A customer has brough me all parts need for two surf rods. I am having trouble sliding the EVA on to the butt section. In years past I was taught to spray WD-40 to help it slid on but I can not get it to slid all the way down now. I am wondering if there is a different way like maybe soaking the EVA in hot water to get it to stretch more. Any more advice would be helpfull thanks.

Jeff I can easily slide 3/4 id EVA on to a 1"od blank by using Rod Bond. Excellent Epoxy and lubricator. You will have to get the WD40 out of the inside of the EVA now to get the Rod Bond to adhere properly.

J.B.Hunt
Bowling Green, KY

Thanks for that new problem at this point I can not get the grips to budge, they are stuck in place. I want to avoid cutting them off but this may have to be done. looking for more help with both problems now.

Just fill the opening with denatured alcohol and then pour it out and then apply the grip with rod bond already applied to the blank. It will go on with no problem.

KK

Cut them off, clean the blank and install new grips using Rod Bond. Not only is it VERY difficult to move/remove EVA grips once they have "stopped", but those grips are highly contaminated by the WD-40. Due to the composition of foam products ... you would be highly unlikely to remove the oily residue. The good news ... EVA is inexpensive and you haven't done anything to hurt the blank, just clean it with isopropyl alcohol and you will be good to go.

Thanks again I real want to avoid cutting them off but I know I may not have a choice, so does anyone know if soaking them in hot water would allow them to exspand or loosen at all.

Cut them off, it only costs 5 bucks

Jeff Bernier Wrote:
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> ... does anyone know if soaking them in hot water would allow them
> to expand or loosen at all.

It will make them hot and sweaty and very much still stuck in place. Sorry, but you need to go back to the beginning and start over ... just like one of those annoying board games.

Jeff,

Please read the EVA mounting instructions on the FAQs page here. If you put the adhesive in the proper place, it really shouldn't require you to take any sort of extreme measures to install those grips.

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

The only thing I can think to suggest...and I doubt it will work....is a trick we use long ago when we had to install a grip from the wrong end. Can you get a hold of an air compressor? An inflating needle for a football/basketball might come on handy too. Basically you are looking to inject air under the grip and force it to expand while you attempt to make a seal at the butt end of the grip as you push it towards the tip.

Frankly I'd go with Jim's advice as they are too contaminated IMHO to be saved. It is one thing if you have fancy inlay work on them but otherwise it just ain't worth it. Have to say I never heard of WD40...windex yes....but where did you hear to use WD40? I'm not clear if you have any expoxy on them yet.

Russell Brunt Wrote:
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> The only thing I can think to suggest...and I
> doubt it will work....is a trick we use long ago
> when we had to install a grip from the wrong end.
> Can you get a hold of an air compressor? An
> inflating needle for a football/basketball might
> come on handy too. Basically you are looking to
> inject air under the grip and force it to expand
> while you attempt to make a seal at the butt end
> of the grip as you push it towards the tip.
>
> Frankly I'd go with Jim's advice as they are too
> contaminated IMHO to be saved. It is one thing if
> you have fancy inlay work on them but otherwise it
> just ain't worth it. Have to say I never heard of
> WD40...windex yes....but where did you hear to use
> WD40? I'm not clear if you have any expoxy on
> them yet.


No I am at the very start I may try the air trick, but I agree I will probobly cut them off and start over. I learnd WD40 from my dad about 25 years ago, and it all ways work, but that was on small rods never one with a butt section so big.
Thanks everyone.

Jeff -
In this case "Father knows best" is just wrong. Do yourself a big favor and forget the WD40 from here on out.

How true is that statment

I mainly just use rod bond and a two fingers wrapped around on the top while pushing down. No need for WD40. You may also want to clean all your other rodbuilding supplies with denatured alcohol if you sprayed that stuff near them.

Jeff,
Go with the air compressor and long air needle.
It will easily remove the stuck EVA grip.

I use this method all of the time for various types of shovel handles, bicycle grips, snowmobile grips and foam fishing rod grips.

Just use a long air needle hooked to a blow gun of an air compressor. Make sure that you use a sander or grinder to dull the end of the needle to avoid scratching the blank.
Start the needle under the butt of the rod . It helps to have another person hold the blank for stability. Then activate the air, The air will inflate the foam grip like a balloon and as the air is added, you will be able to rotate and then began to work the grip back up the rod.

After getting the grip removed - take a tray that is longer than the grip and soak it in alcohol and use a brush to remove the WD-40 that is on the inside of the grip. Make sure that you then let the grip completly dry out with help from a series of paper towels.

Also, use the alcohol to completely clean the blank to remove all traces of WD-40.

Now, when you go to put the grip back on - use slow drying epoxy. Put on a good layer of epoxy on the inside of the grip. Then, put on a good layer of epoxy on the blank for about 4 feet starting from the butt - working up the blank.
You want a good generous layer of epoxy on the full length of the blank, where the grip is going to be placed. Finally, have the blank sitting vertical - butt down, and in one smooth motion start the grip sliding down to the butt of the rod, and slide the EVA grip down the blank and DO NOT stop as you slide the blank down. If you stop, you will likely not get going again.

Go with the air needle and the air compressor. I would say that your chance of success at removing the grip without damage at about 99%.


Good luck
Roger

p.s.
This is the sort of blow gun of which I spoke above:

[www.harborfreight.com]

Just use the long needle with the gun and it will easily remove the grip with no damage to the grip.

You may find it to your advantage, to slightly flatten the end of the needle to better slip it between the grip and the blank.

Good luck
Roger