How to size x-tube?

JRD · December 17, 2016, 12:29:22 AM

I'm putting 6 inch lengths on my deck hand rods where the reels mount. Ordering online it's giving me diameter choices but I can't find where it's sized before or after shrinking. The two rods I'm doing are about 5/8 the outside diameter.

Bill B · December 17, 2016, 01:30:20 AM

JRD.....check the specifications.....I believe they will tell how much in % it will shrink....Bill

Bryan Young · December 17, 2016, 01:56:44 AM

Most of these x-flock tubes will shrink 30%. At least that is what I'm told. I've used it but I cannot tell what the percentage is.

Jeri · December 17, 2016, 06:32:56 AM

Hi,

Generally, about 1/3rd is the norm, we regularly use size 30, and shrink it down to 20mm, anything much smaller than that, takes a lot of very careful work.

You 5/8th inch would be about 16mm, so a size 20 would probably do the job. You also have to make sure that it fits over anything encountered before it gets to the place where it is going to be fixed - like rings or end caps, they can be much larger, and catch you out.

Hope that helps.

Cheers from sunny Africa,

Jeri

JRD · December 17, 2016, 01:49:28 PM

Quote from: TARFU on December 17, 2016, 01:30:20 AM
JRD.....check the specifications.....I believe they will tell how much in % it will shrink....Bill

Thank you guys. It says it will shrink at a ratio of 1.8:1. Buying online I was just trying to figure what that would work out to. On my deck hand style Rods the button caps come off easily so getting it over the cork is not an issue, I just wasn't sure if it shrinks enough. After posting I found a chart online which says the 20mm should shrink down to about 11 mm. I will give it a try.

SantaBarbarian · December 17, 2016, 02:50:34 PM

B sure to just go large enough to fit over the reel seat. The more it shrinks you run the risk of having an uneven edge. No biggie if you anticipate this and plan on excess to clean up the edge with a razor blade.

SoCalAngler · December 24, 2016, 11:22:07 PM

Sorry for such a late response.

It has been my finding that the X-Tube,X-Flock shrinks very little in length, most if not all shrinking comes in diameter.

Also, SanatBarbarian the fact that the rod is a deckhand style means it does not have a reel seat.

Oh and I use the stuff on my deckhand style rods.

http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=18101.0