Whipping eye onto a fly rod

[Rob85]

Hi guys just looking for a little advice, my father in law has left a fly rod down to me to whip an eye back onto it, its something I've never done before and I was wondering what materials to use, I think his suggestion was superglue and my 6/0 fly tying thread.

I would like to make it as professional looking job as I can for him and while I'm no expert I can't imagine superglue looking good on the rod.

Has anyone done this before and what did you use to finish it? The rest of the eyes seem to be varnished or epoxy over the whipping but I can't imagine my usual fly tying nail varnish being up to the job.

Any advice would be helpful

[Stonepark]

Polyester or silk Fly tying thread will do fine, but varnish\epoxy needs to be both weatherproof and slightly flexible.

Use a dab of super glue to temp fix the rod ring in position.

Rotate the rod to lay the thread on evenly and flat, do not rotate the thread as this twists it even though it is easier and tempting, especially an end ring close to a joint.

Seymo Pro Rod Varnish (£6-8 per small bottle), is what I use for repairs to rings and nicks in rod varnish and needs multiple coats (3 is best), but I use a two part rod builders epoxy if doing a whole rod.

Rotate rod at least 15 min after application at about 1 revolution per minute to encourage even laydown.

 

That's about it in a nutshell.

[Rob85]

23 minutes ago, Stonepark said:

Polyester or silk Fly tying thread will do fine, but varnish\epoxy needs to be both weatherproof and slightly flexible.

Use a dab of super glue to temp fix the rod ring in position.

Rotate the rod to lay the thread on evenly and flat, do not rotate the thread as this twists it even though it is easier and tempting, especially an end ring close to a joint.

Seymo Pro Rod Varnish (£6-8 per small bottle), is what I use for repairs to rings and nicks in rod varnish and needs multiple coats (3 is best), but I use a two part rod builders epoxy if doing a whole rod.

Rotate rod at least 15 min after application at about 1 revolution per minute to encourage even laydown.

 

That's about it in a nutshell.

Cheers for that, a late friend of mine used to build some lovely fly rods and I remember he had a little motorised jig for doing his whipping. At that point I hadn't started fly fishing so didn't really take an interest.

Now that I love my small river fishing my big want is a 6ft or 7ft 3wt splitcane rod.... a man can dream!

[ditchman]

i used once fine cotton and super glue.........it worked and is still sound ...............but looks bloody awful......do as stonepark says

[Rob85]

1 hour ago, ditchman said:

i used once fine cotton and super glue.........it worked and is still sound ...............but looks bloody awful......do as stonepark says

Yea i think for a wee rough and ready coarse fishing set up the superglue and thread would do it. Think my dad done it years ago with our old bait rods I used as a kid, but to me a fly rod just wants that bit more love and attention because you rely on the rod action so much.

[chrisjpainter]

Only thing to add to Stonepark's guide is don't be tempted to overtighten when wrapping. Snug, but not crushing, or you risk damaging the blank

[ditchman]

when you bind/rotate the rod....use a cardboard box and cut a "V" in both ends...lay the rod in the V and turn with the right hand and feed the thread on with your left hand as chrispainter says dont worry about tightness as the laquer or what ever will stabilise and tighten it ..

[Bobba]

Using your heading, some interesting videos on YouTube.

[Dave at kelton]

Some good advice here on the whipping. Overly tight and it is also hard to pull the loop through to finish the whip. I have always finished with several coats of cellulose varnish until a smooth finish is achieved.

Good luck!

[Rob85]

5 hours ago, Dave at kelton said:

Some good advice here on the whipping. Overly tight and it is also hard to pull the loop through to finish the whip. I have always finished with several coats of cellulose varnish until a smooth finish is achieved.

Good luck!

Thats what I was thinking of doing but I done some Google searching on that and some people have said the cellulose varnish or nail varnish can attack the carbon of the rod. Seems a bit out there for me considering i used to work on carbon fibre fuel tanks and they don't worry about Avtur fuel attacking it. But having read that I had an idea, we use some sort of 2 part varnish in work when doing carbon fibre repairs and covering edding marker idents on carbon fibre, maybe I should put it off a day or 2 and tea leaf some from work to seal up the whipping?

As you can gather I don't want to rush out to spend my own money on it as I know its not a job ill be paid for but at the end of the day I don't want to just hand him back his Greys rod with a real scabby looking job on the ring.

 

 

[Dave at kelton]

9 hours ago, Rob85 said:

Thats what I was thinking of doing but I done some Google searching on that and some people have said the cellulose varnish or nail varnish can attack the carbon of the rod. Seems a bit out there for me considering i used to work on carbon fibre fuel tanks and they don't worry about Avtur fuel attacking it. But having read that I had an idea, we use some sort of 2 part varnish in work when doing carbon fibre repairs and covering edding marker idents on carbon fibre, maybe I should put it off a day or 2 and tea leaf some from work to seal up the whipping?

As you can gather I don't want to rush out to spend my own money on it as I know its not a job ill be paid for but at the end of the day I don't want to just hand him back his Greys rod with a real scabby looking job on the ring.

 

 

I have also used U V varnish but that will cost you plus the torch. He may have it if he ties flies.

[Rob85]

1 hour ago, Dave at kelton said:

I have also used U V varnish but that will cost you plus the torch. He may have it if he ties flies.

Yes I quite like the look of the UV stuff for tying flies. I got all his fly tying stuff as his arthritis prevents him tying now.....sadly no UV gear.

My missus has been saying just to do it the way he asked and just hit it with the superglue and thread. Maybe ill just put the nail varnish I use for my own flies over that to tidy it up. 

[Dave at kelton]

2 hours ago, Rob85 said:

Yes I quite like the look of the UV stuff for tying flies. I got all his fly tying stuff as his arthritis prevents him tying now.....sadly no UV gear.

My missus has been saying just to do it the way he asked and just hit it with the superglue and thread. Maybe ill just put the nail varnish I use for my own flies over that to tidy it up. 

If you super glue first, thin layer that is what I do with all salmon flies. Then build up layers of a good cellulose varnish such as Hard as Nails, plenty of thin coats will give a great smooth finish.

[Bobba]

20 hours ago, Dave at kelton said:

Some good advice here on the whipping. Overly tight and it is also hard to pull the loop through to finish the whip. I have always finished with several coats of cellulose varnish until a smooth finish is achieved.

Good luck!

The “overly tight…..hard to pull the loop through” is understood. The work around solution I was taught was not to make the loop for the full length of the whipping. Instead, you lock off the thread without a loop to start the whipping and when you come to the point of about 4-6 turns before the end you introduce a free standing loop. Whip over it to lock it in place, finish the 6 turns, thread through the false loop then pull the loop out completely from under the final turns and trim off the thread.

 

[snow white]

Rob85 

where are you based I can do it if your near Caernarfon.

[Rob85]

5 minutes ago, snow white said:

Rob85 

where are you based I can do it if your near Caernarfon.

Wee bit far out.... im in northern ireland. But I do appreciate the offer.

Had my first go earlier and all went well until my son distracted me and I messed up the finishing loop 😄 

I'll get it done, pressure is off for today as he doesn't need it just yet.

[Dave at kelton]

2 hours ago, Bobba said:

The “overly tight…..hard to pull the loop through” is understood. The work around solution I was taught was not to make the loop for the full length of the whipping. Instead, you lock off the thread without a loop to start the whipping and when you come to the point of about 4-6 turns before the end you introduce a free standing loop. Whip over it to lock it in place, finish the 6 turns, thread through the false loop then pull the loop out completely from under the final turns and trim off the thread.

 

Yep me too but can still over tighten if not careful

[Flyboy1950]

I have used the 2 part araldite glues to finish rod whippings in the past and also the Hi gloss 2 part lacquer finish on car paintwork, both waterproof and quick setting.

FB

[Rob85]

Well as he wanted the rod for tomorrow I had to just go with superglue and some nail varnish to cover it, thats what he wants so thats what he will get. Just gave the rod a few test casts in the garden there and all seemed to go well.

I'm going to invest in some of the proper rod whipping varnish myself incase any of my own rods need it and judging from some of the others on this rod of his there will be a few more to do before long. 

Do rightly...

 

[Jonty]

On 02/09/2021 at 22:19, ditchman said:

when you bind/rotate the rod....use a cardboard box and cut a "V" in both ends...lay the rod in the V and turn with the right hand and feed the thread on with your left hand as chrispainter says dont worry about tightness as the laquer or what ever will stabilise and tighten it ..

Great minds think alike Ditchman.  I built myself a 2wt nymphing rod using my patented banana box whipping jig.  I also jammed a fly tying thread bobbin through the side of the box to hold the whipping thread under tension - it worked a treat.

[ditchman]

that is spot on ..........just really simple and low tech'

[Jonty]

16 minutes ago, ditchman said:

.just really simple and low tech'

Just like me 😀

 

[Smokersmith]

Spot on ... 

[oldypigeonpopper]

On 02/09/2021 at 14:40, Rob85 said:

Cheers for that, a late friend of mine used to build some lovely fly rods and I remember he had a little motorised jig for doing his whipping. At that point I hadn't started fly fishing so didn't really take an interest.

Now that I love my small river fishing my big want is a 6ft or 7ft 3wt splitcane rod.... a man can dream!

Hello, is that new or second hand with the above split cane rod ?

Edited September 23, 2021 by oldypigeonpopper

[Rob85]

39 minutes ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

Hello, is that new or second hand with the above split cane rod ?

I keep my eyes peeled on the local buy and sell for 2nd hand, brand new can be steep...depending on where and what you want I suppose. I know some loft clearance stuff comes up now and then. Its definitely something I want for the future. Theres a fella in the UK that makes them, Bannister rods, there's some lovely videos of him fishing on YouTube with them, but they are the rods you would need to sell your left kidney for 😆