The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

I've got some copper armature wire I use for this. I had to buy enormous rolls, but you can get shorter lengths on eBay. I'd be happy to send you enough to do your rod by post though.

Has anyone come up with a way to tie the tag-end off tidily with copper wire, mine looks a bit naff done the 'usual' way?

Nobby wrote: Has anyone come up with a way to tie the tag-end off tidily with copper wire, mine looks a bit naff done the 'usual' way?

A little bit of work with a burnishing tool to flatten out the wire is needed. Just keep working the wire until it,s the best you can get it, then varnish.

I find if you pull back the tag end a bit so there's a gap in the wire whipping and then cut the tag off very close, what,s left of the tag will drag under the whipping. Then use the Burnishing tool to flatten the bump left.

The more coats of varnish on the copper wire the better it look,s.

Sounds like a plan, thank-you Lee.

You should be able to get spools of copper wire in a number of diameters from fly tying material suppliers. That's what I've used on a spinning rod which needed a butt ring replacement. The Dremel trick's a wizard wheeze!!

Troutbeck

Bulk spool from Maplin
0.15mm



When the wire is twisted you get a better finish to the whipping



Without varnish



With varnish



I also believe the use of Copper whipping on the ferrule give,s a bit more strength to the joint.

OK having sorted the copper wire aspect, I started laying out the rings, using masking tape, just to make sure it looked right, and lo and behold it didn't? Taking the measurements from the Chapman's site, I dutifully set out as follows :- from the tip I measured 7'' then 8'' then 10'' then 12'', that was the top section. I then measured from the end of the ferrule on the middle section, 4-1/2'' then 13-1/4'' then 16'', all ok so far. I then put the two sections together, and the spacing between the rings spanning the ferrule looked all wrong, on putting the measuring stick on it I found the distance to be 14'', where as the next one down was only 13-1/4''? So I went through every photo I could find of the 550 and my spacing just doesn't match, can some one who has a 550 put a tape on theirs for me, to see where I'm going wrong, or is this the way it works out.

Rod
Both of my 550,s are the same as your,s
Ones restored to Chapman spec on their website the other is in original un-restored condition.

Thank god for that LJM, so I'm not going senile, well yet anyway, thanks for putting my mind at rest,