Sorry guys but I'm cheap and didn't buy a video or book and am leaning on you for help. Would someone please tell me how to apply cork tape? Thanks.

Try a search of this board -- you can do that can't you

Yeah, I'm just a little lazy. Ok, time to get to it. By the way, that last name of yours sounds familiar. Think I met some people around the Eagle Lake / East Bernard area in Texas. Thanks for the reply too.

Can Overlap or Flush-wrap. Whip ends with thread, then seal. Tape width & blank diameter determine the pitch of the spiral for a flush-wrap, not you. Calculate minimum length of tape needed for a single rod by calculating the area of the blank to be covered in square inches, divide by the width of the tape in inches, and the answer is the MINIMUM length in inches of the tape needed to wrap the blank. -Enjoy! -Cliff Hall, Gainesville, FL-USA+++

FYI: AREA of the surface of a cylinder = 3.14159 x (ROD BLANK DIAMETER) x (HEIGHT of cylinder) . When you divide this AREA by the WIDTH of the cork tape (usually 1.00 inch), you have the LENGTH of tape needed to wrap over the exposed blank area to be wrapped. ADD 10% for the margin of error factor, and the slant cuts at the ends that waste some length. Don't cut the length or pull off the waxed paper over the contact adhesive until you have dry fit the cork tape and confirmed your layout and proper length needed. If you choose to overlap the edges of this wrap, then dry-fitting the tape before cutting the tape to length is even more important, because that requires a consistent overlap. Probably buying an entire 25 foot roll and having extra stock is better than trying to get it correct to the nearest inch.

It takes about 8 feet of cork tape 1 inch wide to flush-wrap a 24 inch length of rod blank (split grip) whose diameter is about 1.00 to 1.10 inches. This will help you confirm that the units in your own calculation are in the right ballpark. If you buy it by the foot, just buy at least 12 inches over your calculation, because that is easier than cutting it too short. Be frugal, but watch out for being penny wise and pound foolish. LOL, ... -Cliff Hall, Gainesville, FL-USA+++

Gotcha on the amount. I'm building a couple so planned on buying enough for both. I did a search and saw most people opting for a wrap or shrink-wrap at the end opposite the butt. I know I've seen some rods in stores that appeared to have the tape go from the butt of the blank all the way up to the reel seat with the butt cap slipped over one end and eva or hypalon on top of the cork. Am I seeing this correctly? If so it seemed pretty slick. No need to be real neat at either end. I would assume regular adhesive applied to the butt cap and eva? thanks.

That'll work, Bob. -Cliff Hall+++
P.S. ... BTW: In case you're looking for a rod-tip:
SUMMER MOON ROD WORKS has a good selection of large ring ceramic tips & large tubes. The best are not cheap, but worth it. I prefer the styles that have a generous mushroom cap (turbo – UST) or bagel-like ceramic ring (flange – PST) over the guide frame. A surf rod is so tall that the line often rubs the guide frame if the ceramic ring isn’t protruding. Per SMRW and MudHole catalogs.

HARDLOY (BPLT, PB/BPHT) SILICON CARBIDE (PST, BPST)
FUJI’s BPLT-16mm-14/64ths ($4) PST-16-13 ($11) UST-12-18 ($10)
BPLT-20mm-18/64ths ($5) BPST-20mm-12/64ths ($12)
PAC-BAY BPHT-16mm-14/64ths ($NA) BPST-12mm-15/64ths ($ 6)
AM-TAC Holograph TiNitride/Zirconia: HZTT-12mm-13/64ths ($ 5)

Thanks. I'm not sure if thats why the guide frames on my older rods are broken. I know they are cheap. It could just be throwing them in and out of the truck. I won't do this with my new rods. But that seems to be a common occurance with me. I'll check those out. I'm definately not against putting some good money into the guides because of this though. Again, thanks.