Can you push foam up the rod from the butt end? This is to save me the hassle of cutting off all the guides to fix a foregrip.

In a word,
Yes


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

You might want to put a piece of scrap blank or even dowel into the end of the blank to give yo something to help you slide the foam up unto the blank from (if that makes any sense)

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!!

OPTIONS: for replacing a FORE-GRIP with minimal re-construction:

-- Go with the New "NO FORE-GRIP" LQQK (Wow!), like on some hi-end rods. "Better feel, direct contact with the rod blank." ... And saves time & money. You can do a thread wrap "ramp" to close off the reel seat's mouth.

-- Go with a "Modified Fore-Grip" Look. Wind some Cork Tape up front. Or a Leather Grip. Or some Bicycle Handle Bar Tape, or Tennis Racket or Golf Club stuff.

-- Install a new cork or foam grip by slicing the grip in half along the LONG axis, like a banana split. If you are worried about it opening, you can then cut it at 90 degrees every 1.5 - 2.0 inches. Then rotate the long axial joint to STAGGER or OFFSET the long axis joint by 1/4 or 1/3 or 1/2 TURN, for every new segment, like a brick layer. This will allow the joints to reinforce one another, rather than leave one long continuous fault line prone to failure.

-- Push a new GRIP UP the rod blank from the Butt End. A Thread SHIM under the Fore-Grip may help establish a tighter fit. Or find a way to get a good space-filling adhesive epoxy like ROD-BOND (or PC7) into the gap.

-- Any other ideas?

Vision is better than head-banging.
Go with the flow and tell us how it went.

Happy Palm Sunday, -Cliff Hall+++, Gainesville, FL-USA*****



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/09/2006 01:48PM by Cliff Hall.

Another good method for doing this was discussed recently but I'm
unable to find it again either via an auto or manual search. Maybe
someone else will remember the thread or have better luck finding
it.

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

I know of one manufacturer that does this but I am not sure exactly how it is done other then there is an air compressor involved and the grips are hypolon or EVA that it is done with. Now that Kenny is gone I don't even know if anybody at Kencor would be doing this the same way anylonger but you could check.


Tight wraps and lines,
Wylie

I think a dowel and some hot water should do the trick, if the taper of the rod is not too severe.

Best wishes.

-TH

Here is another thought on replacing a foam fore grip.
Slice it the whole length, protect the reel seat with masking tape to take care of any epoxy seepage.
Then install the grip above the area where it will go, epoxy the "home" area, slide the grip down and epoxy lightly the actual seam of the grip after it is positioned.
Squeeze tight and wipe off as much seepage as posible, then wrap the grip with plastice electrician's tape, starting a couple of inches in front of the grip and continuing down part way onto the reel seat, overlapping each wrap by about 50%.
Wrap tightly and the strectchy tape will give good compreesion and minimal seam.
After the epoxy is set remove the tape and sand with mesh or sandpaper and the seam will all but disappear.


Best wishes,
Ron Schneider
Schneider's Rod Shop
Mountain Home, Arkansas
[www.schneidersrods.com]
mtnron40@yahoo.com
870-424-3381

Thanks for the replies