How do you guys ream large diameters in cork /EVA?

You need a reamer that is of the proper dimension. It is no different than reaming smaller diameters except for the size of the tool used. What diameter are you contemplating?

Stan Grace
Helena, MT
"Our best is none too good"

3/4"

What is your starting diameter? A reamer can be made from a piece of scrap blank or similarly tapered shaft coated with reamer grit or strips of sanding tape available from many rod building suppliers. I make my own using strips cut from 80 grit sanding belts spiral wrapped and glued to the appropriate shaft. There is a lot of information available by searching earlier posts on this subject.

Stan Grace
Helena, MT
"Our best is none too good"

Michael, If you're doing cork rings, I would drill them all out to the smallest size diameter that the handle portion of the blank is BEFORE you glue them up. That will save you a lot of reaming. Reaming a 1/4" grip to 3/4 ain't gonna be easy!!



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!!

Cabelas has some pretty big reamers. I was suprised how big the large one was. Thinking the large size would be an appropriate size for a blank I was using and not taping it I ordered one but when I recieved it in the mail it was real obvious real quick just by looking at it it was wayyyyyy to big for the blank I was using so I had to send it back and get the small which even surprised me too how big it was.
BjR

I've not run into an occasion yet that I've really needed to ream EVA. It's much easier to order a larger size not to mention that stuff stretches like there's no tomorrow. With plenty of Rod Bond and a bit of force you can stretch & seat that stuff further down that blank than you think.

Cork, try the flex coat arbor bits. Either do one with a 3/4" spade bit or with the largest one you can find. Then ream...saves a ton of wrist action (now there's a joke waiting to happen).

Jay

I do not ream EVA foam. What I do is take the foam and let it free fall down the blank, then I mark the blank where the foam stops. I use Rod Bond for a glueing agent. Now 6 inches above my mark I spread my glue, now place the foam gripe on the blank. Let it fall. Next grab the very top of the grip with your thumb and fr-finger only. Now squeeze tight and shove down an do not stop until you get where you want the grip to be. What you do by squeezing the top of the foam is make a air pocket so the foam will slide down. If you stop while shoving down, that’s where the grip will stay
Good Wraps Bob

i get a round file and put it in a drill turning it in the reverse direction to ream holes to the size i need. Of course I have different size files around.

Guys I need to ream the EVA to almost 1" and can't find a ream that large. I purchased the large from cabelas but it's not even close to being large enough. This is going on a 80# rod with a unibutt so the EVA will be at the end of that 80# blank. I have a couple more 80# blanks so I guess I will just have to cut one up for reaming and make my own reamer.

Like I and others said use rod bond and force the sucker on . that hole will streach 2 times its size
Good Wraps Bob

I have faced this building my halibut rods....I went and bought a wood dowell of the approximate size needed, cut a spiral of sand paper and epoxy it on, cut the length of dowell needed for the reemer, drill out a hole in one end of the dowell, insert a piece of straight metal...epoxy it in (coat hanger will last for a few grips and then brake)..and then just put it in a hand drill. Make the but end a tad thicker than the reel end since the blank is tappered. I put EVA in the oven for about 2-4 minutes at 150 and this really loosens them up also... I am still learning but this has been my approach..

hill

Michael, What is the ID of the EVA?? If you need it to fit a 1 in blank, the EVA ID doesn't need to be near that size. If done properly, it will stratch at LEAST 1 1/2 times and possibly almost double. Read this method [www.rodbuilding.org]

Mike