Since this post was originally published the industry has come up with light wire tip tops which weight about the same as Fuji BAFT. The tube is shorter and the wire is a smaller gauge. These are the tip tops I recommend on 3wt and up rods.
Custom rod building is all about choices. We choose the
blank based on power, length, and action desired. We choose components based on
the choices available and which will best suit our needs. Grip choices are
based on style, and size. Considerations in the choice of guides include:
wire vs ceramic insert , single foot or double foot, thin or standard wire.
Each of these deserves its own separate discussion. which I hope to get to some
day. But now I wanted to talk a little about tip tops. Think of a diving board,
if you add extra weight at the end of the board you will affect the function of
the board in its transmitting power to the diver. He wont go as high with 10
pounds strapped to the bottom of the end of the board as he would without the
10 pounds, if we make it 20 pounds that affect will be even greater. This has
to due to damping and resonance frequency, but I don't want to get into the
physics of that as I'm a Biologist and not a Physicist. The bottom line is the
lighter the tip top the more energy is transfered to the fly line resulting in
faster line speed and farther cast. Below is a photo of some of the tip tops we
can choose from.
The top row: Over sized wire tip top, three standard
wire tip tops with various platings.
The bottom row: Two on the left are metal frame ceramic
insert tip tops, third from the left REC Ti -Ni alloy with Al sleeve, on the
right is a single foot guide which I sometimes use as a tip top.
The size of the opening of the tip top should be large
enough for the easy passage of knots but small enough not to add unnecessary
extra weight. In the wire tip tops we have two choices std. or OS. Ceramic
inserts give us a range of sizes based on ring size. These ring sizes are based
on outside diameter of the ring not the diameter of the opening so there will
be some variation between manufacturers and the type of ceramic used.
The effect of weight of the tip top will be related to
the power of the blank. If I place a std. wire tip top (.46 grams) on a 6 wt
rod it will have less effect than on a 1 or 2 wt. rod. An over size tip top
(.55 gm) will affect a 6 wt more than it will a 8 weight. These wire tip top
weights are an average of 10 of the std.(.46 gm) and 10 OS (.55 gm) tip tops.
The weight of the ceramic inserts is determined by 2
main factors. the frame material and the size of the ceramic ring. For my study
of wt. comparisons of ceramic inserts I chose Fuji TFST ( titanium frame SIC
insert ) and Fuji BFAT ( plated steel with Alconite inserts ). A size 6 insert
was chosen as it will easily pass all my knots up to a 6 wt. The TFST
weighed in at .23 gm. (Half the wt. of the std wire tip top) and the BFAT weighed
in at .27 gm. only .04 gm. greater than the titanium frames. Ring size
played a far greater role than frame material. In the TFST a 5.5 ring weighted
.18 gm compared to the .23 gm of the 6 ring. In the BFAT a 6 ring was .27
gm..The 7 ring was .40 gm. and the 8 ring was .50 gm. Tube diameter
of 4.0, 4.5 and 5.0 on the BFAT 6 showed no difference in weight on my balance.
The REC std weight was .16 gm. The single foot guide
size 1 std weight was .08 gm.
The cost of the tip tops will also play a role in our selection.
The cost of a std. hard chrome wire tip top is some where between $1.00 and
$1.50. A over size can run up to $1.75. These are the least expensive. The Fuji
TFST run about $11.50, the BFAT about $3.50. The REC is $5.50 and the single
foot about $.85 to $1.00.
So how do I use this information? It has to be in
benefit to cost ratio. On 1 & 2 wt rods I recommend a single foot
guide as the tip top. The cost is about the same as a std wire tip top but you
save .38 gm. at the end of the rod. You can feel this difference when you
cast.
On 3 & 4 wt rods I recommend CFAT ( same as BFAT but
in chrome and a few cents more ) this is about a $2.00 up grade over the std.
wire tip top, your saving .19 gm. on the end of the rod. You may be able
to feel this difference but it can be easily seen by doing a resonance
frequency comparison. The REC would be a good choice if it weren't so
ugly and noisy. On 5 & 6 wt rods. you probably won't notice the
difference in casting if you go with either CFAT or std wire tip top. At this
point is .19 gm. worth $2.00 to you. On 7,8 and 9 wt rods our choice would be
OS wire or size 7 CFAT tip top. Our wt savings is .15 gm. again at a cost of
about $2.00.
The above picture shows the various tip tops installed
on the rods. On the left is an 8 wt. with an OS wire tip top, large
enough opening for all my knots it include shooting heads. Next is a 7 wt. with
a size 7 ceramic insert, again large enough for shooting head connections and
knots. These are followed by a 5 & 6 wt. with sdt. size wire tip
tops. Because of the power of these blanks, I felt I could add a
decorative wrap to the top with little or no affect on the blank. These wraps
are purely decorative and have no other function. The next are 4 wt with
a BFAT size 6 and a 3 wt. with a TFST size 6 ceramic insert. No
decorative wrap was added to minimize the weight at the tip top. The far right
are 1 & 2 wt. rods with a single foot guide was used as the tip top.
The addition of any weight to the blank will decrease
the resonance frequency. thus reducing the energy transmitted to the line,
reducing the line speed potential of the blank and thus distance of the
cast. Since the tip top is at the end of our long lever its weight will have a
greater effect than the other guides which are closer to the butt of the rod.
In the real world if you put a std. wire tip top on 1 or
2 wt. you won't ruin the rod, however you will decrease the potential of that
blank. Will this make a difference to the fisherman? Probably not. I know that
I'm the "limiting factor" when it comes to casting, not the tip top
or any of the other components but at the same time it's nice to know that your
rod was built to reach its greatest potential.
Hope this gives you some ideas about tip top selection
on your next rod, or was this just another discussion of "how many angels
can dance on the head of a pin". Let me know. Just hit the add
comment below and leave your opinion.
Thanks Dennis
