Is there an easier way to ream out EVA or the harder foam grips than by hand with the reamer sticks? This is killing my hands and takes a long time.
thanks,
Dave Ervin

I've used a rat tail file chucked into a drill. Works good. Oh yea, gotta run the drill in reverse or the file will grab and stick!
Try to order the grips with a hole that is closer to the blank size. Reaming a 1/4 in hole to 5/8in is a pain!!
Also, instead of reamming up and down with your reammer lay the grip on a table and roll back and forth under
pressure. Easier on the hands and easier to keep the hole centered and not oblonged.

Raymond Adams
Eventually, all things merge, and a river runs through it..



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/03/2006 02:09PM by Raymond_Adams.

Thanks. I do have some with 1/4" holes and some with 3/8" holes. I bought a ton of these at an
@#$%&, so I don't have an alternative here. I will try a rat file with a drill. The grips I am trying to ream out
is like a gray color and is a more solid smooth grip compared to the EVA black grips. And they need to be
reamed out to close to 5/8". Blisters and more blisters.
Thanks,
Dave Ervin

Been there, done that!! money saved on @#$%& equates to longer build time if your not smart about it!!
Sounds like you have some Hypalon grips. These are denser and heavier than EVA. Except for the
weight I like Hypalon better. More durable IMHO.

Where gloves!! Don't let your self get blisters!! They might scare you off building LOL

Raymond Adams
Eventually, all things merge, and a river runs through it..

How big are the blanks you are building? 3/8", if properly lubed can slip down on a blank with a 1" OD - but that is an extreme. I would expect to be able to slip it onto a blank with a 3/4" (.750) OD at the butt end.

chuck your reamer into a drill, teh faster it spins, teh quicker it will ream.

Billy's right.
You can drill a hole in a board a bit larger than the blank and use it to push the grip in place instead of pushing
or pulling by hand. Foam grips have a lot of stretch.

Raymond Adams
Eventually, all things merge, and a river runs through it..

DOnt' even need teh board, get teh grip lubed up with epoxy, and it will slide right down. I use Rod Bond, adn when it's fresh it slides nice. It slides even better when I drip some Acetone down teh grip and on teh blank, but I do not recommend that to anyone.

If these are the old hypalon grips. We used to boil them in water for about 2 mins. Then they would slip on alot easier with epoxy lube on blank.

I build up a handle on the end of the reamers with duct tape, makes for a firmer grip which is easier on the hands.

Your working too hard,
Using EVA with 1/4" hole , or you need to drill a hole.
Use wood spade bits with a 1/4 " pilot epoxy glued on it.
You can buy them finished, or get the kit and do it yourself.
I use my drill press to do this,3/8" to over one inch.
I use extra long 1/4" basic twist drill, to start.
You can use long electricians bits or an extension
I do shorter pieces of different colors, then glue it together.

Dave von Doehren
PRRODS......If man built it , man can fix it.and if man built it man can break it !

I guess the grips I have are the hypalon grips. I bought a ton of them at an @#$%&
at a friends house who passed away and was a rodbuilder. They are very firm.
Where can I get the pilots to glue to the wood spade bits? Also, How much will the
hypalon grips expand, or otherwards if they have a 3/8" hole will they expand to say like
5/8"? I tried the hot water method, a dry run, and they still didn't go on too well.
I did try to use a 1/4" 14" wood bit in a drill and it worked OK. But the hole still wasn't big
enough to slide down the blank to the end of the rod.
Thanks,
Dave

Hypalon will stretch even mroe than EVA. Especially if youy properly instal it. See the article in teh Library.

Billy,
Which article?
Thanks,
Dave

My bad, FAQ's #20

Flex Coat makes the pilot bits and also sells the jig/kit to make your own Any of the vendors to the left should carry them [flexcoat.com] Scroll to bottom of the page. The tubes are 1/4 inch aluminum tube.

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!