Perhaps it is only gilding the lily, but I am considering using an arbor to lighten up birch rings being used as cork on a 4 wt fly rod. Assuming it is really worth the bother, would there be a preference for using a graphite vs polyurethane arbor? Thanks,

Pesco Ergo Sum

Birch rings can make for a heavy grip. Boring the grip makes sense especially on a 4 weight rod.

I think a full length arbor is the way to go and the poly foam type is all I use.

I don't see why a graphite arbor wouldn't work too but I've only seen them in short lengths.

A full length arbor would bond all the parts together better. Foam is so light even a full length arbor will reduce the overall weight quite a bit.

Post a pic of the reel seat when finished. I'd like to see how it comes out.

Dave

ive done the same thing with grips i made out of burl and rubberized cork. I used the foam arbors, worked like a champ

Bruce,
I have used both, but the remaining graphite arbors that I have stay in the strorage bag. The issue is the difficulty in working with the graphite arbors. These arbors are much much harder than the poly arbors, ream and machine much harder as well.
I don't know that there is any advantage at all to the use of the graphite arbors, and the polly arbors are simply much much more user friendly.

Be safe
REW

What are called "graphite" arbors are really just another type of foam. A true, solid graphite arbor would be very heavy, almost as much as the wood.

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

I bore out all my wood and burl cork handles and use foam arbors. Never had a problem.

This concern about minute differences in weight at the casting fulcrum of a 4 wt. fly rod confirms the belief that "nothing succeeds like excess." In this situation I would be more concerned about the durability and ease of use of the arbor than its weight. A 10 wt. rod required to make 80 foot casts with a big fly in a 15 mph. wind might demand different priorities.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/14/2011 09:50PM by Phil Ewanicki.

Thanks for your replies to my birch ring arbor question. I have both types of arbors arriving thru the mail and will end up choosing one. The graphite arbors I am familiar with, and I think I have handled the poly arbors once some time ago. I recall them as being ... foamier? And so Roger's response makes me wonder if the harder graphite might enhance sensitivity. Again, I may be gilding the lily. The grips are going to be 1 inch rings of green filled cork in a pattern with birch taken from a Packer fan's fallen tree. The rings will be prefabbed but assembled and sanded to shape on the blank itself... no lathe. Thanks again for the help.

Pesco Ergo Sum

Bruce,
I have built many rods with the Fugi Graphite arbors, before the poly arbors became available.
Since the poly arbors have come availabile, I have used virtually none of the fuji arbors. I have some identical rods, built with either the fuji graphite arbors, and some with the newer poly arbors.
I can feel 0 difference in sensitivity between the two arbors. I really think that as long as you have a good glue setup between the blank and reel seat, that it will be next to impossible to tell a difference in rod - performance, or sensitivity, based on the use of a particular arbor.

Good luck
Roger