5 Rod Building Tips to Improve Ferrule Wraps

Ferrule wraps can tend to be a thorn in the side of beginner rod builders, but we have 5 tips to make wrapping and finishing ferrule wraps easier than ever.

Easily Wrap and Finish Ferrules on Multi-Piece Rods

Building a multi-piece rod requires each ferrule, the conjoining section of the blank, to be reinforced with a thread wrap. Ferrule wraps, often found on fly rods and other multi-piece rods, work to increase the hoop strength around the blank’s connection points to help prevent cracks and splinters that can occur while fishing. In this blog, you’ll find 5 tips to improve ferrule wraps and a exclusive glimpse of building the new MHX Native Series Fly Rod.

1. Use the CRB Blank Extension Tool

The CRB Blank Extension Tool is a must have when it comes to wrapping and finishing ferrules on multi-piece fishing rods. Whether you’re wrapping a ferrule or applying epoxy finish, the CRB Extension Tool allows you to easily accomplish both.

Now, CRB has also created an extension tool set directed at professional rod builders needing multiple sizes as well as a product that can withstand a lifetime of builds. Check out the CRB PRO Blank Extension Tool Set.

For thread wraps, the CRB Extension Tool works to extend the blank and wrap ferrules tight against the edge with accuracy and ease. Especially when paired with CRB Advanced Hand Wrapper System, the PRO Blank Extension Tool Set gives you the perfect length to wrap ferrules and guides on varying blank diameters.

Then, once it’s time to apply finish to your ferrule wrap, simply chuck the extension tool into any one of the Rod Drying Systems from CRB to make epoxying the ferrule cleaner and easier than ever before.

2. Wrap Close to the Edge of Ferrule

To maximize the hoop strength of ferrule wraps, it’s important to ensure thread wraps are wrapped tightly and as close to the edge as possible. Not only does it provide a clean look but  ferrule wraps are pivotal in protecting and reinforcing the connection points between each blank section.

While the PRO Blank Extension Tool Set helps wrap ferrules with more accuracy, the burnishing tool allows rod builders to adjust their thread wrap’s starting point so it is as close to the ferrule’s edge as possible.

For example, as you begin your wraps, gradually push the thread wrap’s to the ferrule’s edge, while also rotating the blank to ensure the thread’s wrapped tightly all the way around this crucial connection point. Once the thread is properly placed and started, wrap your ferrule just as any other wrap.

3. Wrap Guides into Ferrules

While laying out the guide spacing on a multi-piece fishing rod, take note of where the ferrule wraps will overlap your guide placement. Rather than cramming two separate wraps in a small area, simply combine the ferrule wrap and the guide wrap for a finished thread wrap that is as sharp as it is functional.

It is also good practice to be sure your guide does not fall right at the edge of the ferrule. As with all guide placement, you have a little wiggle room to move a guide slightly to be sure to avoid the edge of a ferrule.

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 want to adjust the following guides slightly to maintain proper spacing.

As with most guide spacing it is always a good idea to do a final check on the spacing with the static deflection method.

4. Tape off Male Ferrule Before Finishing

Until you get comfortable with adding finish to ferrules, it is a good idea to tape off the male end of the ferrule. Rod finish can sometimes get into place we do not want it, to help avoid a catastrophe, tape can help you sleep better at night knowing you won’t wake up to a problem.

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 can make for a bit of a pain to clean up, especially on a small diameter blank like a fly rod.

Use these ferrule tips on the MHX Native Series Fly Blanks… and if you like the thread wraps pictured above, check out ProWrap’s Fusion Variegated Thread!

5. Remove Bubbles from Epoxy

While applying the epoxy finish, here are two helpful tools that dramatically increase the final look and function of the ferrule wraps. For instance, ProKöte thread finish is equal parts resin and hardener that together form a long-lasting, crystal clear epoxy finish.

So once you mix the two-part epoxy, the first helpful tool is the aluminum foil dish. The dish works 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.  Having a thinner layer of epoxy spread across the bottom of the dish allows bubbles to be released much easier than if a deeper pool of epoxy.

Second, use 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 can be used to aid in removing any excess epoxy, if you happened to add a little too much.

Note: Use an alcohol burner fueled with denatured alcohol rather than a butane lighter because butane will leave soot marks in your finished epoxy.

Trust CRB Rod Building Tools

Using these rod building tips for ferrule wraps and CRB tools, you will build, wrap, finish, and fish your best multi-piece rod yet!