I am getting ready to try my first combination wood and cork grip. I turn my grips on a mandrel and shape on a lathe. Any pointers for gluing up, turning etc. would be appreciated. Thanks!

Any sanding has to be done with a sanding block or similar. Cork cuts faster than wood and you'll easily scallop it if you don't support or back the sandpaper with someting flat. For curves you'd just have to use a narrower piece drawn taut between your hands and used at a bit of an angle.

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I find that following Tom's advice about using a sanding block is extremly helpful for early shaping. I would also suggest that using 80 grit drywall sanding mesh is helpful in removing material in the early stages of shaping when you reach the sanding mode. It can be held tightly between the hands and applied carefully to maintain an even cut on the wood as well as the cork. A bit of practise will give you the ability you sand the two materials evenly.

Stan Grace
Helena, MT
"Our best is none too good"

Might be obvious already, but having the wood at the finished diameter and shape and bringing the cork down to it saves lots of headaches when you're learning to do this. You can work your wood with your regular turning tools, have it all but final finished, glue up that way, bring the cork down to meet it or even be a minute fraction over-sized, and then only final-sand the two together.

Here's another trick that works well, especially when the wood is at one end or the other of the grip, rather than in the middle: When I've wanted the wood very polished -- particularly a waxy wood like rosewood or bocote that you can buff to a high gloss or any wood you'll apply a finish to -- I've completely finished the wood first, glued it carefully on the mandrel with the cork to avoid overflow, covered the wood with masking tape, and then brought the cork down to size. It's hard to either apply finish to or buff wood once it's adjoined to cork, and this solves the related problems there.

I do the same thing that Scott suggests. In fact, I think he's the one that gave me all my initial turning instructions a few years back. I turn the wood section(s) first, without even having the cork nearby. Then, depending on my mood at the time, I'll glue to the cork to the wood, and turn the cork down to the required o.d. OR, I simply turn them separately, at separate times, and just pay very close attention to the o.d. of the cork. Use your calipers early and often!