Ok I can remember seeing this post before and thinking how the h can you let that happen. well now here I am. When i got my mandrels from andy I asked if i should use paraffin and he said he wouldn't. Well so i didn't and i used rod bond as i always do to glue up my cork. Nice cr1 rings and nice inlay with burnt rings spread out. I formed a nice fenwick half well and all went perfect. Sooooo now guess what? I can't get the grip off any suggestions?Help

If the grip is short, I don't use the wax, if the grip is LONG, I DO use the paraffin and you're finding out why LOL

Take the mandrel, put it in a pair of vice grip pliers, lock down on the mandrel REALLY tight, grab the pliers in one hand and the grip in the other and TWIST the grip (try to spin in on the mandrel).

If that doesn't work, I have taken a large flat washer, put it on the grips end over the mandrel, place the mandrel over something with a hole in it, put a peice of wood against the end of the mandrel and hit the wood with a hammer breaking the mandrel loose from the grip...last resort!.....and it may scar the grip! NOT good!

DR

Try putting the mandrel in a vice (use soething in the jaws to protect it) and twisting the grip off of it by hand. I have used this method with grips on threaded rod. Not that it will help you now, but I always glue my grips up an a piece of threaded rod (cheap) rubbed with a candle and clamp. I then transfer to Andy's mandrels to turn/shape

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!!

Guess i'm a bit late in that advice mike LOL Well I got it off by the vece grip and twist method. It did come off but not before gouging my nice new mandrel and bending it a little. Oh well live and learn next time back to the threaded rod and washer as you said mike. The grip came out perfect anyways so thats a plus. Live and learn. Btw mike just got my plane ticket for February so we get a chance to meet. Thanks Billy

Billy,
Gimme a shout this week...in spite of the fact you didn't follow my directions (haha), I'll replace the mandrel for you.


Andy Dear
Lamar Fishing

How much glue did you use? When you clamped it down, how much oozed out? I always use Parrafin, but I also know that if I don't overapply glue the grip won't get stuck too badly.

If you have a drill press you might try dropping the mandrel through the hole in the table (put a fender washer over the end to protect the cork) and while holding a block of wood on the upper end of the mandrel crank the quill down and see if you can't break the mandrel loose.

Billy B.....you must have REALLY put a clamp down on it with the vise grips! I used that method several times and never harmed a mandrel (Andys). Guess I should have explained better :(

DR

Andy, Not a chance in the world! I truly appriciate your offer and as usual you are the best but this one is my mistake and i'll be the one to eat it. For anyone out there paying attention to this thread I can't say enough for andy Dear and Lamar industries. When you order somthing you get it in two or three days (They actuallly have what they advertise they have not some drop ship from the real company) and will take the time to help. Plus when you ask for advice you get it from an experienced rod builder not a sales rep. Plus there products are second to none i am a true convert to thread master, no bubbles no lumps just a professional finish every time. Also try there cork its really cool mixed with traditional cork and really adds another demension to your reprotoir. (Just don't glue it to the mandrel LOL) Billy b-Rod

well its like this doc that rod bond is some tough stuff!! Plus it was a 9 inch grip for a 13 foot 7 weight I'm building for a customer casting long distances here in the everglades. Thats a lot of places for the rod bond to have leaked through and as i look at it now it really only looks like it leaked onto 4 spots but given it is that long and tight 1/4 inch mandrel to begin with it was bound to happen anyways as mike said nest time the threaded rod for glue up as it will always just "unscrew" and then transfer to andy's mandrel for the turning. By the way I have to say using a mandrel instead of the dreaded turning right on the rod with my momemade lathe makes a much nicer much easier handle then ever before.Truly a professional grip with no jerry rigging. Amazing what you can accomplish with the right tools Billy B-Rod co

I've always just rubbed a candle up and down the mandrel. I've never had a grip I couldn't remove. While it is still in the lathe I grab the grip and just bump the lathe start button or chuck it up in a variable speed drill. It doesn't take much to break it loose. Then I just twist it off by hand. Don't wanna spin it off too fast mechanically due to heat build up, especially on the eva grips.

I second Billy's comments about Lamar. Andy has been 1st class for me. Great cork, glue/ finish with little extras that in this day and age set a business apart. Keep up the good work and THANKS Andy!!!

Put a torch to one end of the mandrel. The heat will travel down it and usually soften the epoxy enough so you can remove it. Too hot and the cork can scorch, but usually that won't happen.

Hah! Mike beat me to it. I had the same thing happen to me - had a cork grip partially bonded to a mandrel. Most of the mandrel was coated with paraffin wax, except for a section. Like Mike suggested I heated the mandrel with a torch and the epoxy released and grip came right off. Had the mandrel mounted in a vice with wood pieces protecting the mandrel.

Can't see why you should not coat a mandrel with a non-stick agent prior to gluing up cork rings. Robert G. any ideas?

Lou