I need help on how to cut the angle for cork tape, for a surf rod, so that it is straight. I am installing it between a butt (already installed) and a similar cork before the reel seat (not installed).
Rick

The quickest thing for you to do, is leave the backing tape on the cork's adhesive side. Now just take a guess and cut an angle with scissors. Set it against the grip or whatever you need to there, and wind the tape one revolution - you'll know if the angle you cut is too shallow or too great. Adjust a bit and cut again. Within 1 or 2 tries you'll have it. We're only talking about cutting a very short bit of the end so there is really no issue with waste, either.

Once you do that, you'll have to cut the same angle (slightly different due to blank taper, if it's very great in that area) on the top end. Removed the backing tape as you go and start winding. When you reach the end leave the backing tape in that area intact and press it against the end of whatever you're moving against and make your cut. You may find this easier to do by cutting the cork and leaving yourself a couple inches extra to work with and getting rid of the roll or longer section.

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Wrap the tape with the backing on, as Tom suggested, and then use a "T" square. Line the square up with the axis of the blank, and then use a compass to determine the angle of the cork tape wrapped at that particular angle. Lay the cork down and make the cut at that angle. That will give you at least a starting point without having to "just make a wild guess". I use this approach to make flush ends on grips wrapped with Rattan. Keeps me from wasteing too much material. It can still work at slight angle variations, you just wrap and follow the angle you cut.
Not sure if this explanation makes sense, now that I've read it, but it works! Email me if this does'nt make sense, and I'll try to explain it a little better.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/16/2008 10:57AM by Kevin Graybeal.

Hi,

Where the cork tape is to start, wrap masking tape, 1 1/2 turns and slightly off center. Pich a spot where the masking tape overlaps and using a straight edge mark a line across each area of tape. Remove the tape and you will see 2 marks. Line these marks with the edges of the cork tape. Now you have the exact angle you need for cutting the cork tape and getting a straight edge against the reel seat or what ever. See I did stay awake during the RodCrafter Seminars. I do not get credit for this method.

I use 1/16th thick cork tape and double wrap using a 50% overlap so I do not have seam over seam. Sometimes I will start the second layer of cork tape at the opposite end.

Capt Neil Faulkner

Thanks for the input. I seem to have the correct angle and the tape looks pretty good for a first attempt. However, the tiny ends don't seem to want to stay down and I am concerned that with use they will come lose. How should I secure them?

I put a thread wrap over it to hold it down and apply a little epoxy.

Freddwhy (Rapt-Ryte)

To keep those small ends of cork tape down, use a tooth pick with a couple "dabs" of any quick dry adhesive. Apply adhesive and wrap the cork tape a couple times with masking tape to hold down. I use this method on any start and finish of cork tape and have never had one unravel yet.
Do what the good Capt. suggests...this way is real simple when getting the correct angle.

Tight Lines
Tight Wraps
Fishin'Stix by Fred

This is a formula Cliff Hall put out a year or so ago:

For any given Diameter (D) & any given tape Width (W):
Rise Angle (Alpha)
ALPHA = ARC-SIN [ W / (PI * D) ]

If the blank diameter and the tape width are equal, the rise is approximately 18.6 degrees



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/17/2008 10:37AM by Owen McLean.

Thanks for all the help. I finally used Capt. Neil's idea but used the cork tape instead of masking tape. I wrapped the tape around the blank very close to the point of application and marked where the beginning corner touched the tape as it was wrapped around the blank. The result was an almost perfect angle. Using rod bond I glued the ends as mentioned by Fred Schoenduby.
Thanks to everyone. It's gonna be a great surf rod.
Rick

So fat the best way I've found is to take a dressmaker's tape with metric markings on it. Wrap the tape around the blank uintil it touches itself and note the measurement where it touches. Then from the end of the cork tape measure this reading down the tape to the opposite side and make a mark. Straightedge between the corner and the mark and you have your angle. Works every time.

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The diagonal represents the measurement around the blank