Hi All,

I am currently working on a #4 RX8 Batson fly blank - for light saltwater use.

It's now time to bind and glue up all the components.

However, after shaping my own cork handle into a half wells, I decide that I would prefer a full wells, as it better suits my grip.

My questions is, once I glue up the butt and reel seat , can I leave the half wells unglued so that I can take it off when I get a chance to order more rings and make a full wells grip. I was thinking of holding it in place with extra high binding on the front where the winding check goes, to stop it from moving forward when I am casting, then epoxy over the thread.

Unfortunately I can't find anyone in Australia with green burl rings, and it is not worth buying just a few cork rings from the US, and in about a month or so I will be ordering more blanks, etc.

I just wanted to use the rod at a few outings I have coming up.

Is this going to effect the blank in anyway.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Richard

I wouldn't go about it that way. An unglued grip will be loose on the blank and can spin/slide. It also won't flex with the blank. You'd be better off getting the right handle sorted and gluing it in place. Either that, or cut part of the handle, square it up, and glue a short cork grip piece (prefab) ahead of it and shape it to the full wells.

You could build up the half wells into a full wells with some Rod Wrap, if the final result is acceptable. It won't feel the same though.

If the fit is snug enough, you can leave it unglued for test casting purposes. It won't hurt anything, but you may find it difficult to keep it in place while test casting. It may tend to turn or twist a little on you.

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

Richard,
Another thought -
Essentially you need a temporary handle for the rod while you wait for components.
Why don't you simply take some eva - make up the handle you want and lightly glue it in place.
It will work fine for the time that you need it, and it will be easy to cut off when you get the handle that you want.
Pluse the expense will be minimal.

Roger

I would ream it snug. Put a few wraps of masking tape on the blank where the handle will sit. Slide the cork grip over the masking tape. Use as much or as little masking tape as needed to really hold it tight, but not so much that you can't slide the handle off later (careful how and where you grab the grip, when you remove it. If you grab the wrong end, you could pull the cork apart).
I have used this method to test cast different handle configs, and even fished a temp grip, for a day. None of the rods have shown any ill effects from using the temp grips.

George Forster
Fort Collins, CO



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/22/2010 10:35AM by George Forster.