I am looking to take my next step in rodbuilding and would like to take a try at turning grips. I only do a few rods a year.

I was looking at the grizzly hobby lathe then saw some posts here on the Wilton.

Considering it is only $80 plus $55 for a chuck it seems only slighty more than a drill type.

Is anyone using a Wilton ?

With the chuck in place and using one of Any Dear's madrels what will be the longets grip I would be able to turn ?

Look forward to the responses.

Thanks !

Andy ,I believe, will make any reasonable length mandrel, but the one's I received from him are 18 inches long. 15 inch or so would be about the max.

I'm not familiar with that lathe but you need to make CERTAIN that it will accept M1 or M2 chucks, etc. Many of the inexpensive lathes have a fixed tail stock that does NOT allow you to use drill chucks, etc in them and they have propetary chucks which may or may not be suitable for what you want. Are you just going to do cork or will you be doing any wood grips?

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!!

The lathe does excpet M1 chucks.

With 12 inch. centers - how long of a pice of cork could I expect to turn after adding a chuck ?

That depends on what chuck you use. With something like a Nova Midi chuck, you might be able to get 8-9 inches. Using a Jacobs chuck, it would less than that. Whatever lathe you get, you will need a Jacobs drill chuck so you can drill on the lathe. I use one from Harbor Freight that cost about $10 and it is probably the best deal anywhere for one of those. You'll also need a 60 degree live center to probably mate with Andy's mandrels. The Little Machine Shop has them for about $15.00.

I have one ... got it on special from menard's for $59 and I believe the chuck I got was this one from [www.pennstateind.com]

I use Andy's mandrels so no problem there. It is M2 because I use a drill chuck in the TS. It also comes with a live center and a few other goodies.

Ron Hossack Wrote:
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> I have one ... got it on special from menard's for
> $59 and I believe the chuck I got was this one
> from
>
> I use Andy's mandrels so no problem there. It is
> M2 because I use a drill chuck in the TS. It also
> comes with a live center and a few other goodies.

Ron

What is the longest grip you can turn with this setup ?

Thanks,
Andy

Since I've only done fly rod grips I don't know.

When I go home tonight I'll take a pic and send it your way as I've got a grip
I'm doing now made of Red Fir bark rings and you can see there's a lot of room.

Ron Hossack Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Since I've only done fly rod grips I don't know.
>
> When I go home tonight I'll take a pic and send
> it your way as I've got a grip
> I'm doing now made of Red Fir bark rings and you
> can see there's a lot of room.
>


Ron,

Thanks again !

Can you also indicate the length of the grip that you are turning ?

7 1/2 or 8" ... can't remember at the moment. Spent the day on the river and my mind is cluttered with Cutts ...