I’m building my first fly rod and I am ready to mount the cork to the blank and reel seat. I have heard that it should slip freely over the blank to within 8 inches of the hood of the seat. I have reamed the inner diameter out to this point but it still seems a pit tight. Or maybe I am just nervous but it seems like if I have to push it that extra 8 inches it will split or maybe it will slide better once the blank is moist with epoxy I am just a bit nervous and don’t want to split the cork is this your experience or should I continue to ream it out a bit more.....thanks

Rob




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/02/2006 09:42PM by Rob Culver.

You'll never move it 8 inches - you'll split it. Cork won't stretch like EVA. Carefully and concentrically ream it until it will slide within about 1/2 inch of the desired final resting place. Apply your epoxy well above this point and bring the grip down over the epoxy, twisting and spinning it to make sure you coat the inside of the grip with adhesive. It will slide that last 1/2 inch easily and... without splitting.

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Hi Rob. I like to have mine slip down to a couple of inches from the seat. You might want to try Trondak rodbond. It is very easy to work with. It acts as a lubricant when sliding the grip down. It is alot less messy and the drying time is longer so you can spin it around and get things lined up a little easier. Don't worry about splitting the grip, even at eight inches. Tom

Rob , I usually ream untill it goes to where I want with a bit of force , but not enough that I cant get it back up the blank . After that the epoxy will lubricate the cork to slide the rest of the way with ease . The trick is to cover the blank with epoxy well above where the grip will finally come to rest before you slide the grip on . This way the entire inner cavity of the grip gets complere coverage with epoxy . Have fun , John

Got Fish ?

Rob may be getting this info from garcias book. He says to let it slide freely to within eight inches from the seat. I think on my first rod I did this, then I read later that it can be closer as Tom states. I did'nt know the cork could split! I stand corrected.

This is the book that i am using im not second guessing the book just triing to make sure sometimes experiance helps....

The amount of taper in the blank will have something to do with this, but 8 inches is just too far to move a grip that is already snug at that point. I'm not really a betting man but if I was I'd lay money that you'll split it from there. Get closer. At least get to within 1 inch. I usually go 1/2 but you can probably move it a little more than that, safely if you want.
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well i mounted the cork tonight and i should have filed more than i did it was a very sung fit i think it was a lesson learned i filed it to about 4 inches and that was work getiing it on ill go more next time....