I've tended to ream my cork handles to a degree that leaves them with a quite snug fit over the butt of the blank.

Currently doing a steelhead rod....Pretty long handle.

Anyway.....How snug do you guys ream your cork handles? Tight? Snug? Fairly loose?

How tight or snug or loose is that?

What say you?

Keith

I go slowly, cleaning and checking the fit often. I like it to stop sliding just about 1/2" from where I want it to sit. Snug, then tight for the last 1/2 " to 3/4" to ensure a tight grip and a thin, strong adhesive line.

If left to freefall down the blank mine stop about 1.5" above the final resting place on the blank. Cork was not meant to stretch like foam, and will crack fairly easily if overstressed.

Andy Dear
Lamar Manf.

How about when fitting individual rings, how far do they stop before the final resting place, the same or different as the handles?

Doesn't pushing it and inch and a half stretch it more than 3/4"? I get good snug fit and bonding with a little less than an inch. I also put a little tape where I want the grip to sit, and, like I said before, I ream slowly and clean/check often.

With the rings, the first goes the same. All subsequent rings should be snug to that one. They will come together when clamped, so it shoouldn't be too snug otherwise you'll get glue lines.

Ted,
How do you figure that pushing a grip 1.5 inches down a blank stretches it 3/4" in diameter? Most blanks don't change but a very VERY small amount in dia. over a 1.5" length.


Andy

No, I meant pushing it down 1.5 inches makes rthe cork stretch more than pushing it 3/4" would! Sorry.

I try to build up my cork grips right on the blank whenever possible. I get the first ring and last ring pretty snug. The other rings can be a little looser, but not too loose. I had a few bad experiences long ago where I tried reaming out a grip and the parts of the grip that got reamed out a little too much felt like soft spots on the completed rod. Consequently, I don't do that anymore.