My son has a self-finished Epic 686-4. The two mid sections are stuck, and we have not been able to get them apart trying every possible remedy we had previously used or could find any reference to - temp changes, two person double hand pulls with arrow pull grips........ Any novel solutions to offer?
BTW, this is one of the very first four piece rods from Epic, and I understand they have gone a different route with manufacturer of blanks are a touting ferrules that are enough uniform so to readily interchange. I really like the rods and their action, but admit their ferrule system finish was essentially nonexistent - cut ends looked like cut with a dremmel tool and wheel blade rather than tool to give perfect square cuts like for my arrows.
This is why ferrules need waxing. See this recent post.
Looking for ferrule wax or lube recommendations
There are many methods to loosen a stuck ferrule:
1. Two person method:
A Technique for Removing Stuck Fly Rod Sections - YouTube
2. Ice method
Surf Fishing Rod Care - Stuck Ferrules - YouTube
3. Sit down in a chair. Put the rod behind your knees with your hands holding the rod on each side of the stuck ferrule. Spread your knees apart to pull the ferrule apart.
4. Ferrules get stuck because rod sections are hollow. When we put rod sections together, we seal the rod sections. When we fish, the rod can get warmer than when we put it together; or when the rod is kept together in a hot car the air in the rod expands and leaks out of the rod section. Then when the rod cools down a vacuum forms and prevents the rod from coming apart.
What needs to be done is to break the vacuum. Sometimes the usual maneuvers do not work. This is what will.
Buy a can of compressed "canned air" that is used to clean electronic products; turn it upside down and spray the fluoroethane fluid on the ferrule. The rapid evaporation will form frost on the ferrule, and differential cooling break the seal. Spraying the male section of the ferrule with canned air cools and contracts this section and can relieve the vacuum.
To prevent stuck ferrules, here is my guide for ferrule care.
I also use wax either from a birthday candle or small votive candles. I have fly a Fisher GT 40 fly rod that I have been using for about 30 years with no ferrule problem. I have had to rewrap the guides twice on that rod, but I have had no ferrule problems using wax.
I keep my rod in a rod/reel carrier when not in use. How does dirt get on the wax? If the rod is protected while the ferrules are apart dirt cannot get on the ferrule. When the rod is together, dirt cannot get between the ferrules.
One way is if you apply the wax from the base of the ferrule toward the tip. This can carry dirt on the exposed section of the rod toward the ferrule. So applying the wax in the opposite direction from the ferrule tip down carries and dirt away from the ferrule.
How does dirt wear a ferrule? It can only wear a ferrule if there is motion between the sections of the ferrule. If the ferrule is tight, there is no or little motion. Wax prevents motion. A ferrule without wax is likely to move, hence more wear.
Dirt needs two things to wear a surface. It needs to be present and it needs motion. Wax prevents motion. Keeping the rod in a case or tube and waxing tip down reduces dirt on the wax.
On to nose or body oil. As has been said, it contains salt. It also contains fatty acids, and fatty acids can corrode metal ferrules. Don't use body or nose oil.
Wax allows you to break the seal. The purpose of the wax is not only to keep the joints together, it is to allow the joints to separate so they can't lock up hard surface to hard surface.
Wax also helps to prevent loosening of ferrules. Loose ferrules can cause rod breakage.
It came today and I have a question - Page 2
Silly newbie question - Page 2
http://midcurrent.com/2013/04/30/quick-tip-wax-your-ferrules-to-avoid-broken-fly-rods/
