For those who are using flexcoat arbors in their wood grips to lighten the load, like this [www.rodbuilding.org], is there a process/standard that works best for you? For example, I've been boring out my wood blank to my largest mandrel size and turning on that. Then ream/sand out the bore a bit more removing as much as I dare (I've made the walls too thin in some cases, and cracked them), and then sand down a foam arbor to fit in the bore then glue it in with rod bond. Fitting to the rod is then the easiest part as using a flexcoat bit to keep it centered while sizing the arbor bore to fit the blank takes only seconds. I'm still not totally satisfied with the process as I'd like to find an optimum largest size mandrel to turn the wood on to reduce the amount of final bore reaming/sanding that needs to be done; and I still get nervous and still sometimes make the wall too thin and crack it. I'd love to hear what you folks have found to be the optimum balance or process for this.

Steve,
I haven't tried using the arbors yet. All of the fly rods I've made with wood grips so far have balanced very well with the all wood grips. However, I have been planning to. My thoughts, which I admit may not be completely worked out, are as follows: First, bore out the wood blank to the outside diameter of the foam arbor. Second, glue the foam arbor into the wood blank with Rodbond. Third, since the foam arbor has a 1/4 inch hole (I believe), you can mount the wood blank with the arbor using a 1/4 inch mandrel and then turn the grip on your lathe. When finished, the grip can be easily reamed to fit the blank. These are my thoughts at present.

Perhaps those who have already can critique my ideas as well as provide insight into how they do it. Best of luck.

Mike Blomme

If you are cracking the wood as it gets thin, heat might be your problem. This is especially true in very dense woods. If I am drilling a hole or sanding the piece to less than 1/8" I make sure the piece stays cool by sanding at a lower speed on the lathe or using compressed air to cool the wood/bit when I am boring a hole. The suggestion that Mike had about boring your wood to the arbor size, gluing in the srbor, then mounting on a mandrel and turning is exactly how I would do it.

I'll have to try that. I guessed, probably incorrectly, that the foam arbor might 'slip' on the mandrel and that trying to tighten it in place with the copper sleeve and nut would just dig into the arbor and not hold it well enough. Thats why I was putting it in afterwards instead. But I'll give it a try. I didnt think it was heat, but I'll try even slower speeds and/or air as you suggest - that just could be the issue with cracking afterwall. Thanks.

I bore my block to fit my intended mandrel size using a four jawed chuck to hold the block.. I then change bits and bore out the block to accept the foam arbor material before I remove the block from the chuck. I usually bore the hole for the arbor about 2/3rds of the way through the final grip length. Upon removing the block from the lathe chuck I glue the arbor material in the block using rod bond and then insert a mandrel through the arbor material and the grip to help with alignment. I usually allow the glue to cure overnight and then turn the block with the foam insert to a final grip size. I have no idea if this procedure is in keeping with professional wood turning practices but it usually works well for me as evidenced by the example you provide.

I have found that using the foam material may not save a great deal of weight when comparing grips with or without foam reamed to a final size but it does make reaming much easier.

Stan Grace
Helena, MT
"Our best is none too good"

I haven't done this with wood grips yet, but when using burl cork I turn my handle and when that is done I use a flexcoat bit and bore to within 1" of the end and glue in the arbor. I don't see why this won't work with wood grips.

Regards
Dave

Fishing is Life the rest is just Details

I turn my wood grips, using a 5/16 mandrel, it's just a tad less flexible than a 1/4" mandrel, and once the grip is finished, I use a flexcoat drill bit , which I have modified by gluing a 5/16"brass tubing sleeve over the aluminum guide arbor., I drill to within 3/4" or so of the end of the grip, depending on the diameter of the grip, glue in the foam arbor, and then ream with a dream reamer to fir the blank. The 5/16 " hole in the end of the wood grip just saves a bit of reaming. I have not yet found the exact size spade bit to accommodate the foam arbor without having to sand the arbor first. These foam arbors really do make a difference to the weight with wood grips!