Been doing some research on higher end rod wrapping machines and some say they spin fast enough to turn cork?

How effective and accurates are the wrappers in doing this?

Do the higher end chicks accept mandrels? etc.

Any info and/or personal experiences would be great.

I'm pretty certain that the Renzetti, CPW, etc, are capable of turning cork but I just can't imagine turning cork anywhere near where I wrap and build rods. The dust gets everywhere and I don't think it can be completely avoided no matter what you do.

If you don't want to get a mini lathe and only plan on turning cork, EVA, I'd suggest a Grizzly Hobby Lathe (well under $100) . Light weight, very portable and can be taken outside and set on a couple saw horses Works quite well and is favored by a lot of builders [www.rodbuilding.org]

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!!

Yes, but realistically, probably only the Renzetti and the Custom power wrap units are capable of turning cork with any regularity. The Amtak/Pac Bay wrappers just aren't substantial enough to turn a lot of cork. I do use mine occasionally to finish sand or even up a grip.

Both Renzetti and CPW units have regular lathe chuck options and the Renzetti has a heavy-duty drive motor that would be a good choice if you were planning on turning any cork. Both also have tail stock kits that would be very useful for using mandrels or for any boring.

However, I heartily agree with Mike that it's a good idea to separate your cork turning area from the wrapping/finishing area. I know some people don't do this but you will need to consider the air cleaning devices that Tom and others have recommended to avoid having the dust haze on everything. A decent dust collection or vaccum system, along with the box fan/furnace filter would be needed to keep the dust at a manageable level. I've settled on my lathe in the garage and my wrapping and finishing work upstairs in the rod shop. This works for me.

Also, when you get all the options on the Renzetti or the CPW, to have an effective cork-turning and wrapping station in one machine, it is probably more money than buying a less expensive wrapper and a quality wood lathe like the PSI Turncrafter pro or the Jet. If space is your premium, and you only have room for one tool, then the CPW or the Renzetti will be a good investment.

Good luck!

Terry

My partner and I have 3 Renzetti rod lathes. Two of them are used to wrap rods the other is used to turn cork grips and Eva or any other grip material. The two we have for wrapping rods are located in a dust free environment while the one we use for cork turning is located in another location with a hi-vac system to help solve the dust problem. The one we use to turn cork has a 1/2 horse motor so it's strong enough to turn anything I want to turn. I think the max. rpm on the 1/2 horse model is close to 1700. I've found that the higher rpm's are whats needed to shape
eva or hypalon foam grip material. You can use the 1/10 horse power motor to turn cork and I have done so in the past but I perfer to use the larger motor, just seems to yield better results.

I would get a dedicated lath and some mandrels from {Andy Dear} Their are some good sales out their right now. Hit, Amozon.com

One thing to keep in mind is that everyone that I know that started turning cork/EVA on a Rod lathe or Grizzly (myself included) ended up buying a wood lathe to do Wood, Acrylic, Bark and who knows what else!!! Making grips, reel seats is addictive. Save yourself a step and get a wood lathe.

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!!

Yes, sales are on for wood lathes.

PSI Turncrafter pro, 18" between centers, 1/2 hp motor (not variable speed) for $220.

Grizzly 1/3 hp motor variable speed $159.

Both from Amazon.

Buy now! Quick, before the price goes down again! :-)

Terry

I'd be real leery of anything like the Grizzly, Harbor Freight, etc. many are not capable of screwing a chuck on to them, getting extension beds (which you would want to bore out full grips or turning stock to place on mandrels for turning) and other accessories. The Turncrafter, like the comparable Jet, Delta and Rikon can change speeds by moving the belt to different pulleys
Turncrafter Pro is available direct from PSI for $199 with the extension bed [www.pennstateind.com]

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!!

For the price of one of the high end Renzetti units, you could buy a Amtak/PacBay/Batson wrapper AND a PSI Turncrafter. To me, the ability to have seperate dedicated machines would make this a no-brainer.

Scott Kinney
The Longest Cast Fly Rods
[www.thelongestcast.com]