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Hardware - Ferrules - Location

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Now I know this is not the most important question you've ever been asked, but......... Why is the female ferrule always on the butt section and the top of the middle section in a three piece? Why doesn't it, face the other way, so to speak. Tradition? Just cos'? Or is there something I'm missing. I can see the reason for the downwards direction of overfit ferrules on plastic rods and bamboo ferrules but not the reason for up facing metal ferrules. Am I being a bit, "thick like"?  (Simon Reilly)

Most likely because with the two tip rod would it not be quite as easy to fit the two female ferrules to one male ferrule than it is to fit two male ferrules to one female ferrule.  (Joe Hudock)

It was because most of the early ferrules were step down, the thicker section is on the bottom.  If you look how ferrules were made, you can see why the female is on the bottom.

Super Z came along later.  I think Ron Barch from The Planing Form newsletter mounted on his first rod the female on the tip. (Scott Grady)

Probably tradition but more than likely done that way because the top of the butt section and the top of the mid(s) was usually a larger diameter than the bottom of the tips or bottom of the mid(s).  That's why step-down ferrules are designed the way they are.  It would be more difficult to implement a female ferrule the way you mention.  Not impossible, but more difficult.  (Mark Wendt)

Just finished my first integrated bamboo ferrule on a quad (not a PMQ) using my MHM and I put the female on the butt (ala Mike St. Clair). The advantage is the same as one of the reasons for putting the  male ferrule on the tip when using traditional ferrules - only one female is needed and it's much easier to custom fit the male(s). (Tom Key)

I've been working on bamboo ferrules and doing them like the latest Power Fibers article suggests and filling the female full of epoxy and letting it cure with the male inserted. After separating you have a perfect fit. If you have the female on the tip sections, you only have to repeat the process on the spare tip and you will have another perfect fit. No fitting of the male is needed. Just letting you know if you haven't tried this method yet. So far, I've built out three blanks this way and it really does make a nice fit. (Greg Reeves)

Weight is the main technical reason. Many older rods had a drop of around 0.015" across the ferrule station. to reverse the position of the female and the male would mean a larger male ferrule.  A larger male ferrule would require a larger female ferrule. On rods with two tips you would have to have an extra female thus using more material.

For what it is worth, I am deep drawing ferrules and would not like to have to make two female ferrules to fit a two tip rod.   (Jerry Drake)

The learning curve continues, I hadn't considered step downs, weight or difficulty of manufacture. Guess I'm still too new at this, I've only used Super Zs so far.

Thanks gents, no doubt I'll be back soon with more daft questions.  (Simon Reilly)