 |
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Jottings from a Speybum Note Book |
||
Spey Rod Saver By Tim Gelinas
History of the "Spey Rod Saver (SRS)"
Don't want to tape ferules anymore or break Spey rods. Well here is an innovation that will help stop both. After purchasing a Spey rod with the propensity to turn and come loose I had to start using tape. After about 3 trips out plus 3 moves per trip on the river I was real tired of taping up and especially taking the tape off, which seemed to be more troubling that putting it on.
I thought there has to be a better way... it seemed ostensible that a sleeve of some type would work well... so I thought I would try surgical tubing. After searching the web and looking at various types of tubing it looked as though latex tubing was going to be the preferred product. In discussing my idea with a friend he suggested purchasing the latex tubing at a hardware store. So I called around to several stores before I found it at Ace Hardware of all places. I purchased 1' each of size ID 1/8" up to ID 3/8" turns out this was every size they had.
I was able to get an ID 5/32" to work on the tip section of my CND Solstice by rolling the latex down over itself and sliding on the dowel part of the ferule and then rolling it back onto the spigot-ferrule. In figure 1 you will see a spigot type ferrule with tubing installed and rolled back in preparation to connect 2 sections together. Simply connect rod section (line them up first) and roll the tubing over the section. Figure 1
In figure 2 you will see that the latex is properly placed and functioning. In trying different lengths of tubing I like the tubing to go to end of each thread wrap or slightly past.
Figure 2
In figure 3 you will see that I am pulling the sections apart and you will notice that the latex is stretching. The good news about latex it has a 100% return rate, if you find that it comes apart when you pull on it you will need to find a smaller ID tubing.
Figure 3
I also tried this on a tip-over-butt rod in this case a Loop Green, the only issue here is that I had to find a piece of tubing that would go over the tip that is considerably larger in diameter then the butt section. There is a .072 difference which created a problem finding a piece of tubing that would hold over the .188 and fit over .260. I was able to compensate by extending the tubing further down on to the butt section where it measured .210. In figure 4 you will see a tip-over-butt rod with the tubing rolled back and ready. In this example the tubing needs to be placed well down from the tip.
Figure 4
In figure 5 you will see a tip-over-butt rod with the tubing properly placed. I did not get a square cut on this tubing and it does show in the photo however, I would recommend making certain you get a square cut as it rolls much more uniform.
Figure 5
Final Notes;
The first tubing I cut with a knife and was not able to get a good square cut. I did end up using some Klien electricians’ scissors that work wonderful. Also I had to play around with various sizes of tubing. I have found it should be roughly 15% - 30% smaller than the ferrule to be secured.
I was not able to find a local source yet for all the necessary tubing I would need to secure all of my rods however; I have located a distributor that makes tubing in 1/32” to 1” ID which should cover any Spey rod past, present or future. I will work to see whether I can purchase it from them in small quantities and will update this site when I know.
I am also going to look into getting some Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE) tubing samples to see if works better. I want to try the TPE because the latex does require a considerable amount of dexterity to fit onto the rods sections. TPE is supposedly softer and therefore may be easier to utilize providing it has the same wonderful holding properties the latex does.
In the field tested I have been very pleased with the results the latex has performed extremely well. Because the latex has a tensioning effect it pulls the rod section together at all times, I have experience no slippage or turn on the rod sections.
For those of you with operating environment concerns, you can ignore them since latex tubing has the following characteristics: Temperature/Chemical Resistance:
I would encourage all Spey rod brethren to utilize this method. Also I think the Spey rod manufacturers should include appropriately sized latex Spey Rod Savers with each rod they sell. I am contributing this innovation to the Spey community with the intent that it remain a free solution for all. I hope no one attempts to commercialize this product and I will work to remind anyone that does so.
If you have any questions or comments you can leave private message for me on the http://www.flyfishingforum.com my id is fishgrog.
Tim Gelinas |
||
|
River Run Anglers 2004 |
