My Lamiglas Dave Vedder 10.5' 8-12 has lost it's tip eye insert so now the eye is just a metal ring. I noticed this when my braid started going furry on me.

Is there anything I can do?

Thank in advance!

You can change out the tip top.

Just the tip, just for a second.

I have a Vedder rod as well and love it. Those guides are SOFT though.

Jason, it's a super easy DIY job for anyone with fewer than 10 thumbs. The hardest part might be finding a tip top guide in B'ham that fits your rod. You should be able to look up that rod blank on Lamiglas' website to find the tip diameter size. FYI, it's not a bad idea to keep a few tip tops around the house in common sizes from 4.5 to 6 or 6.5/64ths".

Sg

Ferrel cement, a lighter, and extra tip top is standard in my tackle bag. Worth carrying an extra that is a size or two too large as well so you can keep fishing after your buddy breaks the top off your rod down a foot or two where your regular tip top is too small. The ferrel cement softens to glue-like consistency when heated with the lighter and hardens when cool.

Here's a quick link for those who have never done it before:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUn0SRZT5_0

Apparently, Salmo G assumes we still ride in horse drawn carriages up here. We gots us a water treatment plant and purty lights on the street even!




And rod tips.

I'd call Lamiglas ..... Give them the rod number, they can fix you up.

Like others have said, a couple of extras tips is good to have and I like the different size bit. I bought some ferrel cement, 40+ years ago...still have the original stick.

Good luck...

I have the exact same rod and did the exact same thing a week ago. Wow, small world. Anyways, my local tackle shop stocks tip tops in all sizes. That particular tip seems to be a generic hardloy kind. Since you are using braid, I recommend that you find a SIC (Silicon Carbide) Tip that matches with it. Otherwise the braid may wear a groove in the eyelet and you run the risk of line breakage when you least expect it.

AP,

Naw, just that I keep hearing that all the shops in B'man have closed up. Maybe that was just fly shops. Now move along son, and don't bogart that joint, my friend . . .

Sg

That's not the only Vedder model thats missing an eye!

Danny,


You keep up this schizzle I'm gonna sic my cow on ya!

Yes sir.

I would have Dave fix it.
Tell him you want a Fuji SiC tip top.
He will probably want to make good on the line as well.



And since it's Christmas time, he may just hand you a brand new backup rod, some floats and jigs.

No problem. bring it over. I have a bit of duct tape left from my Christmas wrapping. You bring the beer.

Thanks for the replies everyone.

So a rod tip guide is called a tip top? Got you.

I have replaced a bunch for those when I broke a tip off a rod. That is easy.

Next, all the shops I have been to want to cut the tip off the rod to replace the tip top. NO THANKS.

So a good shop can get the tip top off without cutting the rod blank?

It is funny because this is my first higher end gear rod after years with cheaper Shimano, Berkley, Eagle Claw and more, and this is the first time anything like this has ever happened.

Hold a lighter under the tip top and the glue will melt...and you'll have it off in about two seconds after that. Melt a little bit of new glue into the new tip, slip it on and make sure it is on straight, and in about ten seconds you'll be done.

Fish on...

Todd

Use pliers as the tip top will be hot.

Run, don't walk away from those shops.

As mentioned, tip tops are installed with heat-activated glue if done correctly.
The original hot melt glue which is called ferrule cement in the rod building world.

Once you get the old tip top off, scrape any glue residue off the blank with a fingernail.
Then "dry fit" your chosen tip top replacement to verify correct tube size.
No massive wobble, no super tight....you're looking for an easy fit with a bit of room for the glue.

If the tube is large enough in diameter, you can cut a sliver of ferrule cement and drop it into the tube.
Heat the tube which then melts the glue and install.

With smaller tubes, heat the end of the glue stick and apply the molten glue to the rod tip evenly around the tip top area.
Then heat the tip top tube and install.
Leather or a thick glove will provide good control as you dial in proper alignment with the other guides.

Good luck if you have to replace it.
Same goes for epoxy.

There is a reason the ancient tech ferrule cement is still used for the tip top.
Good idea to not wrap/finish at the tip top as well.

+1 to these comments.....

Thanks to everyone especially Todd and Direct-Drive.

I had no idea how easy it would be to remove the tip-top from this rod. I thought removing the tip-top would be the hard part but it sounds like the whole thing is easy.

Happy holidays to all!