I was curious what most of you guys use to remove large amounts of cork before you set in to do the sanding on the grips. I was thinking about using a Sureform file but it seems it might be too rough and end up chipping the cork or removing large chunks. Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks,
Ron

You didn't say how you are doing it. Are you using a wood lathe Sureform will work with the grip on a lathe. Just be careful, takes it off fast!!!!

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!!

Hey Mike, Sorry for the open ended question. Unfortunatly, the only way I have of now to do this is with the cork mounted to the rod and I'll be turning it on one of the Pac bay wrappers.

Thanks,
Ron

Ron, I work my cork handles up the same way you do, on the rod and chucked up in a power wrapper. I do all of my shaping using rough to fine grades of sandpaper. I make my own sandpaper backers for support.

I use a straight small block of wood, with a piece of 50grit paper...does the job FAST. Once I get close to the shape I want, then I'll start using finer paper, usually: 50, 100, 320, 400

DR

Have no idea if a rod lathe has enough torque for a sureform. Do like Pat suggested. Drywall screen also works great and doesn't plug up as fast as sandpaper. When it does, just wash it under the faucet (don't let your wife see you, though!!)

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!!

Thanks for the help, I'll be on it one night this week.

Mike, I use that stuff too. I was thinking about that when I initially responded, but couldn't think of the right name for it. I like that stuff. It does work great for removing cork real fast.

I tried the drywall mesh. Didn't like it, as I could not apply as much pressure on it to cut, because it kept clogging up. So I went back to low-tech...open coat 50 grit. My lathe has enough torque to burn me, if I grip the paper too tight. I remove cork on 270 degrees of the circle, not just the top (barely) 90 degree footprint, like lots of folks do. I grab a 3" strip mittful of sandpaper, and give it the big squeeze.

I turn my grips on a rod lathe using woodworking tools to rough in the shape and remove most of the excess cork then I finish with finer grades of sand paper. I also have pattern blocks cut out of wood that I use to manufacture the same casting grip on fly rods every time. These blocks have cutting grit bonded on the surface and I just feed the block into the cork while it's turning at high speed. Then I finish with fine sand paper.

Ron,
I use a Pac Bay Wrapper and the sureform file for the initial rough shape. I don't use the file holder and this let's me sort of bend the blade with my hands in a large arc to closer resemble the shape of the cork. Just "some" bend not much. It will gouge fairly deep quickly but not too much to sand if you stop early enough. I haven't had any problems with it chunking out. As a matter of fact, the mandrel sometimes jumps out of the rod roller before it will allow it to grab too hard to chunk. Yeah, it scares the snot outta ya the first dozen or so times, but you get used to it (twitch, twitch). Works really good too with trim rings of rubber, gasket, or paper mixed in. Make sure to hand trim those really close before you go at it with the Sureform. Just be certain you stop early enough to work through all the grades of sandpaper to get the final shape cause it does take off alot in a hurry. Lastly, whatever method you use, be absolutely certain that you wear a dust mask. I didn't for the first couple of years. Two surgeries later I finally figured out where my sinus problems were coming from.

Greg Marshall

This has provided some good ideas for me to get started. Greg, I second that on the face mask, I was boring out holes on Sat. and was sneezing the rest of the day. Once again, thanks for the advice. Hopeful to meet some of you guys in 3-1/2 weeks.

Thanks,
Ron