I just received the forecast spey blank in the mail yesterday and am excited to begin the construction. When checking the order and getting my construction thoughts aligned, I noticed that the butt section of the spey blank is smaller than the foregrip bore on the cork grip right out of the box. Any suggestions? Should I arbor it like a I would the real seat?

Another problem, this has happened on more than one occasion, the nickle winding check that I received as part of the kit is larger in diameter than the spot it needs to sit when the butt section of the rod is assemled. Not way too large, but enough that it flops around with about a 1/32" - 1/16" of an inch in play. How do I handle this issue?

And finally, if you answer all three of these issues for me you win a small worthless prize!, does the cork grip taper to larger diameter as it goes toward the winding check and hook keeper area or the reverse. I believe I saw a spey rod cork foregrip on the OLN channel that had the thicker portion toward the top of the grip and tapered smaller as it neared the reelseat.

Thanks ahead of time,

Domenic Federico

Which way you want the taper is a matter of personal preference. I've begun having mine smaller at the seat and larger as you move away from it, both butt and foregrips.

How much too large is the foregrip? Think about shimming with heavy D or E thread, or even some nylon twine. Wrap in close spirals, maybe 1/4inch apart. This makes a good shim that fully supports the entire length of the grip.

The winding check can be glued to the grip face. You can then push the thread trim wrap at the fore end of the grip under the space left there. That's not a large amount so I think you can make do with your current winding check. Better to be a little too loose than a little too tight.

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Tom-

Ok, name your fly.....(please, not the micro sized dry flys!) and send me an email with your address. I drop them in the mail Monday.

Domenic Federico

You don't need to send me anything. I'd never get time to fish with it anyway.

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Tom,

Doesn't it just absolutely suck that the love of the sport has pushed us into endeavors where we no longer have time to enjoy it?

There's something fundamentally wrong here. I need to look at my priorities.

Your reply hit me hard.

Buddy

Hi

here in germany we use a special pu-glue, normalliy used by carpenters, exspecially for glueing window frames. This one component glue reacts with humidity and change afterthat to a very dense foam which fill all gaps between cork and blank. very usefull stuff. manufacturer here is a company called ponal maybe you can obtain it or something similar in the states.
please excvuse my poor american language skills.

best regards dirk

Domenic, the thread shimming method is very good, also you can use drywall tape as shims, or you can use an old piece of rod blank that fits over the blank and fills the gap, this can be glued on tight, and there would be no flex in handle. I use this method when building ice rods when the ID of the cork is too large for the blank. good luck galen Briese