Ok here a dump question. Why can I not use a drill to get close with the size I need then use a cork reamers to finish up with. I will be a little faster.

That's exactly what I do and think it saves a lot of wear and tear on the reamers! Also cuts down on the time I have to spend reaming them all out. Nothing wrong with using a drill to bore them out to close size and then final fitting with hand reamer. I'd say you're on the right track.

BigAl,

I watched a guy build a rod handle for a friend of his from cork rings years ago. This guy WASN'T a rod maker, he was a machinist.

He took a micrometer, measured the blank AND the width of the cork rings, decided that the 'taper' was slight enough to be unimportant since the epoxy would fill it easily, and drilled EACH and EVERY one to fit EXACTLY (with what he called .001 'slop').

Now, he had a drill index that went to thoushanths, and he knew what he was doing, but he didn't need ANY sanding, either with a 'reamer' or otherwise.

When he put the grip on WITHOU GLUE, it felt as solid as many already assembled handles.

If you have the tools, this would seem to me to be the BEST way to get as close to an 'exact' fit as possible without having 'educated' hands. (Let's face it, a master rod maker can do incredible things with a reamer).

Good Luck!

I am new to rod building but I would have to say use a drill bit that is sharp so it will not "tear" or break off the cork on its way through.
Only a logical view.
Mark Schulte

True wood drilling/boring bits differ from metal drill bits as they usually have cutting ability on the edge of the flute ends. Standard "twist" drill bits do not.

Mark is correct. I have found that the all-purpose "bullet point" bits from B&D work very well in cork. Keep the rpms up around 2000 or better and you will find that they cut pretty darn clean. There is also a cork drilling clamp you can make for nearly "hands-off" use in your drill press. Plans were in the Nov/Dec '98 RodMaker. It is no longer available from our site, but I have a few copies left for sale if anyone is interested.

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I think I mentioned here in the past. I use drills with high spd drill bits - same as bullet points? However when doing it by hand, it tends to run off centre. By mistake I found by doing it in reverse, that means getting the drill to run reverse, it stays centred.