The traditional ferrules for the split cane bamboo rods are either nickel silver or brass "tubes" fitted to the diameter of the rod. There are some constructions to make a bamboo ferrules published in Internet and PowerFibers magazine by Bob Nunley and Bjarne Fries.
I wanted to try a simpler ferrule construction using very cheap materials. Now I have short-term tested the structure and the instructions are now here to try.

MATERIAL NEEDED

BRASS TUBE - I have used chrome plated brass tube from a telescope radio antenna, telescope pointer etc. Measure the diameter of the rod (flat to flat) with the caliber to have the inner diameter of the tube. I have used a piece with length of 60 mm (2.20").
CYANOACRYLATE glue, "superglue", "cyanoglue"
SMALL PVC PLASTIC BAG - the GRAY bags used eg. for food in freezer. It has to be absolutely dry, not used for fruits etc! Cyanoglue does not fix to this kind of vinyl plastics. Try it first with a drop of glue!
HOT GLUE - used to glue the ferrules
BAMBOO STICK WITH A DIAMETER OF 8-10 mm (.3 - .4"). This kind of bamboo is sold in garden shops for flower support. It is very cheap and certainly not Tonkin cane!

MALE FERRULE

The male part of the ferrule consists of the end of the rod blank (either tip or butt) rounded to fit to the brass tube. I have used a length of 30 mm (1.20") of the butt end of the rod but I think that the tip also could be used. Sand (or use a lathe) the end of the hex blank round using fine sandpaper adjusting it to fit to the tube. To have the cyanoglue to be absorbed to the cane the bamboo has to be as dry as possible. A mild warming with a hot air gun (not too hot!) for several minutes may take the extra humidity away from the cane.
Put several drops of cyanoacrylate superglue to the small PVC plastic bag (it has to be absolutely dry!) and on the rounded part of the cane. Then put the rounded end of the rod inside the bag for 1-2 hours and tape the bag tightly with no air inside the bag to allow the glue to be absorbed inside the rounded part of the cane. In 1-2 hours you have a superglue impregnated to the end piece of the blank. Sand it again to fit to the brass tube. Add some wax (candle) as usually to make the fit tight.

BRASS TUBE FEMALE FERRULE

Sand 30 mm (1.2") of the blank end (tip) round to fit it to the 60 mm piece of brass tube (from the telescope radio antenna). Put some glue (superglue or fast epoxy) to the end of the cane as a moisture cap. You may file the end of the tube thinner / flatter to have the wraps later adjusted easier over the ferrule. Glue the tube with hot (melding) glue to the rod. Wrap the ferrule and fix the guides and varnish as usually.

CANE COATED BRASS TUBE FEMALE FERRULE

To have a cane coated ferrule take a piece of 70 mm (2.30") of cane with diameter of about 2 mm (.01") thicker than the ferrule tube (eg 8 mm, 0.3"). Drill a hole inside the bamboo piece starting with smaller drill (4 - 5 - 6 mm) and ending to the approriate outer diameter of the blank. The make a still wider hole (fitting to the outer diameter of the brass tube) with length of 60 mm (see the figure) to the other end of the cane tube. Use a small round file if required! There are now two holes of different size on the two ends of the bamboo tube. The smaller is fitted to the rod diameter and the bigger to the brass tube outer diameter. Now you can sand the enamel surface from cane piece to proper outer diameter and shape.
To have the color of the cane ferrule to match to the rod you can use the hot air gun (or flame) to heat treat the piece. After the warming the cane is shrinked and you may have to file or drill the inside a little. Be careful, the cane is now more fragile than before!

Adjust the 60 mm piece of brass tube to the blank as decribed above. Slide the cane tube first on the blank (the smaller hole diameter on the rod). Thereafeter glue the brass tube with hot melting glue to the blank as described above. Then glue the cane tube coating the brass tube with epoxy or hot glue. Sand the cane ferrule if needed, put the varnish as usually and make wrappings on the cane.

It looks like cane and is as strong as metal!

EXPERIENCES AFTER THE FIRST YEAR - SWELLING

The male part (cyanoglue impregnated cane) has the natural tendency to swell due to moisture and water in the air. Do not leave the ferrule jointed overnight or for several days during a fish trip! If the cane swells sand the top of the male ferrule a bit to make the cone "steeper". It is possible to loose the jammed joint with a small wooden tool (wooden "pliers"). Use candle wax in the joint to avoid to get stuck (jammed).
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