G'day Guys,

Just starting on another build and I'm using EVA for grips and an aluminium butt cap.

Is it OK to machine a tenon on the EVA and then mount the butt cup over the tenon? Or would I be better off to use drywall mesh tape to form an arbor under the butt cap?

Regards

Jason

I dont' do aluminum gimbals/butt caps very often, but I am afraid the EVA is too soft underneath. I don't know if anything bad will happen, but my assumption is that it might, I use graphite abors under my caps/gimbals, tehy seem a lot harder than teh FC arbors. Drywall is great, its' just a bit heavier.

I'm with Billy on this one no eva tenon, aluminum gimbals/butt caps take a beating, belts, decks, sidewalks, you know the usual. If you need to build up under the butt cap I'd use graphite arbores.

OK, Thanks guys.

This rod is a 8-17lb casting rod so is not really heavy, but I will take your recommendation and use an arbor or drywall tape. I guess my feeling was that I would need to anyway but I didn't know if I would get away with going over the EVA.

Thanks again for your advice.

Jason

Jason if this is a freshwater bass rod? and will have an aluminum butt cap and NO gimbal, you dont need anything. Make sure the blank goes all the way through the end of the tendon, have the EVA cut to fit your aluminum cap, make sure the end of the blank goes all the way to the base of the aluminum cap, and you'll be fine. Nothing else is needed. The blank will give the EVA support when needed just like if it were cork. If you're talking saltwater, you'd better listen to Billy.

DR

I'd say don't dothe teonon thing on the EVA. The EVA is too flexible for that kind of use.

Here's the two different solutions we've come up with for butt caps on an EVA grip:

1) Cut the EVA short, leaving enough space from the back of the EVA to the butt tip of the blank for the depth of the butt cap. Now make an arbor of cork, long enough and shaped to fit the ID of the butt cap. Slip the butt cap over the arbor, ream the arbor to fit the blank, and snug the butt cap assembly over the rod so it joins with the EVA, leaving no space or gap.

2) Don't use a butt cap at all. Use a large-flanged button, which has a stem that goes inside the blank and a rim or flange that covers most of the butt end of the EVA.

Uncle Russ
Calico Creek Rods

Duane,

The rod is actually a saltwater rod, but the butt cap is one of the Renzetti ones from Mudhule with the hard rubber "ball" on the end, not a gimbal fitting. As the rod may be subjected to some reasonably large fish, I reckon I might use some form of arbour.

Russ,

I have some cork that I could use for an arbor so that may be a good option for me.

Thanks

Jason

PS There aren't any bass where I come from, not even Australian ones :-)

for a neat finish you can us a small tennon say a few mm long not as an arbour but purely to make the transition a neat one...i do it on my game rods when using an EVA rear grip...dry wall mesh for an arbour and tenon 5 mm on the end of the EVA slighly larger than the internal ID of the gimbal in this case and when glue is applyed it acts as a lubricant and alows the eva to slip into the top of the gimbal, give a nice neat transition / finish.

oh and no Bass mate ?!?! poor you, ill send you some if you want ??? ya just dont know what your missing...


Cheers Perrie

HOTRODS - Perrie Thomas Custom Rods
[www.perrieshotrods.com]