Looking for some advice on repairing an older rod

[reelynew]

Hi All,

I'm looking for some advice.  I found a vintage Zebco 4 1/2 foot 3 piece reel at a garage sale, which looks to be from the mid seventies.  I noticed that this three piece rod had an issue beforehand.  The ferrule closest to the reel is cracked and someone must have used some epoxy or crazy glue to bind the rod to the cracked ferrule, but unfortunately, the first eye and the upper reel seat do not align.  I already tried some acetone but it's not helping to break the bond.  Since I'm only in this for a $1 and I saw this ahead of time, what is the best approach to fix this (if at all)? 

I was intially thinking of cutting the rod where it meets the broken ferrule and then replacing the ferrule, with both a male and female.  Apologies if I am not using the correct terminology.  I'm not sure what's the best way of doing that and if so, where to find a replacement ferrule.  It appears that the ferrules are crimped on with two dimples.  I'm not sure if that helps or hinders the removal.

This is more of a learning experience for me, but I would appreciate any thoughts on how you might go about making a repair like this.

Thank you,

Matt

[philaroman]

metal ferrule -- correct?  ...budgetty one, at that
should be able to remove it WITHOUT cutting blank
replace w/ better metal ferule, if blank is solid glass
if tubular blank, glass spigot ferule would be best, IMO
https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=spigot+ferule&form=HDRSC3&first=1

[jtwill98]

If epoxy was used, heat it up with a heat gun or torch.  Once hot, it should be easy to remove.  Be sure to wear a glove and twist it to break bond. 

[Midway Tommy]

I always opt for a hair dryer to soften epoxy on rods rather than a heat gun or torch. A hair dryer is much more forgiving and wil do what is needed.

[reelynew]

Thank you all.

If it was crazy glue, what would break that bond?   Will a hair dryer take care of that as well?

Matt

[kjdunne]

Acetone should work on crazy glue.  May require a prolonged soak.

Kal

[reelynew]

Thanks - presuming that I can get the ferrule off, where would be a recommended place to purchase a replacement?

[jtwill98]

Mudhole.com is one option. If they don't have what you're looking for I'm sure they will have a recommendation.

[reelynew]

Thank you - That is a great website.  Much appreciated.

[reelynew]

I was able to take off the cracked ferrule with a little advice from Bryan. 

Came off nicely with a Dremel tool.

I am planning on using 5 minute epoxy on the replacement ferrule.  My plan is to scratch up the inside and clean it up with alcohol and also scratch the area where the ferrule will cover before applying the epoxy (unless there's a better adhesive). 

What would you all suggest for keeping the epoxy off the rod where it meets the ferrule?  Wrap it in some form of tape ahead of time, etc.? 

Thanks and appreciate all the replies,

Matt

[Alan Matsuno]

I recommend ferrule cement.

[jurelometer]

Uncured epoxy wipes right off with alcohol if the epoxy hasn't set - the sooner the better. I personally mask reel seats, but nothing else.  If you decide to mask, remove the tape right away, and do the alcohol wipe.  Otherwise you can end up with a hardened epoxy ridge and some chunks of tape buried in epoxy.

Ferrule cement is fine for lighter rods, especially if you are not out in the desert or tropical sun. It's what most builders use for lighter gear, as it the ferrule can be easily removed  when it wears out.  Ferrule cement does require a slightly bigger gap than epoxy.  Epoxy is much stronger, and joins the ferrule well to the blank.

Five minute epoxy can be a compromise.  Not quite as strong as the regular epoxies, but stronger and thinner than ferrule cement. It can also be removed with heat like ferrule cement, but takes a bit more heat, so you have to be more careful.


-J

[reelynew]

I wanted to post an update and express my gratitude for all the help I received to fix-up this rod.  It's now back to being a 3 piece rod. 

I really couldn't have asked for a better outcome on it.  The ferrules seated nicely and the 5 minute epoxy went in easily.  The missing paint near the ferrules was already present when I bought it and using alcohol wipes was a great tip, Jurelometer.  I will remember that. 

I only needed to clean-up some leftover epoxy that was inside the ferrule when it was brought onto the blank, which a drill bit took care of easily.

Thanks again everyone,

Matt

[foakes]

Nice result, Matt!

Those 3 piece glass rods have a great feel, and are very versatile.

Good work!

Best, Fred

[Bryan Young]

I remember fishing with a 2-piece variant in my youth. Definitely caught a lot of fish. Take lines Matt