I've spent the past few days tinkering with more urethane foam core grips. I had been using the 8lb variety but wanted something lighter but not so light as the 4lb. I checked with the Mfg. and they said that the resin is the same for all and that the hardener is the difference and that I could mix them equally to get a 6lb variety. I tried it yesterday and it appears to have worked very well. No problems and I can feel the difference in my hand between the weight of the 8lb and 6lb foam cores. But the consistency and texture of the mixed 6lb cores are just as good as what I was making with the 8lb.

Next up was the making of several stand up rod butts with urethane and foam. I made them two different ways. First was the use of 10lb foam and a single layer of the heavy 1.5 carbon sleeving. The next two were done with standard 8lb foam and two layers of the heavy 1.5 carbon sleeving. Both weigh about the same and both seem to have about the same crush resistance. Very tough and very durable. And lighter than any of the standard plastic tuff- or slick- butts I have on hand. I am going to play around with these until I decide which is the better way to go. I think steps are saved by using the 10lb foam and a single layer of the heavy 1.5 sleeving. Now I just need to make sure it's up to the task but so far I have no reason to believe that it won't be. These grips are very very very hard. I will stick with the thicker, heavy 1.5 sleeves in either event though.

I have also developed a technique of my own for dealing with the ends of the grips. I need to try a couple more things and then I plan to write an article for Rodmaker that Tom will hopefully run. I think it addresses the need for a smoothly covered end on these foam grips.

The FIRST thing you need to do is write an article on your new SUPER HOLOGRAPHIC wrap featured in the latest issue of Rodmakers. It blew me away.

Looking forward to it, Bill!!

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!!

Did you mix the two types of hardener together? Then mix with resin? Oh yeah, that Super Holographic wrap really is mindblowing as well.

You don't happen to have an 8-10" long, 1 1/2" OD, 9/32" center bore section of that 10 pound core material laying around would you Dr. Colby?

Derek L. McMaster
Rohnert Park, CA

Born to Fish, FORCED to Work

Sounds like your onto sometheing there Bill, are you going to post any pics? What resin and or final coating did you use to finish them? I'm interested to find out how they turned out. I made a one piece 30" foam grip for my 10' jigstick and used the same thick carbon fiber sleeves. I've done the first layer using the shrink tubing and am wondering how best to finish the grip. The grip is well impregnated with the resin due to the shrink tubing. Would you recommend another layer of epoxy, or just finishing it with the urethane coating. Do you have any suggestions? (or anyone else for that matter). Sorry for the thredjack...
Ken

Use more epoxy and continue sanding until the surface is smooth. Then top coat with clear, exterior gloss, Helmsman Spar Urethane.

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

Thanks Tom. Thats' pretty much what I thought I had to do.