On many ultralites, the blank dia. is less than 0.250" by the time you get to the foregrip section. I usually build up two small spacers with 1/4" masking tape to center the grip, then epoxy it well.

Anyone have any better or different ways around this? I like to use a lot burl cork rings, which I have not seen in inside dia's other than 0.250".

Thanks,
Marc

Yep ... buy some of Andy's cork strips and make your own grips completely from scratch. Then you can make the holes smaller to accommodate.

Here is a link to Andy's post regarding these materials - they were available as of June 1st ... [www.rodbuilding.org]

Just a comment, don't leave too big a "void" between your tape arbors or you invite a potenial for cracking the cork grip.


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

Use a spiralled wrap of heavy rod wrapping thread or nylon cord instead of tape. This will support the foregrip better and be more inpervious to the elements over the years.

............

or use flexible mesh drywall tape.

eric
fresno, ca

You can order Andy's cork undrilled. I have the same problem building ice fishing rods (most blanks are around 1/8" diameter).

I was wondering something along the same lines. I understand the responses - but in order to turn anything on my lathe I have to slide the items onto my mandrel, which is 0.25. Are there mandrels with smaller diameters out there? And if so - are they specialized to a particular lathe or can I get one that has a universal fit?

Mike, I make my own mandrels, and yes there are smaller size material available, 3/16ths would be about as small as I would go, and I would use drill rod. You can get it from most metal machine shops and if you are not able to drill the end holes they probably would do it for you. On the ice rods I use masking tape for arbors. Galen Briese

I've done quite a bit of this, and here's what I've done. If the gap is very little, I first get a water break free surface on the blank, then just wrap "A" thread to take up the space. The Rod Bond will soak into one later of "A" thread adequately to provide a really good bond. If it's more space than that, I do a wrap of "D" thread, then coat the threads with whatever cheap epoxy I have handy--usually Devcon 30 minute--and let dry. Then, I do another wrap of thread over that. If the second wrap of thread is enough, then I go ahead and Rod Bond. If not, I do the Devcon again, etc.

It's a little time consuming, but I feel like my final product is bonded to the blank forever. And, thread and epoxy are fairly cheap.