Hey Guys,
Just wanted to let you all know that we just recieved our first shipment of the new "Exotic Burl Cork" Turning blocks. These are 1.5" x 1.5" 12" long SOLID blocks of Exotic Burl Cork. Yes....solid blocks....just like a solid turning square of wood, ready to turn and finish. These blocks offer some REALLY cool features such as:

1. No more rings to glue, no more glue lines, no more clamping and waiting.

2. The blocks are pre-bored to 1/4" to eliminate drilling/boring on your part.

3. Unlike Cork Rings which visually show the same pattern around the circumfrence of the grip, these blocks will exhibit a visual change in grain structure around the circumfrence of the grip....just like natural wood does, because it's a solid piece...not identical rings. The o and 180 degree axis will exhibit one grain pattern, and the 90 and 270 degree axis will exhibit a different grain pattern.

4. If you really want to get fancy, the blocks are large enough in size to punch your own rings, AND more importantly depending on how you orient the cut of the ring, to the grain of the cork, you can achieve different grain patterns from the same block of cork.

5. If you have a table saw, you can do some stunning work with these blocks, the possibilities for fancy inlays are virtually unlimited.

6. Cost of these blocks will be virtually the same as if you purchased the equivilent amount of exotic cork rings....may be slightly more due to the larger 1.5" size, but the extra dollar or two is easily offset by the lack of time, labor, and glue required to make a traditional ring based grip.

7. With the use of a 4lb. density polyurethane foam core, you can now make full grips out of Exotic BurlCork, while maintaining the abilty to control the overall weight of the grip.

8. The blocks offer all of the advantages of the Exotic Burl Rings, durability, cost, ease of machining etc....

I'll try to have pictures up on the website in the next few days. Stay tuned for more cool stuff to come, and be sure to stop by the Lamar booth at the show in High Point....we'll have all of this and more on display.


Andy Dear
Lamar Fishing

Sure, after I went and glued up 6 blocks myself.

[www.rodbuilding.org]
[www.rodbuilding.org]
[www.rodbuilding.org]

All the Ellipticals were done on a bandsaw. I used 1/8" sheets of Andy's Burnt cork to make the elliptical on one of the grips, the other I ran a black on a bandsaw tomake a Burnt Cork Veneer about 1/24" thick.

Andy, glad to see these are going to be stocked. With all the fancy grips in High Point, there's should be a lot of interest in custom grips after the show & this is going to be a must have item.

is burl that much easier to turn/shape than regular cork? which grits should i use for shaping and finishing?

Thanks Andy, this will be great and I will be placing my order today. I was just asking Billy about this and how he did his ellipicals yesturday.

SCott - how weird is that. Just think what would have happened had you asked me aboutthe Lottery numbers?

Lance - the Burl is harder to turn than cork, but it is easy with simple wood turning tools. A $40 Benjamin's Best set from Penn State industries consisting of a Gouge, Skew and Parting tool is all you need for this product. As well as sandpaper, and if you like a finisher such as U40 Cork Seal, Tru Oil or whatever you like.

The absolute best tool for shaping exotic burl is a stanley sureform file...very inexpensive and removes the material VERY fast, but leaves a nice surface....awesome tool.

Andy Dear
Lamar Fishing

Shaping - nothing better! Curved surface - fine cut - quick cut

[www.rodbuilding.org]

For sale at last two NC Shows - now everyone will know what it is used for!