I finally tried this method I saw posted on here by someone, I can't recall who, wherein the Fuji BRC19 butt cap is cut at the parting line to its taper and then glued to the cork ring for a nice, clean end cap. It fit on a dowel perfectly and after scribing the line with a china marker so I could see it when spinning it cut nice and clean on a lathe with a small parting tool used for wood carving. It was a perfect fit to the OD of Lamar's rings with the end turned down to fit nice and tight inside the cap. I just gotta say thanks to whoever posted that as I've been struggling for a clean end cap to my liking for a while now and this is now gonna be my standard. Combined with the awesome corks from Lamar I've got someting I really, really, really, like now. I wish I could post a photo but the camera/pics I take are lousy - someone posted a pic with instructions before though I just cant find it or remember who. I'm not recommending this or even suggesting it to anyone, just putting it out there as something I tried and liked.

The BRC19: [shop.mudhole.com]

The last issue of RodMaker had something similar, but different. The half-round ball cap made from half a kid's or pet's EVA toy ball.

Lots of interesting things can be done with butt caps with just a little imagination.

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I really liked that article, as i do with all of the RM articles...it was probably a catalyst to this change. As mentioned in the article, finding diferent colors could be a problem...and it was for me. All I could find was lime green. I got a bunch anyway and toyed around with them as per the article and the process/result was also good and certainly cheaper than the rubber caps i hacked away at.....except the color choices. You mentioned dyeing them...with what? I've tried with black RIT and it didnt work for me (I have no idea what i'm doing).

I take finish, thin with lacquer thinner, tint, mix well, add cork dust, then after mixing poor into a cylinder.
Let dry over night and you have a cylinder of colored cork.
Cut to any size, glue onto the end of your handle and you have a colored cork end cap.
Any color you like.