I am new to rod building and I want to make some reamers. Can you guys suggest a specific rod blank to cut up that would be suitable for reaming cork for fly rods from 3-8 weights. And also the best grit to use on these blanks. Thanks! Just something Dirt Cheap



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/04/2006 06:59PM by Robert Miller.

find some one that has a couple of broken rods cheapest way I know

Broken/scrap rods. Use the Flexcoat 25 foot rolls of 1/2" wide sanding belt and Rod Bond. Makes awesome reamers. The thing that you need to watch with the loose grit type reamers is that often pieces of grit come off inside the grip and when you slide the grip down the blank, it will scratch it.

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!!

Instructions for making your own reamers are right here on this site in the online library. It's amazing just how much information and features there really are on this site!

Get in touch with Neals Fishing Products. He'll have everything you need. The medium grit is great and I believe it makes far better reamers than ones with sandpaper strips. Any time you make one with strips you have to figure a way to keep it secure at the top. And when it does let go it will get stuck in the middle every time.

I make mine from coarse or medium boxite aluminum grit I found on @#$%&. Just use FC epoxy on a broken blank and and apply the grit. Try to make the scrap blank the same taper as your project. Give it three days to make sure it cures well. I agree with Sammy, I have porblems with the sandpaper. Maybe I get it too hot trying to get finished. There are several good ways. Find a way that works for you. Email me and I will send you the site on @#$%& to buy the grit or I will drop you some in the mail and you can try it to see if you like it. Probally one of the vendors on this site will have some grit. Try supporting the vendors on this site first Good luck

Big John
Rio Hondo, Texas
Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting

I believe that both Anglers Workshop and Mud Hole sell the loose grit. I've also used the stuff that many janitorial services put in ash trays/cans. You can buy huge bags for a few bucks or probably get someone in the janitorial business to just give you enough to make up a several.

....

Janns Netcraft has both the tape and the loose grit and Bingham Enterprises also sells the FC tape. I used double sided carpet tape over the broken rod - then electrical taped the top and bottoms to hold them in place after spiralling the tape up the blank - leaving the gap between each round - bought some of the loose stuff too but after using the tape I might never use it (should try it I suppose).
Chuck Ungs

So far I've used nothing but the grit. After reading past posts on the forum, I bought some of the FC tape. I haven't had time to build a reamer with it yet, but will try it. I'll try anything once (sometimes, I find myself compelled to try something twice because maybe I didn't do it right the first time causing a failure due to my own ineptness).

Anyone else got a good idea for me on keeping those ends tied down good? I don't trust JUST the epoxy adhesive alone, now. Maybe wrapping thread and a coat of Permagloss??? I sure don't want that thing stuck in a grip; my luck, I'd force it with a 5000 HP drill and bust the grip in 10 places!! LOL!!

Putter
Williston, ND

The FlexCoat reamer tape works great. I tried the grit but found it to loosen when using with a drill in reverse. I've built several using the FlexCoat tape. My favorite reamer, using the reamer tape, was built using a golf club shaft. On the club (narrow) end, a length of fiberglass rod was RodBonded (from the inside of golf shaft) to get to a smaller initial diameter for getting started in the borehole. Wrapped both ends with thread and epoxied it. Didn't think of Permagloss, which is probably a better method.

The golf club reamer is quite long but it sure works well. Stan



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/05/2006 12:15AM by Stan Gregory.

I would like to use a broken rod, but unfortunately (or fortunately) I dont have any laying around. If someone has one they could give me I'd be more than happy to take it off their hands. I'm not sure what type of grit to use, you all seem to have your own opinions; The tape sounds good but the tip comes off, and the grit sounds good but can scratch the blank. So.......... I'll have to think about it.

Thanks for the input

I cant seem to find the instructions for this in the library, any help

It[www.rodbuilding.org]

The Flex Coat material comes with instructions for using contact cement instead of epoxy. Has anyone tried contact cement? Funny this topic should some up. I have been looking for contact cement for a week and just got some today. Now I'm not sure if I want to try it or not.

I use the FC reamer tape that I got from fishsticks4u (on the left) and it works like a charm. In fact I recently bought a second roll to make even more reamers in different sizes. I followed the included FC instructions and used contact cement. Its held just fine. No need to use epoxy.

For those of you going to Charlotte, when you see Clyde Gator's Log Cabin in the Swamp, think about this thread and smile!

Gon Fishn

[www.rodbuilding.org]

That should do it.

..........

I like using solid fiberglass scraps for either grit or belt style reamers. When one reaches the end of its usefulness I can remove the old, worthless material; epoxy, grit, belt (& some of the blank sometimes) then reuse the solid blank several times before it too is all used up & too weak to be worth it. Thats just me.

Tight Lines,

Tim

I build a lot of rods with cork handles mostly; I've had a solid fiberglass rod with grit on it since I started building over 20 years ago and just re-coated it with new grit for the first time last fall. This combination has been great service for me.

Putter
Williston, ND

I went to a rod and reel repair shop a couple of weeks ago and the owner gave me a solid glass rod with a nice taper to build a reamer. I have a roll of the Flex Coat reamer tape to build one. The tape came with instructions and should be easy to make one.