?

Thanks for the help. Where do I get the better glie sticks?

 

I don't know about the "better" sticks, but the ones I've bought at places like Dick's and Gander work fine for me.

I hate those glue sticks, never been able to get a rod tip to stay attatched after using them.  What I do is sand the blank just a tiny bit and then use 5 min quick set epoxy.  Mix it and put some on the blank tip, slide the tip on and hold straight.  Then I wrap braided line or thread as tight as i can around the joint, and cover with a layer of epoxy.  Spin the blank with your hands until it sets.  Looks brand new after you've done a couple. takes 15 minutes.

I prefer 5 minute epoxy but the hot melt works great if used properly.  My procedure for using hot melt is:  cut slivers of the glue stick small enough to fit in the tube of the new tip.  Pack as many as will fit in the tube.  Carefully heat the tube til the glue starts to bubble out.  Place new tip on the rod and align.  If you don't get it aligned before the glue sets, CAREFULLY re-heat the tip and align.

Thanks for the help. Where do I get the better glie sticks?

 

St Croix sells (or at least used to sell) a crystallized glue on their website. Worked well for me the one time I needed to replace a rod tip due to the insert falling out.. I believe Mr. Frachot recommended that to me when I was doing the research you're doing now.

 

I just used a cigarette lighter to heat the old tip to remove it. Be very careful when taking it out, (don't break the tip of the blank). Put some of that crystallized glue (it's powdered) inside the new tip top. heat the new tip top, and slide it on the rod so that it lines up with the other guides.

5 minute epoxy does work but it is pretty brittle compared to other methods (not saying it doesn't work....it will do the job). A slower curing epoxy is better than the quick as far as impact resistance goes. That's why the hot melt is good. It's trickier to apply perfectly but I think it holds up better to accidental impacts, etc.

St Croix sells (or at least used to sell) a crystallized glue on their website. Worked well for me the one time I needed to replace a rod tip due to the insert falling out.. I believe Mr. Frachot recommended that to me when I was doing the research you're doing now.

 

I just used a cigarette lighter to heat the old tip to remove it. Be very careful when taking it out, (don't break the tip of the blank). Put some of that crystallized glue (it's powdered) inside the new tip top. heat the new tip top, and slide it on the rod so that it lines up with the other guides.

 That St Croix glue is the best I have ever used. much better than the sticks that you get with the replacement tip kits.

5 minute epoxy does work but it is pretty brittle compared to other methods (not saying it doesn't work....it will do the job). A slower curing epoxy is better than the quick as far as impact resistance goes.

 

Not all 5 minute epoxies are created equal. One designed for the task will remain flexible.  I use ThreadMaster Ultimate Gel 5.  I have globs of it all over mixing boards in my shop and it remains soft enough to dent with your fingernail.

I shave some slivers of glue into the sleeve of the guide.  Heat just that piece of the guide and push it over the tip.  It works especially well when your guide fits perfectly.