I have been recently trying to make foam carbon fiber grips. So far I have made about 3 that are OK. There is definitely a learning curve there.

I wanted to do a split grip, and think I have a design for the front part. The rear grip at the end of the blank is throwing me. I cannot get enough of a tenon for a foam butt cap to fit well.

I recently made a rear grip that is flat on the end rather than a tenon.

I bought a plastic bon-bon candy mold from Jo-Anne's craft and poured my leftover epoxy in one of the molds. I tinted the epoxy black with some Testors paint pigment. Aside from having to cut it out, it may work. Probably if I had some of the release agent, it would work better.

Any advice or leads as to other flat butt caps that have been successfully used would be appreciated.

Thanks
Bert Nagy

Well if I understand what you are asking for. I took a cork fighting butt with a flat piece of EVA attached and chucked it up in my lathe by putting it on the end of a mandrel and turned the cork down to just fit inside a Tennessee handle tube. Then I turned down the EVA portion to the same diameter of the Tennessee tube. I can't see why this would not work for your Carbon Fiber issue. Maybe cut a short piece of Tennessee handle to go inside the carbon fiber and then once it is installed turn the fighting but down to close the end leaving the exposed EVA portion as the but cap. I got the fighting butt from Mud Hole part number FBCC-6 Cork/EVA Foam Fighting Butt. Their CRB Handle System Butt Cap may work also.

I hope I'm on the same page with you; however I will say I have never dealt with carbon fiber.

Gabe

Here's what I have been doing with a Mud Hole CRB handle part rubber butt cap.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Chuck

Man I have got to start using carbon fiber. Nice work Chuck!!

consider trying a locking rigid plastic plug... ream your butt piece, measure the hole, use the matching diameter plug. Works best if your butt piece is flat on the end.

[www.mcmaster.com]

you can buy them in bulk on the link or a couple for a $1 or so from Lowe's/Home Depot.

You can also buy something similar for attaching car door panel plugs, etc but you may have to arbor those if the blank is too large

[www.eurotruck-importers.com] (these have a hole in them but you can find them solid and in about any color)

The nice thing about these plugs (which I also use the mudhole plugs like Chuck does) is these are smooth so they don't grip clothes, available in all different sizes, and easy to get locally.

You can also use the mudhole aluminum ring and rubber piece on the end of carbon grip for some bling. Make you butt the same diameter as the ring and epoxy it on. Looks really sharp.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/29/2010 02:43PM by Alex Dziengielewski.

Thanks Gabe. It's really not too tough at all. There is a bit of a learning curve though. I just started finishing with Permagloss as per the latest Rodmaker and it is much easier for me than spraying Helmsman.

You can also go to say Pep Boys and pick up - Interior panel plugs. Round tops with different sizes for whatever blank or hole you need.

Bill - willierods.com

chuck do you do the dry lay up with shrink tube or are you doing the 5 min epoxy wet layup. I have been doing the dry and shrink ptube method but can not seem to get the ends as nice as I'd like. I think I'm going to try the other method next. That split grip looks great by the way. Is that gudebrod garnet in that pic? I just picked up that same reel and I'm going to set it up on a batson xsb822.5 I really like that color scheme you have there

use wire ties to get your ends right.

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You can also get the interior panel plugs that are sized just right to fit into the threaded insert for a balance kit. I use these if I have a rod with the insert installed and I don’t want the weight of the screw in bumper, if you later decide to add the balance weights you just remove the plastic plug.

I have recently done some rods with carbon handles and this but cap system [www.mudhole.com] they look great, a less expensive alternative is the American Tackle rubber plug [www.mudhole.com]

Phil;
I could be mistaken, but I don’t think there is a “5minute epoxy wet lay-up method.
Nor would I suggest using 5minute epoxy.

I layup dry, coat with West epoxy, then shrink tube. I use cable ties to snug ends while the shrink tube is warm.

Yes, Gudebrod garnet with CP.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/29/2010 10:38PM by Chuck Mills.

Steve maybe I'm using the wrong terminology. I thought that the original article talked about coating the core with 5 min epoxy then installing the sleeve tucking the ends and then smoothing with gloved hands. They then went back and coated with the west systems epoxy and then sanded and finished. Ill have to reread it. Anyway I have been using cable ties to hold he sleeve to the mandrel but didn't know about putting a cable tie over the heat shrink ends. Ill try that

Phil;
Just reread the article and it says to “use a quick curing epoxy" to cover the grip before putting carbon over it.

So you are correct.
That could most definitely be intrepided as 5 minute epoxy.