I am planning to finish building a rod that I wanted to build a few years ago. I am going to use a graphite tube for the butt grip, but I can't remember how to install it. I assume I glue the spacers/arbors on the blank first, wait until they cure and then slide the tubing down and glue it to the arbors. Yes/no? The tubing I am using is 14" long, so I assume I will have a spacer/arbor near each end and one in the middle. If so, how do I make sure the middle arbor will be securely glued to the tube? If I place adhesive on the 3 arbors and slide the tubing down, I envision the adhesive being removed or sqeegied (sp?) from the middle arbor before the tubing is in place. What is the proper way to do this?

Thanks,

Phil

There will be enough epoxy left on the arbor in the middle. I have made several handle like this. You really only need a very thin layer of epoxy to get things adhere.

As you slide it over the center arbors (likely should have more than one) twist the tube then back it up & check that there is a film of epoxy all around the arbor. By twisting and backing up you will smear epoxy on the inside of the tube. As Mike has already pointed out you only need a little for a strong bond. In fact a thin bond on a tight arbor is stronger than a thick coating of epoxy alone.

Phillip,
When doing this, I generally use the poly foam arbors. I ream each of the arbors to be a nice fit on the blank.
I double check to insure that each arbor is a nice slip fit on the inside of the tubing handle. i.e. a nice slid fit with no binding, but very little slop as well.
The idea is that the total amount of arbors will be the same as the length of the handle.
The arbors are so light, that very little weight will be added to the rod by having a full length arbor with a thin layer of glue.

p.s.
I have done the same thing by using old poor quality cork rings with lots of holes in them. The cork is very light, easy to machine and the holes in the cork make an excellent glue bond on the rod. This is a very good use for those rings that are not of good enough quality to be used as a visible handle.


Then, I mix up a batch of slow curing epoxy - coat the rod, and work each arbor down the rod to its correct position, just like a cork handle. Then, a thin layer of epoxy over the outside of the arbors and on the inside of the handle. Slide the handle down, wipe off the excess glue and you are done.


If you didn't want to use a full length arbor, a very simple way to do it would be to use a few wraps of masking tape to hold the arbors that you want to use in place on the rods.
Simply out a few wraps of tape on the blank below the location where you want each arbor to be located.
Then, slide each arbor up the rod to give you glue application room, coat each blank location with glue, slide each arbor down, coat the inside of the handle, and the surface of each arbor and slide the handle in place. Work the handle up and down a bit to insure that you have a nice secure glue lock and you will be good to go.

In any event, I would suggest that you do the entire handle in a single batch of glue for maximum strength. This is why I suggest the use of a slow drying glue to give you enough working time for good positioning of the arbors, and handle.

Take care
Roger

You can put the arbors on first and let them dry. This way when you glue the handle on they will not move.

Bill - willierods.com

You could also glue the arbors into the tube and ream it to fit the blank. Admittedly, the only way around not having that thin film of epoxy inside the tube is to glue one end, then glue the middle, clean the inside, then glue the final arbor from the other end. Once you ream to fit the blank then when you glue that up the epoxy will be on the blank surface. However, the amount is small enough that weight gain is negligible. The important thing is to glue enough of the blank to get enough under each arbor. Surface prep!!