Thinking about getting into the world of wood grips and need a little guidance from the pros out there.

First....I could use a recommendation as to where I can find basswood and balsa rods of 1-1/2" diameter and reasonable quality to turn into rod grips. With me weight is not an issue as I am building casting rods with split grip designs so the wood will serve as caps to the reel seat and an end section of the grip toward the but. I would prefer to use these woods due to their light weight, ease of use, and grain properties.

Second...I have to assume that the best way to produce said grips is from rings cut from the wood rod that are individually bored to fit the rod blank by using a step drill bit. I could use some advice as to how to go about cutting the rings other than a miter box and saw.

Third....Do any of you happen to know of a pigment or stain that can be added to true oil to tint it various colors...I build a lot of rods for kids so the brighter the better. I know that there are wood stains in a variety of colors, but they are often expensive and sold in too large a quantity for me to handle right now.

I have a Rotozip system and an older Dremel tool so any help with tweaks, mods or add-ons for these tools would be a help as well.

Went dumpster diving at a local home improvement center and got enough quality particle board for three wrapper stations and enough roller stands to make even me happy. Just need to figure out how to wire electric motors properly and I am good to go.

You guys (and girls I am happy to see) are the best.

Derek
Rohnert Park, CA

p.s. Sory 4 the terible tiping

Derek L. McMaster
Rohnert Park, CA

Born to Fish, FORCED to Work

He Derek,

Might try this for colored stain:
[www.woodcraft.com]

For some free wood that sometimes has some good wood with grain look at shipping pallets.



Hank
On The Rocks Fishing
Wells, ME.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/23/2006 12:21AM by Milton (Hank) Aldridge.

You can bore rings through basswood planks, but that leaves the outer grip surface as end grain. Might not be what you want. Why not just turn a grip from a basswood square?


..............

I know ahout the hazards of end grain like you describe and won't go there again. I want to avoid turning from basswood sticks as I don't have a lathe yet and smooting or the corners is a little tough without one, and I can smooth a grip made of ring by hand if I have to.

THanks for the input.

Derek

I doubt if you can buy paint pigment a whole lot cheaper than Miniwax stain. Tru-oil is more expensive than the stain, as I recall.

You'd have to resaw planks cutting across the grain and then bore those. That would create lengthwise grain along the grip surface. I supposed you could shape it by hand, although it will be time consuming.

.......

Derek,
I have been thinking along the same lines you are and for very similar reasons,
If you could find two inch diameter dowels, you could make rings with the grain along the axis of the grip. You could also find two inch square "posts" and cut slabs from them to form rings from. This is a lot more bother, but might work until you can get a lathe. Good luck and let me know how it turns out.

Mike Blomme

You might try looking at hobby stores sometimes they have large selections of
Balsa wood including dowels.
Would suggest ones that carry wood model airplane type stuff.

Since your making split grips you should be able to turn them right on your hand drill and drill bit and a 4 inch piece of all thread with nuts. Between file and sandpaper you should have few problems. That's how I started turning cork initially. Work on both ends by mounting that side closest to the chuck and the middle will take care of itself as you shape each end.