Is there a standard thickness to cork rings? Also, should I buy the "screw-vise" (for lack of a better word), or are they too easy to make? My appreciation in advance --JC

Corks clamps are easy to make if you have $5 or $10 plus a half hour's time on your hand.

Most rings are standard at 1/2 inch thickness. A few sponsors here offer them in 1/4 inch thicknesses.

........

0.50" - 1/2" appears to be the standard cork ring thickness unless otherwise stated.

Cork vise/clamps are extremely easy to make, they require only two scrap pieces of wood, two all-thread (1/4" to 3/8") legnths 10-20" long, and a few nuts and washers. There are likely plans available on this site.

Standard size is 1/2" by 1 1/4 " Here os a picture of a very quick and effextive clamp


[www.fishingphotos.net]

Mike

You can also use a threaded rod a couple of large washers and two nuts or wing nuts

I don't do cork on the blank so I use the same as Bill.

Also if the cork sticks to the rod, because of the glue, I use wing nuts I loosen one end and then tighten the other end and they break loose

Hey Mike B,

I like that!!! I've got a few pony clamps hanging around and I was going to get a section of pipe and make one with it. Looking at your photo I think I can make one like yours for the cost of the pipe alone.

GOOD JOB!!!!! TO A JOB WELL DONE

I am sure that since you have thought of this simple but effective idea you also have different diameter alignment bars for the different I.D. sizes in the cork!!!

Jim,

There are pro's and con's to everything. From a debate stand point of view I guess one would say that with the double threaded rod clamping system you can macro adjust the cork rings however much needed effortlessly. Using the center pull clamp method I guess one could argue that since you are pulling directly from both centers there is no need to make any fine adjustments.

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions!


David Horrocks

Thank you all, especially Mike for the photo! I think I can "get 'er done"!
JC

Hi David,

I can't take credit. I got the idea from an old post by Bob Balcombe (thank's, Bob)!!
I use Andy Dear's mandrel(I do coat them with wax to prevent them from being glued to the mandrels) and just take them directly to the lathe for turning when done.

You can also use inexpensive threaded rod. For my use, I don't have a need for "micro" adjustments. I have also used the clamp for gluing up wood for tuening

Mike

Jim,

I went to the fly fishing show yesterday where I was fortunate to find a few vendors who had some rod building stuff and one where I bought a handful of cork rings for a fly grip. So last night I made myself a clamp. I had a ton of scrap wood lying around the basement so I grabbed a piece of 1 1/2" wide 1/2" oak, cut two 4" long pieces, stacked them up and drilled 3 5/16" holes through them. Then I cut a 2' piece of 1/4" allthread in half filed the ends smooth, slapped a fender washer and two nuts on one end of each rod. Then after gluing up the rings I put the top piece of wood on, a fender washer and wingnut on each then just tightened down as much as I could.

All told it probably took me 10 minutes to make the clamp. Of course I have a chop saw a drill press and plenty of scrap wood.

Even though I've seen them as cheap as 8 bucks or so, with how simple and easy they are to make I just couldn't bring myself to buy one.

Mark